children with fake knives/swords in parks

[LindsayDunn228]

My credentials? Between DH and I we had 6 children. I had 2, DH had 4, ours was a Cocker Spaniel (for good reason! LOL). I am the proud Grandmother of 11. 7 grandsons and 4 granddaughters. Having stated that...

I agree with the poster who said we live in a society that loves to blame others for our own problems. There needs to be more accountability in this world. If I'm fat it's because I choose to eat too much and the wrong things. Not McD's fault because they sold me the food!

Being a parent is not an easy job. We refer to it as raising children because that is what we are doing. We are in charge of their physical, emotional, spiritual, and intelectual well being. It is a 24 hour, 7 day a week job. There are no vacations from this. No matter where we are, that responsibility is still there.

It is hard for me to believe the number of posters that reacted negatively to this op's thread. Many seem to have the feeling that no one has a right to get angry for a child's play. After all, children will be children. Unfortunately I haven't read that parents should parent! Isn't it the parents job to supervise, oversee, protect, educate, and love? If your child is misbehaving shouldn't the parent do something?

I don't think the problem is the swords. Although personally I wish guns, knives and swords were not considered acceptable toys for children, I understand and accept that they are. But just as I don't allow my GS's or GD's to throw a ball in my dining room, I also wouldn't allow them to have a sword fight down Main Street. Why? Because there are consequences to their actions. Playing ball in my house can result in something being broken. Sword fighting in a crowd could result in someone being hurt. There is a time and place for everything.

Buy the sword, have it sent back to your room. Let your child sword fight with you once you have gone home in your back yard. Enjoy his imagination with him, not just at Disney.

And for the record my GD Princess Katie who is 3 can and does hold her own with all of the GS's. I'll match her wand with their swords any day of the week, it just won't happen at WDW.

Wild applause!!!!!!!!

 

[snowy76]

Just my opinion, but a kid that runs up to an adult stranger in a theme park and jabs them in the back of the leg isn't being raised right.

Agreed... but he could jab someone with anything, including a lollipop.
My DS 11 has been playing with fake swords and guns since he could practically walk. When he grows up he wants to be a SWAT officer so he can save hostages. He has NEVER aimed his guns at people because we have always taught him not to. He aims his guns at the bad guys in his imagination. He's saving the world every time he plays.
Compare that to my inner-city students who take pieces of paper and shape them into the form of a gun so they can aim it at ME when I assign too much homework, or at another student who bumped into them on the way to get their bookbags.
You don't need a toy gun to be violent. It's all in the parenting.

 

[Amy&Dan]

It must be a full moon because there are some really heated topics on the disboards this weekend! And I must be in full moon mode because I cannot stay off the boards and keep responding to them! Let me just reiterate again that the swords are fine in my opinion, AT HOME OR IN YOUR HOTEL ROOM! My daughter got whacked across the face with one of these in line for Splash Mountain at Disneyland. The whole time we were in line these two little boys were fighting, pushing etc. having the time of there lives. Mom and Dad thought it was so cute they camcorded. Then they began to bend them (think holding the base and bending the flexible sword part) and that's how my little girl got a nice red welt across her face including her eye area. Her eyelid was swollen for a couple of days. She was crying, holding her hand over her eyes, bent double in pain. I could hardly get her hand off to see if her eye was still intact. No apology from the parents, they even laughed and I heard the dad say something to the effect of mimicking the sound it made when it hit my daughter. People in line with us were outraged, I told a cm, no response from him either. Over and done with, she is fine but every time I see kids playing with those swords I wish I had taken a photo of her face that I could carry around for demonstration purposes. Now let me also tell you BOTH my kids have those swords, play with them occasionally and do it at home. They know firsthand that not to get them close to each other's faces. Yes, you could poke someone with a lollipop, yes you can drop ice cream on someone's shoe but no those things shouldn't be outlawed at Disney. Just a little common sense please!!

 

[MelodyMack]

I can't believe this thread lasted for 5+ pages....time to let it go guys. I think it's the happiest place on earth, with or without swords, grumpy CM's, umbrellas, and kids not being worshipped on their birthdays.

I'm not trying to be preachy (Believe meeeeee), but I was a mom myself before I ever got to go to WDW. So instead of looking at all the LITTLE things that didn't go quite right during my WDW trip, I try to keep my thoughts on the blessing of just being there! I got to go...I saw the MOUSE...I got to see the look of pure joy on my munchkins face when she saw the castle! My Pop worked hard our whole lives, but we never could get the money together to go to the World. So it was such a feeling of disbelief to be able to finally see it, and even more important, take my kid to see it. I mean, how many people out there will never get to go? Will never get the money together to take their kids no matter how hard they work?

Swords!?! Are we looking for stuff to gripe about or what? The spirit of the DIS is changing, and in my opinion, not for the better.

Just my 2 cents....
Mel

 

[the kabuki]

It must be a full moon because there are some really heated topics on the disboards this weekend! And I must be in full moon mode because I cannot stay off the boards and keep responding to them! Let me just reiterate again that the swords are fine in my opinion, AT HOME OR IN YOUR HOTEL ROOM! My daughter got whacked across the face with one of these in line for Splash Mountain at Disneyland. The whole time we were in line these two little boys were fighting, pushing etc. having the time of there lives. Mom and Dad thought it was so cute they camcorded. Then they began to bend them (think holding the base and bending the flexible sword part) and that's how my little girl got a nice red welt across her face including her eye area. Her eyelid was swollen for a couple of days. She was crying, holding her hand over her eyes, bent double in pain. I could hardly get her hand off to see if her eye was still intact. No apology from the parents, they even laughed and I heard the dad say something to the effect of mimicking the sound it made when it hit my daughter. People in line with us were outraged, I told a cm, no response from him either. Over and done with, she is fine but every time I see kids playing with those swords I wish I had taken a photo of her face that I could carry around for demonstration purposes. Now let me also tell you BOTH my kids have those swords, play with them occasionally and do it at home. They know firsthand that not to get them close to each other's faces. Yes, you could poke someone with a lollipop, yes you can drop ice cream on someone's shoe but no those things shouldn't be outlawed at Disney. Just a little common sense please!!

I've been thinking the same thing about the DIS-it has been a crazy week here!
Here's hoping Monday brings on something better.

 

[PatriciaH]

With all the exposure to violence in video games, on tv, etc, I think kids are desensitized to it all. A kid once pointed a pop-gun at me in Wal-Mart. I went right up to him, and explained that I didn't appreciate having a gun pointed at me. I think it's horrible when kids 'pretend' to kill people.

I had a child do this to me at the ice cream parlor on Main St. a few weeks ago. He pointed his play gun at my face stared at me for a few seconds (note- I was not smiling) and then pulled the trigger. His parents laughed like he was mr. cute. Other people in line were disgusted. I just said "that was very rude" to him. I have seen kids get hurt with those super long light wands and swords in the parks. Other parents are not so kind when their child is the one on the receiving end. Tell them "kids will be kids."

 

[momof2inPA]

Hellooooo. The kids don't bring the swords and guns from home. Disney sells them- in the parks. They must be expecting kids to play with them- in the parks. If you don't want to be around play swords, guns, or wands, quit visiting places where they are sold. Now, letting a child intentionally stab or hit someone is of course not acceptable, but accidental contact will occassionally happen.

I also have a great idea. Close Disney for one day and let in only the child-haters, then ban them from the parks for the other days of the year. On the normal, non-child-hater days, when people have petty complaints about kids' normal behavior or their existence, the CM's would be instructed to escort the complainer to the exit and inform him/her that he/she is obviously there on the wrong day.

 

[Anewman]

If you ever took a toy away from any child in my care and broke it, you'd be ponying up the cash for a new one and I would absolutely call security over and hopefully remove you from the park. In "my world" THAT is called stealing someone else's property and destroying it.

In the "world" of others it can also be Called "Self Defense."

That's a crime. Moreso than a small child who is excited accidentally bumping into you with his plastic pirate sword.

No, Childs commit no crimes.


TRUE UNRELATED STORY

Lived in a new home for two weeks, Sunday moring I am outside doing some chores all of a sudden ROCKS start hitting my car(washed it the day b4). I notice rocks are coming from over the wall next door, Rush over and a 5-7 year old boy is standing on a picnic table taking aim and HITTING my car with rocks. In a stern but not yelling voice I tell the kid "STOP THROWING ROCKS AT MY CAR". Instantly the mom comes out at scolds ME that he is just a little boy how can I speak in such a tone to a 6 year old?????? HER KID IS THROWING ROCKS AT MY CAR, and she does not say a word to him.
Without time to think I just told the lady(that never spoke to us again) "If you had been watching your kid I would not of told him a single word". She replied saying that she was watching him and I ask "So you saw him throwing rocks at my car?, EITHER WAY IT IS YOUR FAULT" and walked away.

I swear this lady has posted in this thread with all the "they are just kids" and "it is Disneyworld" excuses for bad parenting. If kids are old enough to hold a sword they are old enough to be taught what NOT TO DO WITH IT. I guess when it is your kids it is cute when they run up and stab others, or are blocking a path having their little light saber battle while dozens of familys are waiting for the cuteness to stop. Not so cute to everyone else, I always think the kids that behave and have manners are the cute ones.


Bottom line, No one in this thread has issues with kids. THe issues are with BAD/NEGLIGANT/INCONSIDERATE PARENTS.
Maybe we should have Disney day without them.

 

[MKCP5]

Wow. People need to get a life!!! This board is for strategies and help for each other for the parks. It seems the " I just need to spew my venom over every incident in my life" crowd is taking over. I think we need a new category for posting. One is that is entirely dedicated to the incidents that people are unhappy about at the parks and resorts. I am sure some people could live in that chat. Then the rest of us could get on with planning a trip.