looking for parents of preschoolers to interview for article

[Teresa Pitman]

I'm a writer, and I'm working on an article about taking preschoolers (ages 3 to 5) on vacation to places like Disney World, and how you handle bedtimes.

For example - we're taking 5-year-old Xavier in early October, and we'd like to take him to the Halloween party, but he's usually in bed at 7:30 and asleep by 8:00. He's a cranky boy if he doesn't get enough sleep!

It doesn't have to be a special event like that - it could be just keeping the child up for fireworks, or perhaps it's a beach vacation and you want to stay out later for a family gathering on the beach.

So how do you handle these situations? Can you get your kids to nap in the afternoon? How? Do you try to keep them up, even if they are miserable? Do you keep them up and deal with the crankiness the next day, or hope they'll nap and catch up? Do you skip evening events until they are bigger?

If you have some experiences to share, I'd love to hear from you. You can PM me if you like.

Thank you!

Teresa Pitman

 

[lynypixie]

I have 3 pre schoolers (5, 3 and 20 months old). I haven't been to Disney world with them yet (planning on going next april) but we did go to Niagara Falls and Lake George's great escape, and we have fireworks seatings with our La Ronde (six flags) pass. So I know all about that. We go out a lot with the kids.

With young toodlers, what I like best is to bring a baby carrier (a good one, like a scarf or an ergo baby carrier). They will sleep in it, stuck on mama's ****ies (the most confortable thing is the world, lol), while you walkor even ride. I have brestfed my last one almost everywhere in La Ronde, including the big wheel, the minirail and the boats.

If you realy want to have an afternoon nap with young kids, a suite is not a luxury. It helps putting the kids in a calm environement while you keep busy. If you have several kids and one doesn't want to nap, it's a very good timing to have one parent going to the pool while the others nap. That's what I do with my middle child.

Also, during the day, if they get cranky, snacks are you best friends. Those drinkable apple sauce has saved us countless times. They might be expensives, but they will get your kids the energy they need to go on, without making a mess.

After dinner, a play area will work best to make them past the digestion drowsiness. They will have been asked to sit down for sometimes up to two hours, so they need to run and climb and vent.

If you have a child who will sleep in the stroller, you shoudn't have any troubles. There is always something a bit more calm to do, and often, a 30 minutes nap in a stroller is enough to boost them. But always have a snack.

snacks are always the key to help the kids stay up late.

 

[sjsjbrook]

I took my girls when they were 4 and 5, and we are taking my son in the fall a few weeks before his third birthday.

With my girls, I tour WDW on their schedule and did what they wanted to do. I did rent a Disney double stroller and pushed them around (my 5 year old was really tiny), It was December so it wasn't that hot. We ate mostly at character meals so we didn't have to stand in lines to meet them, and they could eat what they wanted to eat and if they didn't like something it wasn't a problem.

We always had breakfast in our room, (we had a villa, so we all had space).

If they hit their wall, we just didn't do it. They didn't want to sit and wait for the Christmas Parade, so we never saw it. It really is a frame of mind, you want everyone to have fun.

We are doing similar things with my son this time, we are renting a stoller from an offsite company as we are staying at a resort within walking distance of HS and Epcot. We plan some evening events, and we are sure he will sleep in the stroller he did the last year when we took him. We are willing to walk around with the stroller while the other parents rides with the other kids. Again we are going to stay flexible. We want him to have fun as well.

 

[CanuckTraveller]

Hi Teresa, I recognize your name from TP
We started traveling when our boys were 4&2 yrs old. We went to an AI in Cuba and a balcony was a must, as it was the only way to spend time with my DH after the boys went to bed. It also helped that my parents came along and watched the boys whilemwe had supper together one night We stuck close to their usual bedtimes at home, as the trip was only a week long and everyone had to get back into the usual workday routine upon our return. The next two trips were cruises, and again the balcony is a must for us. In the evenings, sometimes we take turns staying in the cabin while the other goes out exploring, but honestly we enjoy having the time to just chat with each other on the balcony. We do family excursions, ITA with the suggestion of a baby carrier (DS2 was 4 yrs in it on our last trip...) as it can save a cranky toddler or preschooler while on the go and isn't nearly as bulky as a stroller.
IMHO the special events aren't special if it means an over tired child who is cranky the next day. Family trips need to respect everyone's needs, and sometimes that need is sleep!
Enjoy your trip!

 

[tone.def]

Bedtimes are tough because of all the excitement! DD now 3 refuses to sleep at her regular time when we are somewhere new. I end up crawling into bed with her to calm her and then we both fall asleep
That being said, we do allow a bit of a sleep in the next morning.
Balcony's are a MUST as another poster said, All Star Movies and Music were not condusive to sleeping arrangements and television watching.
We had a Cat 7 stateroom on our cruise in December and that was the best splurge for that verandah. My sister was in a Cat 9 and she didn't enjoy that with a 2 and a 4 year old.
DD and I are booked to stay at AofA in May, but I'm going to re-think that and move to YC/BC for the purpose of a balcony if I want to put my feet up for a cold one at the end of the day...

 

[cari12]

When we have special event, we let them stay up but the next day we try to get them back on track. We went to DLR when they were 4&6 and watched the fireworks from our room(and they were at 8:30pm) then lights out. The only night they saw them in the park was the night of the Halloween Party.
Because my 2 are early risers, by 7:00 am and they don't sleep in or nap anymore, we tend to keep things early most of the time. We focus on fun things they can do at this age and we can do the later things when they are older and more able.

 

[BLAZEY]

On nights when I know that DD3 will be up later than usual I make sure to take "bedtime supplies" with me. We have season tickets to a local hockey team and at games during the 2nd intermission is jammie time. She goes potty, gets into her jammies, brushes teeth. That way if/when she falls asleep on the way home just carry her from the car to bed. Same deal when we go on roadtrips!

She will nap in the car if tired. She is at an age now where somedays she naps and others she can go all day. She can still sleep in a stroller when necessary as well. This will be our first trip to Disneyland, but not her first trip away from home and in a hotel.

 

[NewRunner]

We haven't been to Disney World with preschoolers, but took a trip to Disneyland this winter, so I'll throw in my opinions. We went with my DD, 4 and twin sons, 2. We didn't have any late nights, and kept them on their regular bedtime schedules. Yes, we did miss some activities, but we felt it was easier than dealing with grumpy kids. Our children are early to rise, early to bed. So, they were all in bed by 7:30 and up by between 6 and 7. Worked okay though b/c by the time we got up and ready it was time for the continental breakfast at our hotel, and then off to the parks. We didn't waste any park time eating breakfast. We brought our own stroller and have a good stroller, so fortuantely the boys would get reclined in their stroller, sun shade pulled and napped in their strollers. Our daughter no longer naps, but was ready for bed after such exciting days. I thought this was a great age to take the kids. If this was going to be your only trip, maybe wait unitl they are older, but if you are planning on going again, this was a very rewarding age.
I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.

 

[Reese]

Our bedtime routine has changed as the number of children we have. When the older kids were younger we used to try to stick to a standard betime two out of three nights. That way we could still see some fireworks or shows. Now I make sure that we have means to make them comfortable if they want to rest. Stroller, sling, extra recieving blanket for pillow. We have also had our four year old, that loves bedtime, stay up the duration of a halloween party. We just make sure that we have no morning plans the next day so they can sleep in if they want. Specifically at WDW we try to take a break in the afternoon if we plan on staying late. A cool off break at the pool sometimes followed by a nap or atleast some quiet time. We also are prepared for some grumpy overtired break downs and carry a couple little snacks, a favorite stuffy and are also I am always prepared to take grumpy little ones back to the resort if need be- but it seldom comes to that.

 

[Best_Vacation_EVER!]

Our DS6 has been 4 times and each time has been a bit different.

When he was about 2 to 3 years old we really stuck to his schedule at home. He napped at noon at home so we went back to the room so he could nap. At night he was asleep by 7:30 so we were back in the room by then.

By the time he was 4 he was pretty much able to do a couple of late nights per trip without too much difficulty. We did MNSSHP and MVMCP (when he was 4 and 5 respectively) and stayed until after fireworks with no problems. The one thing we did is that on the day we did the parties we didn't do any parks during the day (lunch at DTD or pool at the resort instead.) If we stay out late we make sure that we don't plan anything first thing the next morning.... so we can let him wake up when he's ready.

We signed him up for the Sandcastle club one night so we could have a adults only dinner and he loved it --- he asked if he could go back again the next night.

To be honest, I think we've enjoyed these trips the most. Scaling back to accommodate DS's schedule meant we got to take some time to enjoy the vacation instead of constantly trying to do every park, ride or attraction.