My kids are spoiled....

[MrsPete]

One of the things I've done well with my children is NOT to spoil them. Both my husband and I grew up with parents who were thrifty with a dollar -- his because they spent wisely, mine because they had so few dollars to spend -- and although we have much more available to us, we've chosen to spend much less than we have.

My girls are 12 and 15 now, and I'm very glad that they've vacationed in a wide variety of accomodations. They approach a beachfront two-bedroom condo in a 5-star Marriott resort with the same excitement as a standard Best Western room by the interstate (or even a tent in a state park). They prefer to have more space to spread out, and they appreciate privacy, but they understand that going and having fun is what really matters. They appreciate a good meal in a restaurant but understand that sometimes a meal from the cooler is faster and cheaper, and it's fine too.

By being able to appreciate whatever circumstances come their way, they're better prepared for the realities of life in a crowded college dorm or the small apartment and used car that's the reality of life on an entry-level salary. I'm glad we've raised them this way.

 

[kkmcan]

My kids are a bit spoiled but they do know that most of their friends do not get to see and do as much as they do. We talk about how people choose to spend their money in different ways ( new cars, new houses, designer clothes and bags, electronics etc) We choose to vacation as much as possible.

Mind you, when we vacation we do it as budget as possible. No deluxe resorts or concierge. When we do DL we drive, stay across the street in a motel and usually pack our own breakfast, snacks and water bottles with us. Same for all of our driving trips. The kids don't care as long as we get to go.

When we did WDW we stayed at Allstars or Pop, flew on the cheapest days, picked the cruise that did not fall on a holiday= cheaper.

If we go all out of a trip we don't get another trip anywhere that year, if we do a budget trip we can stretch our vacation dollars and go somewhere else that year. I always choose the extra trip. I dont think I could go a whole year with just one trip. Yes, I'm spoiled that way too.

We are very blessed that in this economy we can still afford to vacation at all.

 

[Planogirl]

We've stayed everywhere from roadside hotel chains to luxury places and DS doesn't seem to care all that much what kind of hotel it is. He wants a lot of cable channels and his own bed and he's happy.

 

[disneyjunkie]

One of the things I've done well with my children is NOT to spoil them. Both my husband and I grew up with parents who were thrifty with a dollar -- his because they spent wisely, mine because they had so few dollars to spend -- and although we have much more available to us, we've chosen to spend much less than we have.

My girls are 12 and 15 now, and I'm very glad that they've vacationed in a wide variety of accomodations. They approach a beachfront two-bedroom condo in a 5-star Marriott resort with the same excitement as a standard Best Western room by the interstate (or even a tent in a state park). They prefer to have more space to spread out, and they appreciate privacy, but they understand that going and having fun is what really matters. They appreciate a good meal in a restaurant but understand that sometimes a meal from the cooler is faster and cheaper, and it's fine too.

By being able to appreciate whatever circumstances come their way, they're better prepared for the realities of life in a crowded college dorm or the small apartment and used car that's the reality of life on an entry-level salary. I'm glad we've raised them this way.

We've stayed everywhere from roadside hotel chains to luxury places and DS doesn't seem to care all that much what kind of hotel it is. He wants a lot of cable channels and his own bed and he's happy.

My son is the same way. He doesn't care where we stay. As long he can get good chicken fingers, he's happy.

For the most part this thread sounds like a brag fest.

 

[ohanaMAMA]

coming up we NEVER went on vacation even once. We never went anywhere that didnt have a purpose (my mom says those trips to the salmon fishing camp were vacations. ummm no mom)

Dont get me wrong. We had an AMAZING childhood. How many people say they grew up in ALASKA? Of course living in Alaska made vacations out of reach for us. To take a trip "outside" meant a full day of travel and $1000. just to get to Seattle Washington. So I was 30 before I ever rode a roller coaster, saw Mickey Mouse or went somewhere just for the fun of it.

My parents still see us spending money year after year on Disney as a "waste" but I cherish every single memory I have made with my girls. CANT WAIT to go back to the "happy place"

 

[disneyjunkie]

coming up we NEVER went on vacation even once. We never went anywhere that didnt have a purpose (my mom says those trips to the salmon fishing camp were vacations. ummm no mom)

Dont get me wrong. We had an AMAZING childhood. How many people say they grew up in ALASKA? Of course living in Alaska made vacations out of reach for us. To take a trip "outside" meant a full day of travel and $1000. just to get to Seattle Washington. So I was 30 before I ever rode a roller coaster, saw Mickey Mouse or went somewhere just for the fun of it.

My parents still see us spending money year after year on Disney as a "waste" but I cherish every single memory I have made with my girls. CANT WAIT to go back to the "happy place"

OhanaMama, I just noticed your location.

I was born in Dillion (my parents moved here the following week). I have ton of family in Dillion, Latta and Florence.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I can beat them all, we NEVER had a vacation. We stayed home all the time! LOL. By contrast, my daughter and I are doing the Med and the Baltics (Disney). However, she is really excited!!!

 

[KELLY]

Count me in this one also. My 2 year old flipped out this morning when she saw a old WDW bag. She kept saying Mickey. I really don't think they understand some people go once. We are just addicted and go once sometimes 2 times a year.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

When my son was around 6, we walked into a Ramada. He opened the door, looked around and said....Where's the rest of it??

We know what you mean about being spoiled!

lol

 

[DCLbrideSept2009]

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!!

My mom comes from a family of 6 kids. They would put ALL 8 PEOPLE in the car (some sort of sedan... this was like in the 50's/60's) and drive from Missouri to California to go to DL. Mom's aunt lived out there, and that's where they would stay. But they crammed 6 kids into this car. So they had kids up in the back window, on the floor, crammed in whatever way they could. i tell this to my kids whenever they complain about us driving in our 8-passenger Honda Pilot with built-in DVD player. (we do have 4 kids, though, and the teenager brings a friend, so it's still a little cramped - for an 18-hour drive )

 

[DVCBELLE]

Count me in this one also. My 2 year old flipped out this morning when she saw a old WDW bag. She kept saying Mickey. I really don't think they understand some people go once. We are just addicted and go once sometimes 2 times a year.

My kdis come home from school sometimes and will say

"I feel sad for XXXXXX - they have never been to Disney World!"

We recently took my great aunt to Disney for the first time - she is 76. My kids LOVED that and seeing the castle through her eyes for the first time!

I do love that my 8 year old will now talk to little girls on the monorail and the conversation goes something like this:

DD (in her sweet talk to little kids voice) : Is this your first trip to WDW?
Girl: Yes
DD: You will love it her! I bet you are excited to see the castle!!
Then my DD will wait to point it out to her as soon as possible and they both squeal together - THE CASTLE!!

now on the contrast - she often has this conversation with CMs

CM: Is this your 1st trip to WDW
DD - OH NO - I am on my 9th trip to Disney and my 11th if you count DL and our cruise

My DD also loves to sit on Main St and watch little girls see the castle for the first time! So at least they GET the Magic!!!

DD and I have already decided we need a little girl to borrow and take to WDW once Fantasyland is finished - not that DD won't love it but she gets that it would be a lot of fun to take a little girl who would be truly awed by the new FL!!

 

[crisi]

We recently had this discussion at our house. Our kids were last at Disney in October of 2008 - such a very long time ago. They went to Europe this Summer and Mexico over the Winter. They are currently off skiing - just locally, but its their forth time this year. We go to Disney next summer. They also get the "old fashioned traditional someone's cabin at the lake" vacation - except that the cabin has five bedroms and is on five miles of Lake Superior private lakeshore with its own waterfall. Its rustic - no tv reception, but it ain't exactly tent camping (though they've done that as well). They also get camp this Summer - which wil be rustic.

It HAS been a very unusual year. Deals were great for those that still had jobs. We won't be doing that sort of year again in the near future. And our kids reached the age where we could start introducing them to things like European castles and Mayan ruins and they'd get something out of it.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My son is the same way. He doesn't care where we stay. As long he can get good chicken fingers, he's happy.

For the most part this thread sounds like a brag fest.

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.

 

[The Iron Giant]

:
For the most part this thread sounds like a brag fest.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We drive (21 hours straight though) to Disney every other year and stay at the values. We don't vacation on our off years (other then driving to grandma and grandpa's) we save for 2 years to go on a budget and we consider ourselves spoiled. And you know what? We are.

So many people will never be able to see their kids faces light up when they meet Mickey or see the castle.

My kids have never been on a plane, probably never will. Have never stayed anywhere but a value and probably never will. Have never been on a cruise and probably never will. And I think (and they agree) that compared to so many, they are pretty darn lucky. (I like what PP said, we are blessed.)

 

[DawnM]

Well, my kids are in for a shock this year because we are getting the lowest end Aps we can get, that means that this year there will be NO water parks for Disney Quest~!

Dawn

 

[Lucky4me]

One of the things I've done well with my children is NOT to spoil them. Both my husband and I grew up with parents who were thrifty with a dollar -- his because they spent wisely, mine because they had so few dollars to spend -- and although we have much more available to us, we've chosen to spend much less than we have.

My girls are 12 and 15 now, and I'm very glad that they've vacationed in a wide variety of accomodations. They approach a beachfront two-bedroom condo in a 5-star Marriott resort with the same excitement as a standard Best Western room by the interstate (or even a tent in a state park). They prefer to have more space to spread out, and they appreciate privacy, but they understand that going and having fun is what really matters. They appreciate a good meal in a restaurant but understand that sometimes a meal from the cooler is faster and cheaper, and it's fine too.

By being able to appreciate whatever circumstances come their way, they're better prepared for the realities of life in a crowded college dorm or the small apartment and used car that's the reality of life on an entry-level salary. I'm glad we've raised them this way.

This was my kids experience as well. Learning to adapt and embrace whatever environment they were in, helped them later on.
We camped in tents, stayed in deluxe resorts and everything between the two.

 

[jemgumby]

Well I didn't go to Disney World until my honeymoon!!! Growing up I can think of only 2 vacations we took as a family and one of those was a 2 night trip to an amusement park. It is not that we didn't have the money it was just because my dad was a very selfish man and he spent all extra money on his hobbies, new truck and new boat. Looking back on my childhood I don't feel "blessed or even "unblessed"......(whatever that means!!!) I don't even feel "blessed" that we have gone to Disney as much as we have or stayed at deluxe. It is just what we have chosen to spend our money on. Some people have to have the latest technology with t.v.s, blue rays or very nice vehicles or jewelry. Not us. We know we are making wonderful memories when we take our vacations and that is what matters to us! I won't dare say we are "blessed" because when you say that in the sense of going to Disney World as compared to say overcoming a life threatening illness like cancer it seems pretty ridiculous!!! My DD is appreciative of our Disney vacations and while she has enjoyed our stays at The Grand I know she would be just fine staying at a value or mod......if not I would have a serious talk with her and then watch one of those t.v. programs where they show the children starving in Africa and send in money together to help her get her priorities back on track!!!!

 

[All American]

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.

Awwwwww. I just wanted to say that your kids sound very sweet.

 

[SandrA9810]

every one wants to provide for their kids what they never had.

Growing up, it was a summer road trip to indiana or someplace up north with family. We'd leave miami at like 4am, and spend the night north of atlanta. Then on to indiana.
It was definatly one of those things i expected, and i was so mad that my sis got to go to texas for a cousin's wedding and i was home with the chicken pox. But when my g'parents left a few weeks later for indiana again, i went and she stayed home with the chicken pox.
Every year of my life is marked with a roadtrip. This year when i drove my aunt and grandmother to indiana to see the family, i realized how much effort my g'father put in to make those yearly trips to keep the family connected. It was 13 years the last time i was there.

But i do remember that little red van. Had this 2" black and white tv in the back. And he put in a CB radio to talk to truckers. I used to stare out the back window to wave to other drivers.

My mom used to do one weekend trip to disney every year. But we only went to the magic kingdom for one day. And i remember some of those trips as well, and it was always off property at hotel we called the white house or the mansion.