My kids are such "model citizens".....

[Not so Dumbo]

I wonder if you can talk to the neighbor girl's mom and see if she could afford to either take the trip with your family....or since that's sometimes too hard for a single family, if she'd be able to pay for a MYW ticket for her daughter and some food money (or if you're on the DDP it's like $10 a day right?) and you COULD bring her along.

The light in a child's eyes when they first arrive at Disney might even be worth paying for the kid yourself, if you can afford it. I mean, really, there are already 5 of you, so you likely aren't in a value anyway, so what would one more kid be in the room. It shouldn't cost any more right? So that leaves, tickets, food and souveniors. Two months isn't quite long enough to be able to do much car washing or lemonade selling to raise some money with her, or maybe it could?

Maybe it would help your kids get excited if they knew they'd be planning to make this little girl's dream come true? And, it might help them with being grateful for all that they have.

That's a good idea. I would love to take her along. I hesitate at asking her mom, but I am going to think about it and if I feel that it might work I'll ask. I don't know her mom very well and I don't think they have a lot of money. I would hate to ask and make her feel bad because she doesn't have that kind of money. The neighbor girl has 3 sisters, so I don't know how they would feel about just her going. We are renting a condo, so she wouldn't have to pay anything there, but she would have to pay for her airfare, park ticket, and food. Although, I think I may be able to talk DH into paying for her food.

 

[MightyMom]

It's kinda sad that your kids were "over" WDW after only their 1st trip.

We're going on our 3rd trip and my boys are just as excited as they were for the first two trips. Granted... for my 4 year old this is like his first trip because he doesn't remember the first two.

Absense makes the heart grow fonder. Maybe if you stay away for a few years and do "stay-cations" around the home...... birding centers, local amuesment parks, the beach..... maybe they'll be more excited for your next visit in a few years.

 

[SherylWrites]

I think you may be right.
We have plans to go back in October. We are planning this as a surprise trip. It's my last attempt at getting them excited and appreciate the trip. My thinking is that maybe if it's a surprise and they don't have months of knowing about the trip, they will be more excited to go. After this one, it'll be a few years before we go back. We bought AP's for this year, so once those are up, we will be done for quite a while.

My kids don't express interest in going anywhere. So I wouldn't know where to start with finding a place that they would enjoy. They seem to think everything is boring. Hopefully it's just the age that they are at.

Please don't think that we give them everything they want. If you knew DH and myself you would know how silly that idea sounds. DH especially is the biggest tightwad on the block. Ever heard the one about making change from the collection plate..... that would be DH (just kidding) but he is just about that tight. So they've never been given every gaget under the sun. They also had to save their money to spend on the trips and it didn't make a difference in how careful they were to spend it or how much they appreciated what they bought.

Okay, knowing that they don't express an interest in going anywhere and that you and your husband don't give them the world makes a BIG difference in my original answer!!
Sounds to me like they're Disney'd out then! And they're still only 2, 6, and 8 right? Finish this surprise trip in October and then let that be it. Discover somewhere else to go or don't go anywhere at all for a few years. They're not going to suffer any by not going on a trip.
As for spending and saving, again, your kids are still quite young. It's not an overnight process. It's a lifelong process.
Just put the money you'd spend on your yearly trip into the bank and when you can all agree on a new destination, go then. For now, don't stress so!

 

[tkmmc]

SOMETIMES, just MAYBE...

The problem arises when kids get BIG gifts too early in lifer (like the PRIVELEDGE of seeing Disney). They don't get to "look forward to it." Some kids will see the castle before they know what the castle is. They meet the princesses and heroes when they are one year old and then go to Disney every year after that. Maybe it becomes "old hat." It may be fun to them but not a big deal. We took my daugther for the first time when she was 5 (still sooner than I ever planned but we had a great opportunity and had to take it). She was amazed to see all the things she had only seen in movies and t.v.. She was so impressed with everything and remembers it all so well. So this year we are going back and we now have a 2 year old. We plan on going more often from this point forward. Will my two year old appreciate it as much over the years? Not sure. If she doesn't, maybe it's personality, maybe it will be the fact that we took her before she dreamed and dreamed and dreamed of it.

My older daughter was the last of her friends to get an American Girl doll (she was 6 - still younger than the recommended age). But she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES, the ones she has. Many of her friends had them at age 2 (not the
Bitty Babies, the actual dolls). Those $100.00 dolls were slung to the floor and taken for granted and treated like any other doll. I'm glad we waited until she could appreciate the doll before purchasing one.

I'm just saying - I know it's hard in our society - to hold off on the "special" things in life. I know that younger siblings, cousins, and friends sometimes get big treats by default (from being with older children). But maybe, just maybe, our kids aren't ungrateful, they just get special "things" too soon. It takes some years before they are truly appreciative people.

 

[swald91]

To OP, I know what you mean...
Our kids love to go to Disney, but they don't appreciate it as much as I would like them to. We don't go EVERY year-almost though. I know what you mean about a neighbor too-where we lived before, very similar situation....I wish I could've taken her- I know how much she would've loved it!! I guess we all want to give our kids more than we had & we work hard to do it, I just wish it wasn't just about material things. I really think some of the behavior is brought on by other kids-"look what I've got & you don't"
We try to teach our children to be generous with their things-to be humble-but I have seen what other children say & how they brag about what they have. Then it always feel like a competition-Not just Disney-electronics, toys, clothes. I just keep telling our kids to be thankful to be able to go to Disney.

 

[crisi]

My grandmother was always into clothes and jewelry and makeup. I was a little bit of a tomboy and really was never into those things. She "shared" her passion with me - but she wasn't interested in ME, she wanted ME to be interested in her - and thought I was ungrateful for not sharing her passion. But she certainly never had any gratitude for the effort I did make.

My husband, in one of those stupid guy moments, bought me a joystick for OUR computer so I could play video games. To his credit, he thought I might actually LIKE flight simulator (I didn't - he did). It was his lesson in "people aren't grateful if you give them things because YOU want them."

Disney isn't about your kids for you, its about you for you....why should they be grateful for something YOU want. I get petulant just reading your posts ti this thread, and I'm a grown up who likes Disney and doesn't have to travel with you.

 

[tkmmc]

Thought I was done but then thought of something else I wanted to say:

Traveling can be stressful and a big hassle for adults, let alone children. Car rides, long lines, airports, crowds, eating out all the time, cranky parents with lots of rules and a high stress level (speaking generally, not about any posters here). If was 7 years old, I may want to stay home too. I mean vacation is fun but is it really worth the hassle if you're a kid. Some kids just don't like to travel (even when it's to somewhere we think is a great place) I wonder when that changes and "hassle" transforms into adventure?

 

[Not so Dumbo]

Disney isn't about your kids for you, its about you for you....why should they be grateful for something YOU want. I get petulant just reading your posts ti this thread, and I'm a grown up who likes Disney and doesn't have to travel with you.

wow, a bit harsh
May I suggest that if I bother you so much that you don't read this thread. The other posters have been insightful, you have just been rude.

 

[proteus]

Wow, times sure have changed, in my time we had one, count it, one day at DL. I’ve been savoring it ever since.

DD and are going on our 8th, I told her that by the time she was 14 she would be sick of WDW. Looked at trips to Japan, Antarctic, Alaska, Peru, Italy and settled on Alaska. Imagine my surprise when she said “can we go back to…?”.

As a kid I was taken all over the world and absolutely loved the experience, it was like a never ending series of adventures. I was bored in some of the museums though like most I really came to appreciate it later as an adult.

I think kids today are too involved with technology to the exclusion of a lot of worthwhile experiences. There is no more free time, everything is scheduled in play dates, monitored and evaluated. I’m glad I didn’t grow up in this era. I yanked DD out of that world and we have so much fun, the secret ingredient is enthusiasm.

Try somewhere else, I can understand how it may not be everybody’s cup of tea. While DD loves WDW, her favorite trip of all time was camping in a tent and canoeing.

 

[cart-mom]

DH and I have been to WDW at least 24 - 26 time and my oldest DS(13) has ben 8 times. We went every year except one between 95 and 2004. Yes, my kids were tired of going to the world back in 04 but were curious about staying at a new resort (Poly). It turned out to be one of our best vacations. I got laid off so that's why we haven't been back until this year. My point here is - during our break, we started to going to Hershey Park with DH's work (company picnic, park closed to outsiders). While they enjoy Heshey, they see the differences from WDW and how much better it is there. I let them help with planning and we talk about past trips and what we liked and want to do again. There are rides they haven't been on because of their size so they are looking forward to that this time.

Something to consider for you neighbor - show her how affordable the trip can be. Most people think it takes a fortune to go. I wouldn't feel right bringing the little girl along - too many things could go wrong. JMHO. Why not bring her "special" treats back. Maybe she can't go now but if she can budget herself and put away some money each month she can look forward to her own mother/daughter trip that will be extra special.

I agree that exposing your kids to service work or volunteering will help them to appreciate things a little more.

 

[Nie0214]

wow, a bit harsh
May I suggest that if I bother you so much that you don't read this thread. The other posters have been insightful, you have just been rude.

She gave a good example of the situation with her grandma and the jewelry, it's not like she said only the quoted part (which got rude at the end). She said what I was thinking (that the vacation is more because you want it, not your kids), but I tried to find a better way to say it.

Disney isn't for everyone, and just like how some other adults don't understand why some choose to go every year.. some children just aren't into it.

If there's one thing I've learned in life so far, it's that you can't expect other people to react how you want them to. Just because you're excited and it's your dream vacation, doesn't mean it is everyone else's. (I'm still running into this now, I planned our September trip-mother, 16yo brother, myself- and the 16 year old is being moody and teenagery about going to Disney. I'm terribly excited, but he isn't half as much.. it doesn't mean he isn't appreciative.. some people just like Disney more than others.)

 

[mjantz]

I keep reading that these kids are ungrateful, that they need to do volunteer work & see how lucky they are. While I think everyone should do some sort of community service, I don't think these kids are brats. I think they're just tired of going to Disney.
Everyone has their own 'travel style'. I personally like to go to as many different places as possible. If I had the money we'd travel every school holiday. I love seeing new sights & places. However, if you said to me 'From now on, every year for our vacation we're going to spend a week at WDW' I'd be very disappointed. The idea of going to the same place year after year would be absolutely no fun for me, whereever it might be.
The OPs kids may be like me where its 'We've seen Disney. Now, what else ya got for us?'.
You say they don't say anywhere they'd like to go. Have you considered their interests & planned a vacation around that? If they love Legos, there's a legoland in S. California. If they love dinos there are many museums that have great dino collections. We try & gear our vacations so that everyone has something that's 'their thing'. When we went to NYC, DS was able to visit a Nintendo Museum while I took DD to the Met for a ballet. In Philly, DS wanted to see the Liberty Bell & DD was dying to see Betsy Ross' House so we did those things. I find they're much more likely to go along with what we want to do when we've listened & added things they want to do.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

She gave a good example of the situation with her grandma and the jewelry, it's not like she said only the quoted part. She said what I was thinking, but I tried to find a better way to say it.

Disney isn't for everyone, and just like how some other adults don't understand why some choose to go every year.. some children just aren't into it.

If there's one thing I've learned in life so far, it's that you can't expect other people to react how you want them to. Just because you're excited and it's your dream vacation, doesn't mean it is everyone else's. (I'm still running into this now, I planned our September trip-mother, 16yo brother, myself- and the 16 year old is being moody and teenagery about going to Disney. I'm terribly excited, but he isn't half as much.. it doesn't mean he isn't appreciative.. some people just like Disney more than others.)

I can appreciate that view, and I think you are right. Maybe I'm not taking in their point of view.
But the quote I was referrencing was the part where I was being called an annoyance. That was the part that I considered rude.

 

[VAN]

My kids are 23 (DS) and 22 (DD) and have been to WDW at least 10 times ... I think more in my DD's case.

My son last joined us during his college break about 2 years ago ... ho-hum; but my DD is as big of a Disney nut as I am and is always happy to go whenever she gets the chance (trip w/ just me last March).

BUT it is not so much going into the parks as it is enjoying WDW as a resort. We usually stay at the campgrounds and only go into the parks 2-3 days. The rest of the time we are enjoying the pool and riding on the boats, etc. We'll take a trip off-site to the Space Center or to the beach. It was more about going on vacation to a really resort-y sort of place. Florida is very different than Michigan ... especially in March!!

Anyway, I do know people who's kids never took to going to museums or whatever, but we never had a problem with that because it was a "vacation" or "break" from our ordinary lives.

Of course, we never had a DVD player in the car ... I made them look out the window or read a book (or sleep). They also didn't have unlimited use of the TV/video games/etc. I could always tell when my son had been spending too much time playing video games, because he would start to get anti-social with the rest of the family and wouldn't want to "do anything else"!!!

I'll be the first to say my kids are spoiled, but I think they always appreciated our vacations, whether it was to WDW or to a National Park or touring museums.
---------------
Good luck ... if it is starting at age 7, you are going to need it by the time they get to be teens!! LOL!!

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

I completely agree about community work, and seeing the bigger picture. I definetely want to start doing some type of community work with my sons in a couple of years.

My family is Brazilian and when I was a teenager we took a trip to the inner city parts of Brazil, and I will NEVER forget what I saw and experienced. I think that all children need a little wake up call now and then, because we live in such a privelaged society and nation. I know we would love to shelter our kids from a harsh reality, but I believe that harsh reality makes any human appreciate the good. The norm for us is to have clothes that are in style, vacation every year, drive air conditioned cars. But the reality for the world totally is completely different. I am so thankful for that trip, b/c I believed it changed me as a person.

I regards to letting your kids choose where you all vacation as a family ....I'm not so sure I personally would do that. I would let them give their input, but in our house the adults make the decisions. And they go where we go, end of story. I can just imagine my two boys arguing and complaining b/c the other chose the vacation spot.

I don't think that gratefulness is associated with a condition or where it is you vacation, it's a matter of the mind and heart.

 

[fakereadhed]

Not everybody likes everything Disney, especially my DH. My older kids enjoy some of the rides, but not the whole experience now that they are teens. That's why I go solo or just take DS4.

 

[mjantz]

I regards to letting your kids choose where you all as family vacation....I'm not so sure I personally would do that. I would let them give their input, but in our house the adults make the decisions. And they go where we go, end of story. I can just imagine my two boys arguing and complaining b/c the other chose the vacation spot.

I want to clarify that we don't just say 'Where do you want to go?' & do it. We'll say 'We're thinking about going to California for our vacation. Where would you like to go in California?' If they can't think of anything I try & find options they might like & present them. So we come up with the destination & they can add options for our trip.
I do think kids should have a say in vacations, especially as they get older. I was able to pick Washington DC as a vacation the summer before my Sr year & I still have great memories of that trip. Other family members picked places to go in the area but the destination was my decision. I plan on letting our DS decide where we go on vacation in a few years when we have our last opportunity to take an off-season vacation (switching schools).

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

I want to clarify that we don't just say 'Where do you want to go?' & do it. We'll say 'We're thinking about going to California for our vacation. Where would you like to go in California?' If they can't think of anything I try & find options they might like & present them. So we come up with the destination & they can add options for our trip.
I do think kids should have a say in vacations, especially as they get older. I was able to pick Washington DC as a vacation the summer before my Sr year & I still have great memories of that trip. Other family members picked places to go in the area but the destination was my decision. I plan on letting our DS decide where we go on vacation in a few years when we have our last opportunity to take an off-season vacation (switching schools).

Ok, I see your point. I also stated that my kid's imput would always be welcome, but in our house, (and it doesn't have to be this way in yours) we as parents decide. And if a child is 17 or 18 letting them have a little more than input would be nice, maybe even letting them choose. But the OP's children are WAY younger than that. But in the end it is just my opinion and our family's choice....different strokes for different folks.

 

[crisi]

wow, a bit harsh
May I suggest that if I bother you so much that you don't read this thread. The other posters have been insightful, you have just been rude.

I thought it was more than a bit harsh when you called your own children ingrates on a public message board. Guess we are even in thinking the other person rude.

 

[noodleknitter]

I thought it was more than a bit harsh when you called your own children ingrates on a public message board. Guess we are even in thinking the other person rude.

I do believe you have a point there.

BTW, I think you gave a great analogy of the the situation. I can't tell you how many years it took my darling husband to figure out that it wasn't all about him! I did not have a high regard for his kitchen gifts, car safety kit, or speakers!