Misbehaving children

[crisi]

We saw no what I would consider "out of control" children.

A few criers - little kids. Some running around the ship - that is my expectation of eleven year old boys.

We saw no pool roughhousing, no elevator antics.

There are plenty of adult areas on board, if your tolerance is lower than mine. Make sure to book Palo and request late seating for dinner. Late seating won't guarentee no children, but should reduce it (and therefore reduce the risk that you get a particularly naughty child or particularly indulgent parents).

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Originally posted by CastawayCayLover


If only they would remember that others are paying good money for the same vacation and not to be subjected to their boorish behavior. I guess that's asking too much from the parents of children today.

I try very hard not to take offense at posts here, but it disturbs me when I see what appear to be anti-kid posts on the DIS boards. I'm not sure what you consider boorish behavior, so perhaps I'm being overly sensitive to some of the comments here, but my experience on the DCL ships is that the kids are generally well-behaved. That is, if you cut kids some slack and not expect them to behave like little adults.

I would never condone any sort of destructive behavior or rudeness toward others from my kids, but as a parent, I understand (something I did NOT understand 5 or more years ago when I was a DINK) that kids are out of their element, excited, tired, and may not act like little angels on a cruise. My kids had difficulties making it through sit down dinners, but we promptly removed them from the dining rooms if they were disruptive. Of course, what one person considers disruptive may be typical baby or toddler or preschool behavior.

My suggestion, if you really believe that good behavior is too much to ask of parents today, is that you cruise on a line that does not attract so many parents and children.

Marcy

 

[taeja71]

It depends on what you view as misbehaving. How strict are you as a parent or how strict you would be as one? Young children will have melt downs. Mine did a couple times b/c they were pushed to their limit; I could've stayed up longer. I reacted quickly and took them to bed. Being in a new environment as well can a contribution to behavior change. For a young child, being on the cruise was like heaven for my three. Every thing was for them and some times my children expeced things. I believe it is the parents responsibility to take care of their children. A cast member may be able to warn a child, but not punish them. If you view a problem, confront it as a DISer did w/ the profane kids or walk away. Just like being land locked, you have a choice as well.

 

[jhorstma]

We all share the boat - a big boat to be sure, but still a contained area where we're all one big happy community for 3, 4, or 7 magical disney days. And in the mantra of our soon to be first woman president, it takes a community to raise a child. So we should remember we're all adults trying to make a warm nurturing environment for even the most challenging young people who are merely testing their bounds and exploring new and exciting worlds of discovery.

Oh wait, I'm Republican (but I really, really, really hope Hilary runs in 2008 - can't wait for her national "Listening Tour") - what I meant to say is that I'm an adult and can generally outthink, outlast, outwit those little nits. So if they're being loud - fine, it's a vacation and I'm sure my kids are being boisterous too (but not too boisterous or I'll tell em' to knock it off). If they're running around being destructive and rude, they might catch an earful from me or perhaps, oops, get a bit crowded (not that I would ever, ever, ever, actually touch one of these angels) by me - whatever helps correct the behavior. Hey, I shop at Costco, my shopping cart's accidently gotten in people's ways before - gets the message across in clear easy to understand terms.

 

[wide awake]

The only thing I noticed, and this on Thursday of the 7 day cruise...the teens started feeling at home so you saw them running around the halls and up and down stairs. On our 10/16 I saw one 12-14 year old boy knock down a toddler...the teen yelled "Sorry" over his shoulder and kept running to catch up with his group. I noticed the same type of behavior last year...am a little apprehensive about the repo cruise...way too much time for gangs, cliques, and ornery behavior.

 

[SueEllen]

Originally posted by MickeyB426
If i see kids saving a ton aof seats and NO ONE is sitting in them, I thank them for saving them for me.

LOL!!! now that's my kind of person!!!

Sue Ellen

 

[brack]

Originally posted by jhorstma
...I'm an adult and can generally outthink, outlast, outwit those little nits...

I like you! This has to be a tag for you.

I agree with an earlier post in that I have found some adults to be far more obnoxious than any kid. Also, it seems to me that any kid that was acting up was because their parents did not take charge soon enough.

My DS is 31 and going on this next cruise with us. Let him step out of line! I'll set his DW on him!! She'll put him straight.

 

[justKim]

Originally posted by StuartMI
Alright, If I see any disruptive kids next weekend I'm throwing them overboard. Thats it!

If she answers to the name of "Molly", there's a twenty in it for you to just quietly bring her back to deck 2. She's sneaky, but she's only a year old, so you should be okay.

 

[SweetSpot]

We noticed the kids more on last weeks cruise than others. I wonder if it was because it was Halloween and more kids were onboard than when we normally cruise. I have read about the elevator problems but this was the first time I experienced it. There were 3 groups of kids that roamed. The elevator kids who ran up and down the steps and hit every button and then jumped in the elevators and hit every button. One kids did it in a full elevator right in front of us and was surprised when everyone on the elevator said something to him. There was a group of kids who hung on the stairs and another than roamed. They seemed to be mostly the younger teens. I know my 14yr old had problems in the Stack because of the older teens in there and I think the roaming kids were finding the same problem. Unfortunately on DCL the kids between 12 - 15 don't fit in well to the programs offered, get bored and sometimes cause problems.