How to explain why characters don't talk.

[Jrabbit910]

Characters are usually w/ a CM, u can say that they are asked not to talk becuase they are only allowed to speak to the CM's and have them relay the message to the kids, the cm's know that they cant talk but go along w/ it anyway. When asked why they can only talk to the CM's you can say that because they whisper so soft that only the cm's can here them.

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

Great job, loved it;;; I believe in allowing kids to be just that, kids, they are adults for along time, they are young for such a short time. They'll figure it out in time , and if raised with Disney adults, they'll turn out just fine, Disney adults.

 

[Puffy2]

To each his own-

Personally we actually, most of all, want our children to believe in US...that we are trustworthy - that we won't lie to them-ever. We might avoid answering and let them use their imagination to come up with an answer to a question like this. But when our children ask us an honest question--and they clearly are seeking to understand reality and the real truth. we actually tell them as much truth as they are ready to handle. We don't lie. We want them to believe in the importance of honesty. And we are consistent about this. Kids are sponges and they soak up all sorts of messages from their earth guides (parents)...

We will have to see if this pays off with better relationships with our children than others sometimes have -or if squashes imagination as some others have implied...so far we are happy with this approach.
-

I agree. But I also think that it really doesn't matter a whole lot one way or another so I have no opinion over how other parents handle it.

For our children, it was more important to me that they learned that when they ask a question their parent will answer it truthfully, no matter what the question - and they can ask us anything. I think that approach, for us, has been the right one - all of our children ask us all sorts of things (about religion, politics, sex, current events) and we tell them the truth. Sometimes that truth starts with "Do you really want to know? or "Well, as gross as it probably seems..." or "Some people believe this...and some people believe this... and I believe this...but you will need to make up your own mind about that."

For the Santa question we always told them to "If you really want to know, ask us again April - July". Perhaps other parents stuggleing with the decision could use the same approach, "If you really want to know, ask me next month (after the vacation)".

 

[snorlax42]

Mickey Mouse got larangitis and all the other characters caught it

 

[SnwflkCts]

I really like all the imaginative responses to why the characters don't talk. Probably it would be best to use the simplest and easiest to remember or else the story may get convoluted. Go for helping children believe in the magic as long as they can!!!

When I was about 10 or 11, my dad asked me if I really did still believe in Santa. I hedged a little and admitted that I didn't but I thought he and mom still believed in Santa and I didn't want to spoil it for them. IMAGINE THAT!!! I actually thought THEY thought he was real. HA HA --

Again to each his own about honesty, etc... but frankly as an adult I do not remember most of what my family told me about Santa ... but they must have "lied" sometime to make me believe (even my older brothers and sisters!!) ... and yet I still trusted and loved them and did not grow up to be a depraved untrusting person. Why I even hold down a job AFTER being lied to as a child -- no therapy needed!!!! (Nor did wearing a ghost or witch's costume at Halloween make me a devil worshiper!!) -- OK that is MY rant on the whole honesty thing and I didn't mean to get off subject and again -- my opinion!!! Each parent must follow their instincts and heart in the matter but remember CHILDREN can grow up perfectly normal and sane REGARDLESS of parental mistakes -- otherwise NONE of us would have the ability to think and act .... and GO TO DISNEY -- we all would be totally damaged!!!

 

[pepperw23]

I'm probably in the minority, but I think when children ask questions like this they are trying to figure out their world/ decide what is real and what isn't - I've always thought it was better to just tell them the truth.

In this case, "why don't they talk?" They don't talk because different actors play the characters and the voices would always sound different.

As for Santa...if they asked, I always told my kids to ask me the "Is santa real question" again in April - July and I'd tell them my answer if they really wanted to know.

party pooper.

 

[BlindTyldak]

I'm another one who doesn't believe in lying to children about things like that . . . IMHO if my DD are asking, she already suspects, and I leave it up to her if shewant to make the leap to the real world or stay in disney magic. She'd resent it if she knew the answer and then I lied to her. But like someone else said to each their own, everyone's kid is different.

When I daughter asked why they didn't talk I asked her why she thought that was. She thought about it for a minute and then decided they'd probably sound a lot different in real life than they do in the movies because they were a lot younger when they made the movies and their voices probably changed.

 

[bags6490]

I cant believe some of the people on here, so you really think that is lying to your child? Huh? I don't really consider something so trivial important enough to consider that. I guess that s the difference between some parents and me. I know my kids will respect me later in life because of what so, do, be for them....not because I came up with some story about Santa or Mickey Mouse.
Kids are smart, they figure things out all by themselves before we think they can. So relax and do not judge...lead your lifeand forget about telling me what you think because i really don't care one bit. And here is a secret nobody else cares wht you think,do etc...

The other thing that gets my got is you have the kids of all the "Enlightened" parents going to school and playgrounds telling my kids about how presents get under a Christmas tree or eggs in a basket. I think the sane parents of the world would like their children's childhood to last longer than 3 to 5 days so give us sane ones and our kids a break.

 

[BlindTyldak]

I cant believe some of the people on here, so you really think that is lying to your child? Huh? I don't really consider something so trivial important enough to consider that. I guess that s the difference between some parents and me. I know my kids will respect me later in life because of what so, do, be for them....not because I came up with some story about Santa or Mickey Mouse.
Kids are smart, they figure things out all by themselves before we think they can. So relax and do not judge...lead your lifeand forget about telling me what you think because i really don't care one bit. And here is a secret nobody else cares wht you think,do etc...

The other thing that gets my got is you have the kids of all the "Enlightened" parents going to school and playgrounds telling my kids about how presents get under a Christmas tree or eggs in a basket. I think the sane parents of the world would like their children's childhood to last longer than 3 to 5 days so give us sane ones and our kids a break.

Um, the OP DID ask for everyone's way of handling it . . . and I don't think any of us who chose to let the kid make their mind up themselves or tell them the truth were berating anyone who doesn't. But thank you for the insulting attitude anyway and accusing us of ruining everyone else's good time.

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

While I love bags6490's response. I think I'd probably use something nice and simple like the suggested "if they talked to everyone their throats would get sore", it's short simple and I do believe that sometimes kids just ask honest questions, not neccessarily because they're "figuring it out", if I can tell that my son is just asking about the talking because he's curious and not because he's testing me then I have no problems in giving a short, blanket answer. That actually is not far from the truth, if the CM did have to try and talk like Mickey (or whomever) to everyone every day then I bet their throats would get sore.

However, if I can tell that my son is asking because he's figuring things out and he feels safer in asking an indirect question such as that instead of straight out asking, then I will tell him the truth and explain it all to him.
But while he's still young and hasn't figured anything out on his own I see no problem in giving a short, simple answer to keep the magic going for just a little bit longer, it really doesn't last long in the first place.

 

[DrTomorrow]

When our kids were young and talkative themselves we were asked this question. I told them that when the Disney characters were children they talked too much, so their parents had their vocal chords removed. This usually quieted the kids down for a while.

Bill From PA

A man after my own heart. I also told our son that they did talk to all the other children, but that they didn't like him so they wouldn't talk to him. Really kept him quiet - yeah, he trembled a lot, but he was quiet....

To Puffy2: OK, it's now in the April - July time frame you requested; is there something about Santa that I should know ?

Be well!

 

[Puffy2]

Has anyone posted the more obvious response (if you care to dodge the question altogether)? Just say "I don't know; why don't you ask that cast member over there."

To Puffy2: OK, it's now in the April - July time frame you requested; is there something about Santa that I should know ?

PM me.

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

Has anyone posted the more obvious response (if you care to dodge the question altogether)? Just say "I don't know; why don't you ask that cast member over there."

that's perfect! lol!

 

[DrTomorrow]

Has anyone posted the more obvious response (if you care to dodge the question altogether)? Just say "I don't know; why don't you ask that cast member over there."

Hmmmm.... Not sure if I would want children's tender sensibilities left to the whims of a cast member. Given CM answers on mugs, pools and capacities, who knows how they'd answer that question....

 

[jmurphy625]

Last year my 3yo was quite concerned about the characters not talking. I tried to wave it off and just say "they can't" but he was too smart for that. "Buzz talks in the movie, why can't he talk to me? Mickey talks on our MK DVD, why can't he talk now?"


Well, I know this will sound like I'm a party pooper...but back then my kids knew Buzz was voiced by Tim Allen...They see the snippets of the new cartoons being made (usually on the disney channel) and recognize many of the human personalities, they understand cartoon characters are not real.. yet their faces light up and they giggle whenever they see them. (They also understand the person in the Buzz costume is a stranger). But, that being said...they never came out and asked me about them. One time my 5yo son said.."I hope they let that person get out of that costume..It's hot out here!" so I just said "It sure is."

We had a funny incident where Cinderella-in toon town-made a unique comment/greeting to my son (8yo). Then the next day "Snow White" -at the castle-made the exact same comment/greeting. He laughed the whole way back to our table and whispered to me that it was the same person, as if I hadn't caught on..LOL.

Good luck coming up with something!