HELP! What to say when Mickey doesnt "talk"! :)

[vester]

When we went to DW the 1st time my daughter was not yet 2. She was already asking why Mickey doesnt talk So...we told her that it was because they all do so much singing and dancing that their throats hurt and its hard for them to talk to all the children!

Well, she is 3 and a half. She is very advanced (already reading, writing, doing harder math, etc.) We had her tested and she is almost at a 2nd grade level in terms of "concepts."

So, we are taking her again to DW this May. Yay!!!!

My husband wanted me to ask some of you since she will ask us why the Princesses can talk but Mickey cant talk this time (Last time she was too little to know who all the princesses were - but she knows now.) In fact, the other day, she said mommy, if we go back to DW, the princesses wont be able to talk to me either because they sing too. Uhhh.....no, honey, they will talk to to you. Well, why can they talk and Mickey cant! _

Help - we want the magic to last as long as possible!

Vester

 

[Hannathy]

Ughh because they are people in costumes?

Sorry but if she is advanced she will know, it isn't hard to figure out. Why insult her deductive reasoning skills? I mean huge hard head, unmovable fingers, etc. Actually I have a hard time understanding how kids don't know. My kids never believed and still had the Disney magic. It is still fun to get pictures and autographs.

My DD was very advanced and she is the one who at 3 pointed out the things I mentioned above.

 

[okeydokey]

If it were me I would say because it's a girl in a costume, but that's me.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

ditto.

 

[vester]

@Hannathy - wow, go get some coffee, and wake up before you post. NO crabbiness and crankiness allowed! Its the forum for the happiest place on earth, already...

She is advanced, but she is still 3 in many ways.

You have a hard time understanding how kids dont know? Really? REALLY? Why in the world do they believe in the Easter Bunny, or that Santa could POSSIBLY make it to every child's house?

They believe simply BECAUSE they are children.

Good Lord. Talk about sucking the joy out of a thread.

Anyone else with anything constructive or helpful would be appreciated

 

[Donaldswife]

I told my daughter they didn't talk because they were mice, and that when they did the show they had special microphones that could translate what they saying into English. She is 8 now and she now knows they are people in costumes, but that worked when she was 4.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

My son was similar in cognitive abilities at age three, but he still wanted to believe. Actually, he's eight, and although he KNOWS the truth, we still don't really talk about it because kids WANT to believe (and really, I am 36, and I like to believe in a little magic).

We told our kids that some of the characters get shy. They were fine with that. If they really want to believe, they will accept a reason, even if it is silly.

Hope you have a magical trip!

 

[Hannathy]

@Hannathy - wow, go get some coffee, and wake up before you post. NO crabbiness and crankiness allowed! Its the forum for the happiest place on earth, already...

She is advanced, but she is still 3 in many ways.

You have a hard time understanding how kids dont know? Really? REALLY? Why in the world do they believe in the Easter Bunny, or that Santa could POSSIBLY make it to every child's house?

They believe simply BECAUSE they are children.

Good Lord. Talk about sucking the joy out of a thread.

Anyone else with anything constructive or helpful would be appreciated

Possibly you should take your own advice, since the next 2 posters agreed with me.

If you don't want a different opinion don't post on a message board.
My kids believed in Santa but they knew the guy at the mall was just that a guy at the mall, same with Disney. And Yes I do have a hard time understanding how a child can look at a big hard unmovable head and not know it is a costume, my kids didn't.

I'm just giving you the perspective of dealing with advanced kids for many years and if you don't want to hear that then fine but if she is gifted they think differently than other 3 yr olds and you will find that out as the years go by.

And by the way that was constructive, just not what you wanted to hear, there is a difference. I never said anything about you, that is what YOU did to me. Have fun but when she turns to you and say's "yeah right Mom that isn't a costume" I hope you have an answer.

 

[vester]

@MickeyMomto2 - Yup. You got exactly what I feel. She may "know" someday sooner than others, but I know she will want to believe.

Heck, she believes that Tinkerbell herself came and flew in and did her room. (I painted her room, and then painted fairy dust on the walls, and then overlayed it all with glitter, and did her name in Green glitter sparkle paint on the walls, with paintings of tinkerbell throughout.) The door was closed for a week, with a sign from "tink" saying please dont come in - its a birthday surprise for you. Then, we rang a bell and ran upstairs and there was a sign saying - Welcome to your new room. We have it on video - she was so excited. She tells everyone that Tinkerbell flew in and worked on her room.

Priceless magic. Sorry to go on, but its just such a short time in your life that you "believe." (But to be honest, I'm with you - I am 38 too, and I still "believe.")


Other ideas?

 

[avahoneybee]

Because the plastic mouths in the costume are glued shut?

Honestly, our kids never asked but we're sure they knew they were real people in a costume. We, as adults, still pose with the characters so I don't really see the big deal in them guessing the truth. I'm not so sure your 3 year old will even care. I'd just enjoy!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I wouldn't tell my child that it's a person in a costume. I mean, they'll figure it out eventually. But I wouldn't want to ever be the one to end the magic. Let her use her imagination - "I don't know... what do you think? What are your ideas?" If she happens to say that it's a person in a costume, then so be it. But let her come to that conclusion when she's ready.

My parents never told me that Santa Claus wasn't real. I would ask a lot, and give them my theories on how he was or wasn't real, but they'd never tell me that Santa is just a story. Now, I know that Santa isn't real, anymore, but it was never something that was forced onto me - just something that I eventually acknowledged.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I'm just giving you the perspective of dealing with advanced kids for many years and if you don't want to hear that then fine but if she is gifted they think differently than other 3 yr olds and you will find that out as the years go by.

Whether or not you believe in things has nothing to do with being "advanced."

 

[deerhart]

Whether or not you believe in things has nothing to do with being "advanced."

Nope, my oldest (who is going to be 10) still firmly believes in Santa, despite us telling him about Santa. He refused to beleive us! He 100% KNOWS that Santa cannot deliver presents to everyone on Christmas eve, he 100% KNOWS Santa can't watch him 24/7, but he goes ahead and rationalizes it anyway! My youngest (now 7) doubts Santa way more then my oldest.

My oldest is the child that taught himself to read at age 2, doing multiplication by age 3, working IQ way to high, but when it comes to things like Santa he doesn't want to break the illusion yet (though he does know that the characters are just people in costume and always has).

When our kids asked why some characters didn't talk, we simply told them they couldn't.

I will say though that the characters are WONDERFUL with the nonverbal body language, which my oldest (who has a speech/language disorder) picks up on easily and so for him the characters express themselves very well!

 

[BirdLegsRed]

I wouldn't tell my child that it's a person in a costume. I mean, they'll figure it out eventually. But I wouldn't want to ever be the one to end the magic. Let her use her imagination - "I don't know... what do you think? What are your ideas?" If she happens to say that it's a person in a costume, then so be it. But let her come to that conclusion when she's ready.

My parents never told me that Santa Claus wasn't real. I would ask a lot, and give them my theories on how he was or wasn't real, but they'd never tell me that Santa is just a story. Now, I know that Santa isn't real, anymore, but it was never something that was forced onto me - just something that I eventually acknowledged.

this

 

[Hannathy]

Whether or not you believe in things has nothing to do with being "advanced."

That isn't what I am saying. I am saying gifted kids have a totally different way of processing information (this is documented) they are different beings. they can still believe in magic in fact often have very advanced creative minds BUT they do process things differently. This is all I am saying.

They can believe in the magic but also analyze why the character is really just a costume and have it make sense in their very busy brains.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I wouldn't tell my three year old it is a person in a costume. If they came to that conclusion itself then so be it. BUT have you tried cheating and saying so why do you think they don't talk?

 

[Donaldswife]

I wouldn't tell my three year old it is a person in a costume. If they came to that conclusion itself then so be it. BUT have you tried cheating and saying so why do you think they don't talk?

This is the approach I have been taking with Santa the last few months. My DD8 has been questioning and I have just been responding with well, what do YOU think? She goes back and forth. I know she WANTS to believe, but in her heart she knows it is not possible. For the record, I still believe in Santa, and he fills my stocking every year. In my parents' house the rule is if you believe you get presents, if not you don't, so you better believe I still believe!

 

[vester]

Good Ideas - keep 'em coming!

I like the idea of saying..."What do you think?" Perfect. PERFECT. I'm sure she will come up with something instead of me having to. Haha!

 

[T-rox]

i told my dd, at age 2 and 3, that they(characters) can talk in cartoon world and when they come to human world they cant talk. humans like princesses and such can talk in either world. i totally understand wanting to make magic last. my now 4 yrold dd, ( has been to wdw 5 times thus far in her life) just asked me 2 weeks ago at lilo and stich bfast, if pluto was a person wearing a costume! i choked, sucked it up and quietly replied yes but don't say it too loud for the smaller kids to hear!. and shes 4. not too many smaller than that.
i like the idea someone had about the microphone translator.
you have a smart one on your hands!

 

[HLDisney]

I have to agree that it doesn't really diminish their enjoyment of the characters if they know the truth. We went to Disney when my DD was 4. I didn't say anything then about the characters and she happily got autographs and photos with all of them, even kissing Minnie on the nose and telling me how Piglet was her favorite because his fur was so soft. Then, a few weeks later, we were talking about something related to one of the characters and she pipes up, "Mom, they're not real. They're just people in costumes!"

And on subsequent trips, she has continued to enjoy the character interaction.

So I would agree with the posters that say to not specifically say at the start that the characters aren't real, but to ask her what she thinks and "does it really matter?" She may realize it really doesn't matter to her. But if it does matter, then I would go ahead and tell her the truth.

Helen