My kids are spoiled....

[IDoDis]

Seems as though the special memories people write about and remember the most are the ones with family traveling the "poor man's route." Those are the memories my siblings and cousins talk about and cherish-- how we had to do certain things on our travels to get by cheaply.

When us kids got older we were a little better off so were able to stay in 4 and 5 star hotels in major cities and travel in style. We never bring up those trips though during our family gatherings. They kind of get forgotten or are too boring to discuss.

We have taken nice trips to Disney and other places with our kids, too but we laugh the most about our stays at the cheapest hotels where we were given only cheerios with warm milk for the hotel's free breakfast.

So, there's something to be said about not having all of the lavishes during childhood. I think it builds character to do things the off beat way, too.

 

[ssawka]

I never fail to have that "I can't believe kids these days" at least once whenever we go on a Disney Cruise. There are, of course, kids everywhere. But did any of us (in the post-30 crowd) EVER get to do something like that when we were kids?? Heck, no! We vacationed at the lake an hour up the road and stayed in a cabin and thought we had it good!

Oh, I don't know! For most of the 80's my family went to WDW every year, and flew down each time. Granted, back then we stayed off property in a rented house because there were few Disney hotels then. We also did not go on cruises, but we did travel at least once a year. Family vacations were very important to my parents. That is why I continue to go down now. It's all about your own individual priorities. Some might call me crazy, but if I had to choose between being able to go on annual vacations and owning a house, I guess I'd be a renter!

 

[momejay]

I remember as a kid driving 16 hours or so to WDW...4 of us kids crammed in the back of a Chevette. One of us rode in the hatchback. We each had a backpack with one change of clothes because my mom heard they had washers in the hotels at WDW & we needed room to sit.
We left after school on a Friday. Mom brought us crackers & peanut butter to munch on for dinner. My sister stepped on the crackers & they were crushed. We also each had a can of store brand grape soda. It was warm. We also had a bag of chips, but my brother gobbled them.
We went to MK for a day. I saw the castle & cried. I saw Winnie the Pooh, but didn't get an autograph. I got a t-shirt! We had Mickey pancakes! Mom bought a ticket booklet for each of us & determined that because my sister was so small she would get all the B tickets. My brother was adventureous & went on all the E rides. I don't really remember going on anything, but I remember waiting forever to take my sister on some swan ride in water & eating a hotdog while my brother drove a race car. I remember feeling very claustrophobic & hot on 20,000 Leagues & I couldn't get anywhere near a window.
We visited my cousin in Miami at college. The car broke down. My mother & sister stayed in Miami for a few extra days & the rest of us got to fly home because we had school. The best part of the trip!!! Did I mention it was August & hot as....?
Now, my kids would expect to stay a week & go to 4 parks. No way would they swim at River Country & think it was the best. They have been begging to go to WDW for Spring break. I told them the money tree has shed all it's leaves & there is no burried treasure in the backyard! They told me try the neighbor's yard. Yes, my kids are spoiled!

 

[stacielee]

Oh yea - we had four of us in the backseat of my mom's car. One of us laid across the foot area - with pillows and suitcases filling the holes where the bump was so it was flat - two of us on the seat and either my brother or I laying across the back by the window. It's amazing that we made it to adulthood - could you imagine having your children do that now!?!?!

I remember when we finally got a station wagon how awesome it was that we could lay across the back of it!!!

We started our trips either at 5 am or 11 pm so Dad could drive through the night and we wouldn't bother him. There were times I had to pee on the side of the road b/c dad didn't want to pull over and get all 4 of us out for a rest stop so you had to wait until we had a planned stop or on the side of the road. My brother had it easy - he just used a cup

I was in HS when my parents got a van with a vcr in it - we thought we were they coolest people in the world!

It is funny how I hated those car rides - but I sure have a lot of great memories from them! I bet my kids have never had as much fun on a plane as we did singing every song in the world on our car trips, or playing the Alphabet or license plate game!!!! Oh we must have driven our parents CRAZY!!

OMG! You're not my long-lost sister, are you??? Even though I don't have a sister... That is SO what we did, only it was me, 2 brothers and 2 boy cousins, my aunt and my mom (yes, my dad was working and didn't usually get to go). My DDs don't even know how to pee on the side of the road, girls aren't supposed to do that, but I know how!! And we got to miss 4 days of school when we went the 2 weeks over Easter vacation, not Spring break, to my grandparents in Florida.

I remember one time I was in the front seat with my mom and aunt and whoever was driving had to hit the breaks and I hit my head on the dash board, not hard, but they were both asking, "Are you alright??" over and over again that I started crying, even though it didn't hurt!!

 

[Planogirl]

It's a matter of perspective. My mother is from the Netherlands and she took me there regularly. I got to see castles and amazing museums and windmills and so on. It became normal for me and nothing to brag about.

People did sometimes tell me how lucky I was to get to go to Europe so often even if it was (mostly) just one country. They would tell me that they would love to see an old castle and that type of thing. I always wondered why they didn't just go because I didn't really get the idea of budgeting. Now I understand.

I never ever said "is this all" or anything like that when we went somewhere simple like we often did. To me it was just another place to check out and I still tend to do that. I love seeing just about anywhere new and different and that includes hotels. They just have to be clean!

 

[hereyago]

My family only went to Maryland from Va to see my aunt. No real vacations and when we did see my aunt, it was for the weekend. And we hardly saw her because she was always working. Also, DF didn't like to stop for pee breaks either.

Anyway, our only realy vacation was when I was in my early 20's we went to Tennessee, where I was born, went to Opryland. Then we went to FLorida. DM who doesn't enjoy life, stayed in the hotel. DF and I went to Sea World, UNiversal Studios. They went to see my aunt, who by this time moved to Sarasota and I went to Epcot by myself but had a great time.

DD11 has been on several trips, starting since she was 4. She has been on 1 Carnival cruise, 3 DCL WOnder cruises, she has been to Washington D.C., we have also gone to Hawaii. We have stayed in value resorts to a nice condo in Hawaii.

But, she also knows she is fortunate, because she has friends that haven't been anywhere. I am also thrifty. LIke, we save our change and use that for trips. We shop at consignment shops. She doesnt even have a tv in her room.

I have that one real vacation memory that I have DF, he is gone now. So if my kid is spoiled because I take her places, then she can be spoiled, but when she is older and I am not here, I hope she thinks of all the wonderful times we had. Hopefully I will have given her the gift of loving to travel and meet different people and have a better understanding of being tolerant of people who don't live as she does.

 

[dogluva]

Yes, it really does sound like a brag fest. At first I felt a little sad thinking that my kids have never had alot of these experiences, but considering what some posters are saying that their children now expect maybe I don't want them to. The last time we went to WDW we stayed at CBR and that was a huge luxury for us. Before we went I was looking at different resorts online trying to decide where to stay (the trip was a surprise) and my 10yo said "Wow, I'd really love to stay there, but I know we won't because it's Disney and it's too expensive." That was the only time we had stayed on Disney property and I don't know if we'll be able to do it again. This year there will be no vacation at all since DH's hours were cut at work.

My kids understand that we work hard for every penny that comes in and they are thankful for everything whether it be a vacation, new clothes (even from Goodwill), and my 5yo was even appreciative of the new box of crayons I sent in to school with him after Christmas, he was going to bag up some of his "at home" crayons to take in. My kids are happy with used video games and other used items because they know it's better than not having them at all. If they acted spoiled or unappreciative at all we would be having a serious discussion.

ETA: I do want to say that being in the military my kids have had some unusual experiences that they wouldn't have had otherwise, just not the expensive "concierge level" type.

We camp in a pop up. We get to go away a lot because of this. I also have six kids so it is really economical. My kids don't care where they camp, they love it! We do go away in the winter and stay in hotels. They never complain. We stayed at a gross hotel and I actually find a used condom on the floor. I wanted to leave but didn't because the kids really loved it there! Can't tell you why but they did! Just getting away is fun for us.

 

[sunnyday123]

Seems as though the special memories people write about and remember the most are the ones with family traveling the "poor man's route." Those are the memories my siblings and cousins talk about and cherish-- how we had to do certain things on our travels to get by cheaply.

When us kids got older we were a little better off so were able to stay in 4 and 5 star hotels in major cities and travel in style. We never bring up those trips though during our family gatherings. They kind of get forgotten or are too boring to discuss.

We have taken nice trips to Disney and other places with our kids, too but we laugh the most about our stays at the cheapest hotels where we were given only cheerios with warm milk for the hotel's free breakfast.

So, there's something to be said about not having all of the lavishes during childhood. I think it builds character to do things the off beat way, too.

I find it disturbing that someone specifically titled a thread "my kids are spoiled" and then actually laughed and bragged about the whole scene.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I find it disturbing that someone specifically titled a thread "my kids are spoiled" and then actually laughed and bragged about the whole scene.

and others joined in

 

[Alesia]

I find it disturbing that someone specifically titled a thread "my kids are spoiled" and then actually laughed and bragged about the whole scene.

I thought I was the only one.

 

[sunnyday123]

and others joined in

I thought I was the only one.

I'm home sick so I kept coming back to this hoping someone would say something, but it just kept growing into a "My kid is so spoiled, they asked for Cristal on their Cheerios" kinda thing.

 

[WendyLovesPeter]

I thought I was the only one.

I thought I was the only one too

 

[ilovepcot]

My daughter feels Disney is beneath her.

 

[Robinrs]

I find it disturbing that someone specifically titled a thread "my kids are spoiled" and then actually laughed and bragged about the whole scene.

and others joined in

I thought I was the only one.

I thought I was the only one too

I had to check to see if this was actually the BUDGET board....

 

[disneyjunkie]

I had to check to see if this was actually the BUDGET board....

When I first read the thread this morning, I thought for sure I was on the wrong board.

I feel sorry for the men and women these kids marry. Heaven help them if they can't/won't pay for the things they are accustomed to.

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

Boy after reading this thread, family values sure have come a long way since I grew up.

I would never brag about my DS14 being spoiled or a brat. It wouldn't show me or my DH in a very good light now would it.

 

[mumom95]

I hope my kids aren't spoiled.

They have had some great vacations that cost more than any vacation that I ever had as a kid. And I love to travel, so I will sacrafice in some areas of the budget to put more towards travel.

But, I don't ever want the expectations of a vacation to become more important than the experiences of a vacation. Great experiences can be found in the cheapest of places and I hope my kids never (even when they are adults) get to the point where they can't appreciate the little, non expensive parts of life that can truly be wonderful life long memories.

So, some of our vacations are expensive and top of the line. And some of our vacations are cheap and probably below some of the people on this threads standards. But, all of our vacations are fun and filled with great memories. And my kids have learned to appreciate just going away together as a family, no matter where we stay or go.

So, they may not be spoiled, but I do think they are lucky.

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

I hope my kids aren't spoiled.

They have had some great vacations that cost more than any vacation that I ever had as a kid. And I love to travel, so I will sacrafice in some areas of the budget to put more towards travel.

But, I don't ever want the expectations of a vacation to become more important than the experiences of a vacation. Great experiences can be found in the cheapest of places and I hope my kids never (even when they are adults) get to the point where they can't appreciate the little, non expensive parts of life that can truly be wonderful life long memories.

So, some of our vacations are expensive and top of the line. And some of our vacations are cheap and probably below some of the people on this threads standards. But, all of our vacations are fun and filled with great memories. And my kids have learned to appreciate just going away together as a family, no matter where we stay or go.

So, they may not be spoiled, but I do think they are lucky.

Very well said.

 

[crisi]

In my case, I think its an issue - not something to brag about, but something I consider every time we take a trip. How do you give your kids a good firm foundation, expose them to a lot of things, yet keep them from getting "spoiled?" For us, Europe was a great educational experience. At the same time, they didn't need to go to Europe. Can you balance giving your kids "experiences" while also giving them realistic notions about life.

When we went to Mexico we made sure to leave the resort and point out to the kids how most people in Mexico live - the little tiny houses that dot the road. When we were in Europe they noticed how much walking - how few cars - and how skinny people were compared to home. My daughter isn't the most athletic or coordinated person in the world, but she is a pretty good skiier, so skiing is one of the ways we give her confidence.

What value do you give your kids out of their "experiences" and are they getting enough value or are they gaining a sense of entitlement? If the entitlement starts to show, we need to cut back or cut out. If they are growing, then we continue to do it. But it needs to be managed. We take them to nice restaurants, are they learning good manners as part of the experience, or are they simply becoming snobs about going out to dinner?

 

[Ciao Mickey]

We own DVC and tonight we were discussing our upcoming Sept. Trip. My kids started whining about something we were planning and my DH says - if you two keep this up - we are going to cancel our Beach Club and Boardwalk reservations and book the one of those $25 a night Best Westerns for our next trip.

They were horrified. I told my DH that we should really do that - DRIVE (gasp!), stay in the cheapest hotel we can find in Orlando, not buy any extras and go in July at the height of crowds and heat to show our kids how lucky they have it each year when we go to Disney.

Then we started cracking up laughing...to teach our kids a lesson about how spoiled they are - we are going to take them to Disney World on a trip that any child would be lucky to go on! yea - that will show them how spoiled they are

But then we got an even bigger chuckle when we realized after a couple of days - it probably would not be our kids crying for BW!!

My kids are very lucky that we are financially secure and do take wonderful family vacations together each year. One of the reasons we bought DVC was for that very reason - DH knew that if he was commited to points - he would go each year. But sometimes I think my kids have no idea how sweet they have it!

Why don't you book a couple of days at the ALL STARS?

That would really teach your kids a lesson and show them how good they have it!