Kids shoe lifts on the web?????

[Bird-Mom]

Have you thought about the lesson you are teaching here? "If you don't like the rules, find a way to break and get past them." Rules are rules. When you choose to go to Disney, you accept the height restriction as part of the rules. I would hope you are not trying to teach him that he is entitled to bend/break the rules because he was a preemie? I mean, at age 7, he can clearly understand what you are doing. Children learn best by example.

I have a special needs child too. And she doesn't have anything coming her way because of her disabilities. She is currently 39" inches too. I wouldn't dare make her taller because she gets picked on. That is a completely illogical mode of operations.

If you choose to follow through on this...1) I sincerely hope your child doesn't get hurt, and 2) I hope you are prepared for breaking the rules in the future. He is going to come to expect it.

As an aside, if you read on the Theme Parks and Attractions board, there are a lot of people whose children were measured before the trip _right at the correct measurement_and who were not allowed to ride or who made it past the first measurement and were turned away right before boarding. I think Disney is being extremely conservative with their measuring and maybe measuring for 41 or 42 inches on a 40 inch ride.

 

[nemomama]

Have you thought about the lesson you are teaching here? "If you don't like the rules, find a way to break and get past them." Rules are rules. When you choose to go to Disney, you accept the height restriction as part of the rules. I would hope you are not trying to teach him that he is entitled to bend/break the rules because he was a preemie? I mean, at age 7, he can clearly understand what you are doing. Children learn best by example.

I totally agree with this. To me, it is very sad that a parent would actually purchase shoe lifts so that their child could go on a ride. There are so many more important things in this world!

 

[Nik's Mom]

I'd never put my child's life in jeopardy for a ride. It's sad for the child to not be able to ride. But it's even more sad to see that a parent doesn't see what they are doing is wrong. I don't expect the op to respond. Sounds like they made up their mind and damned what we say.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

My DD is very small for her age. At 5 1/2 she's 37" and 33lbs. She is still in a booster with a 5 pt harness while all her friends have been using the regular seatbelt for well over a year now.

I noticed you live in Central NJ. Please note that the NJ law is that your child must be 8 years old or 80 lbs which ever comes first. My DD is 5 as well and still wears the 5 point harness with her car seat and she is 45" tall. When she grows out of that we will switch to a booster with a regular seat belt. Not trying to preach but should one of your friends be stopped by the police it is a mandatory court appearance, if I'm not mistaken!

 

[txgirl]

Have you thought about the lesson you are teaching here? "If you don't like the rules, find a way to break and get past them." Rules are rules. When you choose to go to Disney, you accept the height restriction as part of the rules. I would hope you are not trying to teach him that he is entitled to bend/break the rules because he was a preemie? I mean, at age 7, he can clearly understand what you are doing. Children learn best by example.

I have a special needs child too. And she doesn't have anything coming her way because of her disabilities. She is currently 39" inches too. I wouldn't dare make her taller because she gets picked on. That is a completely illogical mode of operations.

If you choose to follow through on this...1) I sincerely hope your child doesn't get hurt, and 2) I hope you are prepared for breaking the rules in the future. He is going to come to expect it.

As an aside, if you read on the Theme Parks and Attractions board, there are a lot of people whose children were measured before the trip _right at the correct measurement_and who were not allowed to ride or who made it past the first measurement and were turned away right before boarding. I think Disney is being extremely conservative with their measuring and maybe measuring for 41 or 42 inches on a 40 inch ride.

I am in agreement with this post and the one following it. While safety is an issue, parenting is about teaching life lessons and how to live in our society with an understanding and appreciation of rules and laws -EVEN if they are unfair. Sympathy-yes, but compromising integrity-no. Do we tell children who live in poverty that it is okay to steal for food? (extreme example-but I'm trying to make a point) Of course not! Even in those circumstances we (parents) should never advocate breaking the law. I know Disney is not "law" but to a child, the lesson is this:

If you "feel" like it is unfair then just cheat little. It won't hurt anybody and it's my business.

Rules are in place for a reason. Safety #1, but order as well. Why would this board promote cheating a system that was meant to keep children safe? I have yet to read a thread that encourages breaking DW rules, which actually makes me happy. Let's keep it that way

 

[rt2dz]

I noticed you live in Central NJ. Please note that the NJ law is that your child must be 8 years old or 80 lbs which ever comes first. My DD is 5 as well and still wears the 5 point harness with her car seat and she is 45" tall. When she grows out of that we will switch to a booster with a regular seat belt. Not trying to preach but should one of your friends be stopped by the police it is a mandatory court appearance, if I'm not mistaken!

You have great intentions here, but I wanted to just point something out. At 45", your child is probably too tall for most 5-point harness systems. I say probably, because if your DD has her height in the legs, she may still fit & some seats may go to extereme heights. At 43", my DS outgrew his 5-point harness system, and I made sure he had the best seat out there that fit my car properly. If the shoulder straps are below your DD shoulders at the harness system she could be seriously harmed in a car accident. That is when you switch to a booster. You should (depends on state law if you MUST--some states, including mine, are more lax than they should be) use a booster with a back until 40 lbs with a regular seatbelt (& adjuster if needed); at 40 lbs. and 4 years old, if desired, you can then switch to a backless booster with a regular seatbelt (& adjuster if needed). Then at 8 years/80 lbs. you use just a regular seatbelt (& adjuster if needed to make sure the seatbelt is fitting properly).

I know you know about the booster, but I just wanted to be extra clear for others. Also, I wanted to make sure that you were checking where the straps fell on your DD; 45" is pretty tall for a 5 point harness system.

 

[4greatboys]

I know its sad to see them disappointed but it is also part of life. My 5 yr old has been dying to ride the Hulk at Universal. I feel bad everytime we go and all the big ones get to ride and he doesnt. But I wouldnt feel safe at all making him appear taller than he really is.
I hope everything works out safely for him.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Don't know if the above poster thought I was being rude, but if so, I was being brutally honest. If that comes across as rude then it is the way you are interpreting my written word.

My DH is a medical doctor and we know many different physicians, medical doctors, PNPs, NPs & PAs. Not one that I know would recommend purchasing lifts in order to get a child onto a ride. That is what I was saying.

And I stand by what I said, it isn't worth the risk. Life is full of disappointments and unfortunately a height restriction may preclude someone from riding. There is so much more that can be done that it hardly seems worth taking the chance.

I have seen for myself when the measured my DS for Kali River Rapids twice in one trip, once he made it, the second time he measured too short (for whatever reason) they deemed him unable to ride. He wasn't happy but we followed the rules and didn't attempt to make him appear taller than he was. Know what he remembers about that trip? Certainly not the Kali ride he couldn't take.

I honestly wish you the best of luck and hope all turns out well.

No I agree it just comes off in a rude way but that you are truly being concerned. I just happen to feel if his torso is long enough he would be fine in the lifts. I clearly remember her saying she was looking online for these lifts not the dr. selling them.

would I do it NO but if the childs torso and misection is long enough to properly be belted in why not. Thats why I said the part about being able to ask cast member to check that the restrants are proper. IF they are good they will notice if its not right.

I hope I didn't offend anyone saying that some seemed rude. Did not mean to offend anyone. I know the rules are in place for a reason.

 

[dtsaos]

Hear to take the heat off you with my own story. My first trip to WDW in 1994 with my 4 year old DD she was 1/4" too short to go on Splash Mountain. The next morning at breakfast the restaurant we were at had those little boxes of crayons that have 5 crayons in them and are about 1/4" thick and ironically enough about the width of the inside of her sneaker. Well suffice it to say she went on Splash mountain and survived the experience both physically and emotionally. In fact she is a wonderful kid, great daughter and a great older sister to her 5 younger siblings and an honor student who is her class vice president. You pick your battles and not every decision will be perfect. If You feel this decision is in the best interest of your family and will not put your kid in harms way then have at it.

 

[NeedaVacation03]

I see all the points being presented here. I am not ever willing to risk my childs safety for a ride. But what is the difference between a boy putting lifts in his shoes and all the girls shoes they sell now that have the wedged heel. I have seen many little girls wearing those and being tall enough only because of the shoes. It seems that many parents find that ok, but not the lifts in boys shoes. It seems like those parents should also be accountable. I am the mother of 4 DD and have not let them get a way with that trick. But really it is about what you can sleep with as a parent. We should know our children, I would hope. Dont just listen to the doctor,but do what you know is right in your heart. Just remember what we teach our children,they eventually give back to us.

 

[swincha]

wow the age has nothing to do with the rides but the size. would you like to be responsible for your child flying out of a rollercoaster by putting lifts in his shoes? there are rare fatal injuries at parks lets not have your child be one of them.

 

[swincha]

i'm amazed that your pediatrician will take on this liability if your child is harmed. i am a rn at a pediatric hospital and i would never tell anyone to do this. there is a reason for height restrictions.

 

[Stimpy]

My DS was over the height restrictions for Splash Mountain for his first time riding it. The kid is a daredevil and loves thrill rides! He was scared on SM b/c he actually came off the seat during the final drop. I literally had to hold him back in the seat. He is extremely thin for his age (tall and thin....wish I had that problem LOL). Like someone else mentioned, weight and height are important for the restraints (although SM doesn't have any). Had I known he was too skinny for that ride, I would not have taken him on it. He's been on it many times since without a problem.

He also always wanted to go on Space Mountain. He finally got to go on it during our last trip and loved it. The trip before that he was 1/2 inch too short. We made sure he knew the rules and we were not going to break them or find a way to get around them. As other posters have said, beside safety issues, we wanted to teach him that he can't ignore the rules because he doesn't like them.

 

[Idahomom]

Just my opinion, but why not just wait to go to WDW when your son is tall enough? We have 4 kids and as much as we had been dying to get there we waited until all the kids would be tall enough to ride any ride they wanted to. This meant waiting until our youngest was almost 8 1/2. But it was well worth the waiting. Personally I can't imagine teaching my child to try to get around the rules just so they can go on certain rides.

 

[restchr]

I think alot of the people are not paying attention to the fact that you said he is 7 years old... I think that he is old enough to go on most of the rides with lifts and be safe... Especially with his parents on them too.... Come on guys, she didn't say she wanted to make him 52" so he could ride all the big rollercoasters. We're talking Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Some of you were way too rude!!!

 

[txgirl]

I think alot of the people are not paying attention to the fact that you said he is 7 years old... I think that he is old enough to go on most of the rides with lifts and be safe... Especially with his parents on them too.... Come on guys, she didn't say she wanted to make him 52" so he could ride all the big rollercoasters. We're talking Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Some of you were way too rude!!!

The point to most of these replies is that shoe lifts would be against the rules. Not whether he is old enough or if the ride would be safe enough. We all want our kids to have fun and get to do all the things other children their age are able to do. STILL-there are rules. Some people break rules, some don't. Most of all I think the posters are encouraging not to teach a child to break the rules?

I still think the op knew originally this would stir controversy because it involved a child and their safety. It also involved encouraging a child to be deceitful, which to most parents makes no sense.

My daughter is 10 and is about the height of an average 8 year old, which means she cannot ride many of the rides a 10 year old could ride. Should we lie and say she is 8 in order to get cheaper admission tickets? Should we tell her to lie about her age if asked? It's not hurting anybody is it? It seems so black and white to me. We shouldn't teach our kids to cheat....period

 

[meandtheguys2]

I think alot of the people are not paying attention to the fact that you said he is 7 years old... I think that he is old enough to go on most of the rides with lifts and be safe... Especially with his parents on them too.... Come on guys, she didn't say she wanted to make him 52" so he could ride all the big rollercoasters. We're talking Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Some of you were way too rude!!!

It isn't about age. Pure and simple it is about safety and liability. The safety rules are mandated (I believe by the state, in this case) for reasons. Nobody want to see a kid hurt. Pretty rude of us. There was an article in Good Housekeeping years ago about a kid who lost part of his foot on BTMR. They tried to cheat the system.

 

[Nik's Mom]

There was an article in Good Housekeeping years ago about a kid who lost part of his foot on BTMR. They tried to cheat the system.

Wow! What a tragedy for that family! I never heard about that. But that is exactly the reason why they have height restrictions on rides.
I'm not trying to be rude to this parent. I'm just pointing out that the rule is there for a reason...the safety of those that are on the ride. I'd never gamble on the safety of a loved one.

 

[meandtheguys2]

I am about 99% sure it was GH. I don't remember reading a lot of different mags there for a few years! too busy with kids.

 

[disneymama73]

Interesting! I didn't find anyone's comments rude at all. I thought everyone was just concerned about this boy's safety. I know I am!

My dd's have wanted to ride certain rides that they were too small for, and they were told they'd just have to wait until they were tall enough. As they grow, they find great joy in exclaiming, "Now I can ride Tower of Terror!" or whatever ride it is that they were waiting to ride. I understand this boy is 7, and it's not fair, but why compromise his safety to appease him?

I'm usually a very lenient, pushover kind of mom, but I cannot (will not) risk my children's safety, and as far as this is concerned, I won't budge. Not trying to flame anyone, and not trying to be rude, this is just my honest opinion.

Anyway, I think the point is moot. She has already purchased the lifts on eBay.