Did anyone else notice....

[Favorite Auntie]

That there were small children that seemed to run all over the ship with no adult supervision...

When I cruised in January I was constantly seeing children 5 and under misbehaving with no adults around watching them?? One night (around 9) there were three little ones...about 3 to 5 years old...that were playing with the automatic doors on deck 4 midship. OK, now chances are no one will steal them, BUT they can still get very hurt. Do parents not think about this? When my 5 year old nephew is on the ship with me in November he will not leave our sight, unless he is in the kids clubs. Should DCL do something about this?

 

[gdulaney]

Steal them?!? No way!!! But has anybody ever been tempted to give a swat or two on the rear? (Please no flaming....I'd never do it...but hasn't someone else, besides me, wished that a little discipline was going on???)

Or wouldn't you like to ask, "Do you know where your mommy/daddy/chaperone/warden" is? I bet you're worried about him/her/them...why don't you go check on what their doing."

I promise that I'm not being a smart-butt, but what can DCL do..short of having a curfew? Which I'm sure would go over like a lead balloon...and the folks who would be leading the "charge" would probably be the folks shouting "We're responsible for our kids!!" while their kids swing from the rafters.

I've noticed the same thing in my neighborhood...some parents let their children run wild...and some don't (darn...mine never did ).

Ginny

 

[Wishing on a star]

Should DCL do something about this...

YES!!!!!!!



PS: there have been a couple of pretty heated threads on this before... Bottom Line, you would not believe how many people out there who have no problem with this!

As long as this is true, I do not expect DCL to take any action whatsoever... The parents are paying big money... "The customer is always right...."

Even from the perspective of liability... DCL knows that it would be just impossible for anyone to sue, and to win, proving that DCL was the cause of whatever unthinkable harm befell their child. And, who could fight Disney's BIG money and Lawyers!

 

[rae519]

During one cruise, my DS Michael and I were walking from down the deck and saw a very small child (probably 3 or 4) sitting down on the floor crying! No adults were around and so we stopped. The child seemed afraid to talk with me but told Michael that his Mommy had told him to go to the Club and sign himself in.

So Michael took the little boy's hand and we walked him to the Club and explained it to the Counselors. We had no idea who the child was or anything about the child, but fortunately there was an ID bracelet on the boy so the Counselors could find out the information.

THIS IS CHILD ABUSE.

And if anyone wants to "set me straight" about what "child abuse is or isn't" - go ahead.

I will not debate this issue.


Rae

 

[Wishing on a star]

AMEN!!!!!!!

 

[DreaminDisney]

So Michael took the little boy's hand and we walked him to the Club and explained it to the Counselors. We had no idea who the child was or anything about the child, but fortunately there was an ID bracelet on the boy so the Counselors could find out the information.

THIS IS CHILD ABUSE.

AMEN Again!!

 

[disney6]

Seems like some people have no idea what a precious gift children are!

 

[ducklite]

I couldn't agree more, although I probably wouldn't have been as kind ot the parents. I would have gotten ships security and told them that the parents had basically abandoned the child. I have no doubt that in that case they would have had a chat with mom and dad.

Anne

 

[rae519]

Last week, Michael and I stopped by the grocery store. In the car next to us was a baby in a car seat. I searched for an adult....there wasn't anyone around. The car was closed up - and no one around! Both of us were in shock and I realized I needed to report this immediately!

I called 911 and provided all the vital information - after 10 minutes, the "mother" came out and I informed her that she had committed a crime and I had called the police. She left saying she'd only been in the store for a minute.

I called 911 back with her direction of exit.

I waited 10 more minutes for the officer to take my statement. He said that they had "talked with her" and would report her to the Child Protective Services who would in turn call me.

That was last week. No one called.

If you give a child a "whack" on the rear end, you can be arrested on the spot - lose custody of your child, etc.......but abandon a baby in a locked car with windows rolled up tight for ???minutes and you can get away with it.

But why am I not surprised when 9 years ago, the 16 year old who rearended our car and caused the death of my 7 year old daughter didn't get a ticket, lose his license or ever have to be held accountable for it because he was a "minor"............

Guess I am more sensitive to the subject than many because I have lost a child - and I still believe that a "whack" on the rear is NOT child abuse.


Rae

 

[Favorite Auntie]

So I am not alone is this observation... I was just thinking that DCL could make a rule that no one under the age of ___ ( fill in and age) may be left unattended on the ship at any time, no exceptions. Seems simple, but obviously it isn't. Usually I mind my own business, unless it comes to children. If their parent/guardian is not looking out for their welfare someone has to.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I have a question....

Just what information is on the childs wristband on DCL???

Is it just a computer-code thing? Or, is any info printed on there?


PS: Ann, had to say that I would be very suprised if Security showed up and did ANYTHING...

I have been on this board for a year now, and in all of these discussions, I have never, not once, heard of security doing anything at all. So, do they even exist on the ship??????

 

[gdulaney]

To Rae....I agree with you (as did my parents) that a swat on the rear is discipline, not child abuse !! Good for you on calling 911... alot of folks would just keep walking.

To Favorite Auntie....Great idea about children under the age of ___ (fill in the age) cannot be left alone!!


Recently I was at the grocery store and the woman in line directly ahead of me turned and looked at me..she said, "Can you watch my child for a minute while I run get something" and then she took off running (for something that MUST have been terribly important). She LEFT her child sitting in the buggy for me to watch. Now, I don't have any children...didn't have any children with me....so maybe she was psychic... I mean why else would you leave your child with a complete stranger...not knowing if the stranger would take your child... BIZARRE! When she returned I looked at her and said, "That could be really dangerous...you know leaving your child with a complete stranger." She just looked at me like she didn't have a clue. I wished I would have thought about calling 911... hindsight really is 20/20.

- Ginny -

 

[hopelea]

There are too many weirdos out there to let you children run free anywhere. I have two dd's 9 & 7!! You better believe that they will not be walking around alone on that ship. They will be with an adult at all times.

I realize this is a disney family cruise, but can someone tell me 100% that there is not a sicko out there that would grab my dd and take her into his room and have his way with her?? My parents always told me to stay with an adult while walking through the hallways of hotels. They said, "if someone grabs you and takes you into their room, we would never know!" I tell mine the same things. I may be scaring them some, but at least they are paying attention.

JMO!!!

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by hopelea
There are too many weirdos out there to let you children run free anywhere. I have two dd's 9 & 7!! You better believe that they will not be walking around alone on that ship. They will be with an adult at all times.

I realize this is a disney family cruise, but can someone tell me 100% that there is not a sicko out there that would grab my dd and take her into his room and have his way with her?? My parents always told me to stay with an adult while walking through the hallways of hotels. They said, "if someone grabs you and takes you into their room, we would never know!" I tell mine the same things. I may be scaring them some, but at least they are paying attention.

JMO!!!

Very true!
Even in Disney stories there is always evil lurking.....and they aren't always an "ugly old witch".

Rae

 

[AnnMorin]

Originally posted by gdulaney
Steal them?!? No way

Ginny

I would never trust my precious child alone wandering in my town so why would I on a ship. In our town of approx 5000 people there are 15 registered sex offenders (yes I do know who they are and where they live and what they look like) those are the ones who have been convicted of a crime, God knows how many other sickos there are that have not been caught. If I told you the amount of warrents DH issues in a month for perverts you would be horrified (most from the city not from the rural area we live in) my point is the ship including crew comes close to the size of my town, therefor odds are there could be a sicko on board. This year when DS is ten we may allow him to sign himself out since I hear that it now the policy for over ten. But he will have a walkabout radio with him and is only allowed to go from point A to point B. That still makes me nervous. A child under six I agree Rae if they are left unsupervised it most definately IS child abuse!

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by AnnMorin
I would never trust my precious child alone wandering in my town so why would I on a ship. In our town of approx 5000 people there are 15 registered sex offenders (yes I do know who they are and where they live and what they look like) those are the ones who have been convicted of a crime, God knows how many other sickos there are that have not been caught.

Bingo, Ann!
You hit the nail right smack dab on the head - even in my little Podunk town there are convicted sex offenders and pedophiles - so parents MUST be careful! When mentioning this to a friend, I was told, "And not all the perverts are strangers - tell people to be careful about family members and friends, even internet chat room people."

Yes, we have gone a bit off topic here but when it comes to the safety of a child - I don't think we can go too far to protect them.

Rae

 

[Tracie Wallace]

I don't understand how parents could allow their very young child to wander around a ship unsupervised. First of all, most children have no sense of danger. I don't know how "childproof" DCL is - but I can see a child climbing over a railing, getting fingers caught in doors, going for a swim, man-overboard, etc. This is probably a parent who would also sue - since obviously they thought that Disney was 100% responsible for the safety of their child.

Also, I've never yet seen a child molester walking down a street with a sign stating "I am a pedophile". You don't know who could be around who would harm your child. Take precautions to keep your child safe!

 

[disney6]

This is the main reason we took our son's best friend with us last cruise. They were both 10, had sign out privileges and were to stay together at all times. They were not allowed to "roam the ship", we had to know where they were at all times. Luckily they are both very responsible boys, I've always said my son is more "girl" and my girls more "boy"! He's very quiet, never climbed, and never had to be told "no" more than once! (my sisters say he's not a normal boy!). It worked so well, we will probably take someone again in 2004.

I agree with Ann, I would never let him roam my town alone, so why the ship?

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by Tracie Wallace
Also, I've never yet seen a child molester walking down a street with a sign stating "I am a pedophile". !

No, but I think that would be a good idea - maybe we could start a movement?!

Or get it tatooed across their face?

Sorry, I have no sympathy/empathy for anyone who intentionally harms a child with word or deed.

Rae

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by disney6
This is the main reason we took our son's best friend with us last cruise. They were both 10, had sign out privileges and were to stay together at all times. They were not allowed to "roam the ship", we had to know where they were at all times. Luckily they are both very responsible boys, I've always said my son is more "girl" and my girls more "boy"! He's very quiet, never climbed, and never had to be told "no" more than once! (my sisters say he's not a normal boy!). It worked so well, we will probably take someone again in 2004.

I agree with Ann, I would never let him roam my town alone, so why the ship?

EXCELLENT IDEA!

Rae