Help me to make my boys feel special?

[Pinnie]

LWatson,

The difference is that you, yourself, made the day special. You didn't ask strangers to walk up to him and tell him what a great husband he is. YOU validated him.

In this case the OP is asking perfect strangers to do what you did.

pinnie

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

LWatson,

The difference is that you, yourself, made the day special. You didn't ask strangers to walk up to him and tell him what a great husband he is. YOU validated him.

In this case the OP is asking perfect strangers to do what you did.

pinnie

Actually, she did ask and pay someone else to make the gift. If the OP offered to pay someone, would that be better? Or if they hired Gifts of a Lifetime (or whatever that group is that does things like this)?

 

[JeMarie6]

LWatson,

The difference is that you, yourself, made the day special. You didn't ask strangers to walk up to him and tell him what a great husband he is. YOU validated him.

In this case the OP is asking perfect strangers to do what you did.

pinnie

Sometimes things actually mean more coming from complete strangers. Moms and other family members can be biased, so having a stranger tell you you could be star might actually mean more than family saying it. [Like getting flowers, its just not the same to send flowers to yourself, it means something more to get them from someone else] To me there is nothing wrong with believing in yourself or believing in a dream, no matter how young or how old. And if there's a little fun and creativity involved in helping your youngster believe in himself, I'm all for it.

 

[LWatson]

Sometimes things actually mean more coming from complete strangers. Moms and other family members can be biased, so having a stranger tell you you could be star might actually mean more than family saying it.

okay way off topic, but this reminds me of American Idol when people go "Man my family and friends said I could sing, so Simon must be wrong." And you are thinking "no buddy you really cant sing."

 

[sunnyday123]

Actually, she did ask and pay someone else to make the gift. If the OP offered to pay someone, would that be better? Or if they hired Gifts of a Lifetime (or whatever that group is that does things like this)?

I think this whole thing is a tad out of hand. Comparing a beer basket or whatever ( which incidentally would be a bad idea for a kid also ) is completely different than having a total stranger come up to your kid, announce they know who he is, and that they heard he's going to be a big star at Disney.

First and foremost, it gives the kid unrealistic expectations. He's going to walk through Disney waiting for Hannah Montana to come up and ask him to be on her show. I think they are setting him up for BIG disappointment. Plus, she has said before he has Aspergers and cannot handle overstimulation. Disney all on it's own is overstimulating and I cannot imagine being approached by strangers would help.

It's her kid, she knows what's best. However when you come to a public opinion and put your thoughts and questions out there, you're going to get opinions.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

okay way off topic, but this reminds me of American Idol when people go "Man my family and friends said I could sing, so Simon must be wrong." And you are thinking "no buddy you really cant sing."

Amen!
I do not see any connection in someone sending you flowers and soliciting strangers to tell your child that they are going to be famous. I don't care how you twist and turn it planning for strangers to come up to your kids to tell them how awesome they are etc. is beyond weird imo. My kids would think the stranger was a weirdo. It goes beyond a nice compliment that a stranger might make in passing or while waiting on line. I can't even imagine planning my vacation with my kids timing the whole thing to meet with strangers so they can say my kids are amazing. Really? Sorry, I am all for spreading the magic but imo that is crazy. YMMV.

 

[MKB419]

This is OT but Thank you to LWatsons hubby and to her family for the sacrifice they all made so we can feel safe when we take our special trips to WDW. Just being in WDW with your family and loved ones should be enough but for some it is not and they need a little more pixie dust and thats okay. Everyone should go with a smile on their face and enjoy every magical moment including those random acts of kindness. Enjoy your trips!
MK

 

[PinkRhombus]

I appreciate those of you who understood the spirt in which I asked this question.

I teach my children that if you do not have anything nice to say- not to say anything at all.

I refuse to allow people to twist around my good intentions or to assume what those intentions are.

I will not be returning to this thread- so flame and jump on me all you wish, I won't be reading or allowing anymore of your nasty comments to take away the magic or my excitment for this trip.

Well...we'll see if you keep to that promise...but I bet you won't.

So...I seriously think you're setting your kids up to be those kids in school that no one likes because they have big heads, show off, and think they're better than everyone.

Ones that stomp and demand for everything they want and will have nervous breakdowns when they fail to make it to/in Hollywood because "complete strangers" have told them they are good enough...it's not just their parents being biased.

Sorry guys but I realy can't belive how horrible some people are being. yes we can all have an opinion but sometimes its good to keep that to ourselves.

I don't think anyone should take pleasure in making someone else feel bad....Disney is such a happy place and I find it difficult to believe that anyone can have negative thoughts when talking about disney.

Every day in the press we are reminded of the dangers that exist in our world but at Disney World, whilst not dropping your guard completly, you can relax in the knowlegde that you are in a relitivly safe environment for you and your children.

If we all considered other peoples feelings our world might be a better place

That's all rainbows and light, but sometimes people get pretty delusional and NEED to be smacked upside the head (figuratively) and shown that they're being ridiculous. Honesty and reality have a big place in this world. Otherwise people are going to continue being that stupid for way too long.

 

[LWatson]

I think this whole thing is a tad out of hand. Comparing a beer basket or whatever ( which incidentally would be a bad idea for a kid also )
.

Wait so I cant give my kid a beer...man there goes getting them to sleep at night. JUST KIDDING. Trying to lighten the mood.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Wait so I cant give my kid a beer...man there goes getting them to sleep at night. JUST KIDDING. Trying to lighten the mood.

I bet it would make waiting on lines more fun! Picture it...99 bottles of beer on the wall 99 bottles of beer......

 

[disneymom3]

sorry but I have to say this is the weirdest thread I think I've seen yet!

Why on EARTH would anyone want people to come up to your kids and tell them how special they are?? More bizarre than I can even imagine.

To go to Disney once for most people is one of the most memorable and special things in their lives and childhoods ..... what is it with people wanting to be even MORE special, how far do you want to go? What is this mad urge to make everything amazing, totally over the top, more awesome than awesome can ever be, doing Disney isnt enough - we want MORE attention from the CM's, we want MORE towel animals, we want to get birthday greetings every day of our trip even though the birthday is just for one day etc etc etc
..... our parents didnt do it to us and wow diddly - we made it to adulthood just fine.

odd odd odd .... very very odd.

This is the thing I am amazed at every day on the DIS. I often feel like i am really cheap or something because No, my kids are not going to have a gift from Tink on their pillow every night, I am not going to have some special and very expensive thing sent to the room, no cakes with their names on it etc. We are in DISNEYWORLD . We are together and Daddy doesn't have to go to work and HEY, there's Mickey. I don't get what on earth could be more cool than that. Or why it needs to be.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

This is the thing I am amazed at every day on the DIS. I often feel like i am really cheap or something because No, my kids are not going to have a gift from Tink on their pillow every night, I am not going to have some special and very expensive thing sent to the room, no cakes with their names on it etc. We are in DISNEYWORLD . We are together and Daddy doesn't have to go to work and HEY, there's Mickey. I don't get what on earth could be more cool than that. Or why it needs to be.

There's no problem with either plan. I love all the extra special touches because that's something we just don't have time to do every day. If I can make a great vacation an amazing one, I'll do it. To be honest, though, being cheap has nothing to do with it, so you shouldn't feel that way. I pick up little gifts on clearance (on clearance at the Dollar Spot, even!), making custom clothes is far less expensive than buying them, and our custom autograph books are less than the ones in the parks. I will be splurging on a cake for my mom's birthday during this trip, though.

All of this can really be applied to anything we (as collective WDW patrons) do at Disney. Why would you stay Deluxe when you could stay value? Why stay on property at all? Isn't going to Disney good enough? Why eat at Disney? Bring all your meals and snacks because being at Disney is good enough. It's all a matter of how people choose to experience Disney, and unless it's inhibiting others' enjoyment, there's nothing wrong with any of it.

 

[zdesiree]

WOW! This thread is strong. It looks like not a lot of people here believe in Community Service, Mother Theresa, Make a Wish Foundation, Public Service, Public Relations or have faith in human race or the world.

I know that we have to be careful in the world we live, but at the same time, you can't live in fear all the time.

Is not like we are throwing them unsupervised.

I remember when my best friend since kindergarten was a stranger to me...I am so glad we spoke the first time.

To all of us who BELIEVE...

 

[tjbaggott]

WOW! This thread is strong. It looks like not a lot of people here believe in Community Service, Mother Theresa, Make a Wish Foundation, Public Service, Public Relations or have faith in human race or the world.

I know that we have to be careful in the world we live, but at the same time, you can't live in fear all the time.

Is not like we are throwing them unsupervised.

I remember when my best friend since kindergarten was a stranger to me...I am so glad we spoke the first time.

To all of us who BELIEVE...

LOl, after posting my suggestion as an alternative, to making a trip special for a child, about encouraging children to do random acts of kindess ie: my children's plan to hand out glow sticks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and seeing the few opinions against even that, I took a back seat here. From reading all the posts, I"ve had a good laugh, but realized that there really are only one or two who were REALLY against my idea of random acts of kindness and the talking to strangers stuff that got severely off topic. Most of the opinions, yeah were against the OP's idea of having someone tell her child how special he was. I think perhaps because more because of the words she suggested. I personally say to each their own. It may not be something I would do, but I wouldn't begrudge someone else for setting up something for themselves.
Hasn't the old adage always been "it takes a village to raise a child"? Although we don't live that way SO much in our culture today, Truly isn't EVERYONE a stranger at some point, even everyones best friend was a stranger at one point.

 

[Sapper383]

Well...we'll see if you keep to that promise...but I bet you won't.

So...I seriously think you're setting your kids up to be those kids in school that no one likes because they have big heads, show off, and think they're better than everyone.

Ones that stomp and demand for everything they want and will have nervous breakdowns when they fail to make it to/in Hollywood because "complete strangers" have told them they are good enough...it's not just their parents being biased.



That's all rainbows and light, but sometimes people get pretty delusional and NEED to be smacked upside the head (figuratively) and shown that they're being ridiculous. Honesty and reality have a big place in this world. Otherwise people are going to continue being that stupid for way too long.

I'm sorry but I think you are being realy rude now and we should leave the original poster alone, lets not make people feel bad for wanting to do something they think is nice.

I'm in a Disney happy place and will not be dragged down by such bad feeling

 

[zdesiree]

LOl, after posting my suggestion as an alternative, to making a trip special for a child, about encouraging children to do random acts of kindess ie: my children's plan to hand out glow sticks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and seeing the few opinions against even that, I took a back seat here. From reading all the posts, I"ve had a good laugh, but realized that there really are only one or two who were REALLY against my idea of random acts of kindness and the talking to strangers stuff that got severely off topic. Most of the opinions, yeah were against the OP's idea of having someone tell her child how special he was. I think perhaps because more because of the words she suggested. I personally say to each their own. It may not be something I would do, but I wouldn't begrudge someone else for setting up something for themselves.
Hasn't the old adage always been "it takes a village to raise a child"? Although we don't live that way SO much in our culture today, Truly isn't EVERYONE a stranger at some point, even everyones best friend was a stranger at one point.

I'm sorry but I think you are being realy rude now and we should leave the original poster alone, lets not make people feel bad for wanting to do something they think is nice.

I'm in a Disney happy place and will not be dragged down by such bad feeling

Yeah! We are talking DISNEY here:

"Where Magic Lives"
"Where Dreams Come True"

The OP wants to do it in Disney WORLD once, is not like she is working on a "conspiracy" to have strangers all over the planet giving compliments to the kids for the rest of their lives!

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

The more I got to thinking about the OP's idea...

Two things could come of it. Her DS could be crushed and never go on to lead a normal life because of the stranger who made him think he was special, or he could turn out to be a star (whether locally, nationally, globally...or just of his first grade play) thanks to the encouragement. Or, third, I guess, it could just make his day. I don't see the need to shoot down the OP.

And to anyone who thinks no one is special, look at all the people who have done amazing things in this world, lots of which benefit you. Aren't you glad no one told them they weren't anything special?

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Well I'm very sorry but I would never allow my children to accept anything from strangers.

Really - that seems a little strange to me - what could be wrong with a glow stick?


I have never had a child not accept something I offered.

 

[Disneyadore]

Really - that seems a little strange to me - what could be wrong with a glow stick?

Today its a glow stick from you with only friendly intentions.
Tomorrow its a piece of candy from a stranger when she ore he comes home from school.

How will you teach a child to be very careful and not to take anything from strangers by accepting something from random strangers in a Theme park?

Today strangers are good but when we get home strangers are bad?

I just don't understand why its totally acceptable to let children accept gifts from random strangers while on the other hand the whole board cries wolf if there is a guest in Speedo's in the swimming pool.
Some one in Spedoo's must be a per......., how dare he....,in front of children....,he must be a creepy foreigner etc etc.
Such a person gets slaughtered on forehand even just for wearing the wrong bathing clothes. On the other hand strangers that walk around and approach children directly to hand out gifts are perfectly acceptable.

Not meaning you in person of course but speaking in overall terms.This is just my vision and every one is entitled to do what ever floats his boat.

 

[tjbaggott]

Today its a glow stick from you with only friendly intentions.
Tomorrow its a piece of candy from a stranger when she ore he comes home from school.

How will you teach a child to be very careful and not to take anything from strangers by accepting something from random strangers in a Theme park?

Today strangers are good but when we get home strangers are bad?

I just don't understand why its totally acceptable to let children accept gifts from random strangers while on the other hand the whole board cries wolf if there is a guest in Speedo's in the swimming pool.
Some one in Spedoo's must be a per......., how dare he....,in front of children....,he must be a creepy foreigner etc etc.
Such a person gets slaughtered on forehand even just for wearing the wrong bathing clothes. On the other hand strangers that walk around and approach children directly to hand out gifts are perfectly acceptable.

Not meaning you in person of course but speaking in overall terms.This is just my vision and every one is entitled to do what ever floats his boat.

We all get your opinion on this matter, so I will just assume that you would be one of those people who would "Politely" tell my 6 year old child "No Thankyou".