How Much Freedom for an 11yo?

[CindyBeth]

I have an 11yo, who is very responsible and I was wondering how much freedom to give her on the ship? Do you have them check in at certain times or say let me know exactly where you are and when?

Thanks!

 

[jfeasel]

We just returned from the June 14 Magic. My daughter turned 12 the day before on June 13. I let her have sign out priviledges to the Oceaneers Club and she was very good about telling me where she was going to go. I left a notepad in our room so she could write me notes. She went to the movies, the arcade and the Club and we had no problems. As long as she wrote me a note and I wrote one back to her, we always knew where each other was and had a wonderful time. She handled the responsibility just great. My only rule was that she eat dinner with us which wasn't a problem at all. In the afternoons we usually met for Bingo too.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

How about getting the walkie talkie radios so you can keep in touch with her all the time? We do this and it works great (As long as everyone leaves them ON!!)

 

[Denvick]

From past experience I have found out that the walkie talkies do not work well at all. Too many people have them on the ship and there is so much interference and cross talk that it is impossible to hear anybody unless it is early in the morning.

I have a 12 yo and a 10 yo and allowed them the freedom of signing in/out themselves. I was a bit nervous the first day but it was very comforting to know they are responsible and became acclimated very quickly. I also required them to eat dinner with my wife and I which they had no problem with. I did also give them instructions to not go into anybody's stateroom but there own for obvious reasons.

They loved having the freedom and they made sure they checked in with us every couple of hours.

It was a great time for them and us!!!

Overall, I guess you need to know your children and what they are capable of doing and not doing.

I had a very pleasurable experience with giving them free reign of the ship ( after the first day)!!

Have a great cruise!!!!

 

[Mjasp]

It all depends on how much freedom you give her at home. My DD was 10 on our last cruise and didn't have sign out priveleges.
She is now 11 and I don't think I would do it this year if we were sailing, I don't let her go to the mall alone so feel there is probably more people on the ship than at the mall. Someone stated in an older post awhile back that the ship is a floating city with 2,000 people. Next year she will be 12 and i'm sure I may change by then, but can't make that decision now.

It is a very personal decision and only you could decide how comfortable you will be. There is no right or wrong here, its just a personal decision. If my DD was with other friends from home her own age it may have been totally different, but I can't say for sure unless that was the situation while there.

Joanna

 

[>>^..^<<]

Once your child gets used to the layout of the ship - even adults get lost!

My 8 year old was great - she was always leading me around - rolling her eyes when I would go the wrong way. lol

Just see how it goes - maybe stick together the first day to make sure she knows her way around (and you do too!)

Have fun

>>^..^<<

 

[CruzNMom]

On our first cruise (dd14, ds 11) we all had breakfast together each day and discussed plans for the day (sea days). DS was in teen group, ds had sign-out priveleges. Depending on plans, my son usually met me for lunch by the pool and we would either do something in the afternoon or discuss what he would be doing. He liked ESPN zone. We all met again for dinner and discussed evening activities. Anyone out after 10 had to leave a note. One night, son and I were at Studio Sea until 1 or 2 am.

On our second cruise both were teens 17 and 14. We still always had breakfast and always had dinner (except for night DH and I went to Palos). We discussed plans and then let them go - they met friends through common grounds.

We always did excursions together (at least 1 adult) except for the teen catamaran cruise in Cozumel.

 

[beanteam]

i have a 9 year old (10 in Aug) and we gave her a radio and she was VERY responsible. We even let her use her KTW card, and she was very responsible with that too (with spending priveleges). We let her check herself in and out of the clubs, and again, we we very pleased with her.

Maybe just take it one event at a time, and see how the 11 year old handles the situation? That's what we did.

The radios do come in handy. She knew to keep it on and she was reachable whenever we called her. She wasn't away from us too much, we love to do things together, but she did want to play with her friends and see movies and attend events that were geared more toward her age.

 

[4myguys]

I let my DS who was 12 last year roam the ship, but he was with his 12 year old cousin as well. I finally let my other DS who was 8 sign out on his own after a couple of days into the trip. And that was only because his 9 year old cousin could. We used note pads also. But I usually saw them around the pool or the movie theatre. I was very strict when it came time to get ready for dinner.

 

[ohiominnie]

I have a pretty responsible (almost) 9 yr old that probably won't be getting sign in/sign out privledges for a few years.

The thing is, she's only about 41 pounds now and looks like an average 6 yr old (size wise) I'm afraid the looks she'd get roaming around the ship alone and all the CM who approach her and ask if she's lost! Of course, once she started educating them on Ancient Roman History and light refraction, they'd understand she was NOT 6 yrs old!

For now, she's happy how things are and never has asked for sign in/sign out privledges.

 

[Mollie Jo]

My son turned 12 while we were on the cruise. We let him go where he wanted, although we were together most of the time. He knew the ship better than we did!

 

[lampy]

We are in the same boat (pun intended). Have a very dependent 12 yo DS. Last time he was 10 and we did not allow him to sign out. This time he is begging for it.

Can you have the desk of the lab page you when he checks out? I was even thinking they could use it for messages upon check out like "going to the pool" or going to the room" etc. Could this be done?

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

My DD was 10 on our last cruise and didn't have sign out priveleges. She is now 11 and I don't think I would do it this year if we were sailing, I don't let her go to the mall alone so feel there is probably more people on the ship than at the mall. Someone stated in an older post awhile back that the ship is a floating city with 2,000 people.

Joanna - contrary to the majority on this thread, I agree with you completely. When we go on any non-cruise vacation, my son isn't granted any more or less priviledges than while onboard ship. And those priviledges do not extend to signing himself out of the protection offered by the lab.

It is not a matter of my son's common sense or ability to handle responsibility. It is the 2500 other passengers of which only ONE is required to be left-or-right of civilized society to affect his life and, consequently, my life, forever. NOTHING is worth that risk. When he is older, more mature and capable of better defending himself against an adult, then he will have the freedom to sign out of the Lab at his own discretion.

Also, on our first cruise I came across a number of tweens as well as teens who probably were "perfect angels" around their parents but acted like imperfect devils when in the company of kids their own age. I know, it's never YOUR children. It's always OTHER children and sometimes THOSE children instigate yours.

Anyway, I view DCL as a FAMILY vacation and am glad my son WANTS to spend time with Daddy (and, I should add, Grandma). Soon enough he'll be embarking on his own life's adventures anyway, so I treasure now our time together as a family...

 

[jfis1020]

Our DS9 had check-in and check-out privledges, but it was strictly to and from the stateroom. He would leave for the club and they would page me with the message he had arrived. When he wanted to sign out, I received the message that he was on his way to the stateroom. With the size of the ship, it was easy to meet back at the stateroom. We always let him know where we were. If we were going to be in a show or maybe ashore, we would say not to sign out until we come by and let you know we were available. This worked well for us.

I agree with BD that it is a family vacation..............unfortunately, I didn't see my kids a great deal as they loved the club and lab! DH and I had some really nice quality time, but we still had some great family time as well.

This was our best vacation ever!