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Here's my question, and while I did see a LOT of mealtime questions addressed, I didn't quite see this:
If we ask the CM's specifically at drop off to feed our children, do they make a point of doing so or do they still have to follow the guidelines of if they child wants to eat they can but you can't force them?
Only reason I ask this is because we specifically asked to make sure the kids got dinner on our Palo night, but when we went to pick them up at 10:30 (taking our sweet time thinking they had already eaten) they said they were starving and hadn't eaten dinner yet. A quick talk with the CM's revealed that our kids indeed had not eaten but that it had been 'offered' to them. I would think, especially with the younger crowd(they were 5 and 3.5 at sailing) that if we asked, the CM's would be a little more directive to the kids to get them to sit down and eat.
Hi!
If a parent comes with instructions that their children MUST be fed (due to a reservation, etc.), counselors note this under the kid's file and come mealtime, those kids are sought after especially to invite to eat. Note the key word being "invite". Just as in giving discipline (which we must never do), we can never ever force a child to do anything that they do not wish to, regardless of how old or young they are. We cannot be seen to be doing anything more than encouraging or persuading children to eat - but it really can't be the CM's fault if the kids refuse or ignore all invitations to join us.
(What we find -not saying this was the case with your kids!
, but especially with older children is that they become thoroughly invested in a game, and even though their mother specifically requested that they eat - they don't leave their computers and then tell their parents they were never asked to have a meal -leading to upset grownups and taken aback CMs.
Happens quite often!)
The best way we find to curb this is if you make sure that you explain to your child that they MUST eat when the counselors ask everyone to wash their hands and join them for the meal. Also make sure the counselor notes this down in the child's file and also makes a note that your children refused to eat - or better yet, send you a message indicating as much.
CMoftheseas,
Thanks so much for answering the questions.
I would like to know what is the process if there is an emergency while the parents are in port. The phones work on CC, but not in the port. How do you reach the parents and how would the emergency be handled?
Thanks.
Hmmm this one's a little tricky.
From our experience most parents assume that they couldn't leave the ship without the kids and are often surprised when we do have some children in the space while the parents are off in port. The Counselors always ask the parents if they're leaving the ship and what time they're expected to return, but are not allowed to take down your contact phone number to reach you in port. If you're on a Disney Port Excursion - in the more dire emergencies Guest Services will try to contact Port Adventures who will track down which excursion you are on, and even then hope that you're not underwater and reachable via a guide's phone, if they have one. It's really at your own risk if you decide to leave your children on board without you!
For most of the kids in our space, this isn't a problem because they tend to be a) Self Check or b) Old enough to be able to handle themselves independently and keep occupied. That isn't to say that there aren't the handful of parents who drop off their 4-year olds in the morning without feeding them breakfast, and are perfectly comfortable going on a tequila tasting tour until 6 hours later
.
For obvious safety reasons, on Port days when parents are less likely to respond, activities err on being quieter, safer, toned down, less involved. The last thing we want is a child bumping/cutting themselves accidentally while running around or playing and not being able to reach an adult to let them know. If anything does happen, the CMs will have to do everything they possibly can within reason, and try their best to keep track of the child's status until the adults arrive.
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Let me share a story I won't forget:
A 9 year old boy was checked into the Oceaneer Lab at 7:30 am (we opened early in this particular Port), with his parents explaining they did not know when they would be returning. They apparently didn't tell their son when they would be coming back either, and he was not given self-check privileges to leave.
At lunchtime, all of the children were seated to eat except for the Self-Checks who left to get their own food at the Buffet or up on deck. The boy was a little upset that he couldn't leave, but didn't feel like eating and indicated he would wait for his parents.
An hour or so after lunch, he comes up to the counselors at desk to call his parents. They call and discover they aren't available nor back on board yet. He persistently returns every few minutes until the Counselors realise it's because he's had diarrhea (which is taken very seriously on board.)
He is taken to the restroom to clean up, but unfortunately due to his age, the Counselors weren't able to provide him a change of clothing. (The department has 'potty accident' clothing - but for toddlers!) In this case, the counselors had to keep him isolated in the restroom until his grownups came to ensure he didn't soil any other parts of the space. Calls and messages are continued to be made and Counselors are trying to reach anyone travelling with the family.
The stress of the situation caused him to vomit just at the entrance to the restroom, which then had to be quarantined and isolated due to risk of AGE( Acute Gastroenteritis), and of course by this point he was extremely upset and crying at the situation and locked himself in a stall.
Luckily, older adults who were travelling with the boy's parents were on board but could not reach them and were, unfortunately not authorized adults and could not pick him up - but they said they knew of a few places his parents had planned on visiting. Because the shops were closed on board in Port, they could not buy him new clothing.
It took management physically getting off the ship and searching for the parents before they finally came to pick up their son and help change him into clothing and feed him, to the relief of the Counselors. I think the worst part was hearing his mother yelling at the poor boy about it all. Like really tearing into him for ruining her beach day
!
! If we were a different cruise line with significantly less kids, I can see it being more reasonable.
