Preparing for cruise w/ 3yo

[Sinderelli]

O.K., I'm just wondering how many people are or have frantically worked on potty training with their young one in preparation for a cruise? I'm sailing Mar 2 and started this week to make sure my DD is DEFINITELY ready to attend the Oceaneer's club. So far so good!

 

[joshua121301]

We cancelled last year because our three year old wasn't quite ready. Good thing that we did, cause now mom is having another. This one will have to go to Flounders, I'm not waiting any longer.

 

[LiserAnn]

If your cruise is Mar 2, '06, you should have no problem! Our cruise is in 2 weeks and we started potty training a while ago and it was a no go. So, 4th of July weekend we removed the diaper and put undies on. He had 4 accidents the first day and each day it got less and less. Within 5 days of that he no longer had pee accidents and goes consistenly in the little potty. Even though he wakes up dry most mornings, I still put a pull up on at bedtime. Now #2 is another story. He's pretty much gone in his undies every time. When we started he didn't go for 2 days and when he finally went it was in the little potty but it really hurt SOOOOOOOOO, he associates #2 hurting if you go in the potty. We keep talking about it and trying, so we'll see what 2 weeks brings.

If we weren't cruising we wouldn't have bothered with this yet even though he's almost 3 1/2. The reason we pushed it is because he has an older brother and we're sailing with 3 other families...a total of 8 kids in the group, all of which he knows and he'll have a total breakdown if he can't go in the club or in the pools with them. So let's hope 2 weeks will be enough for him to get it and if not, oh well, I tried and perhaps getting on the ship and realizing he can't be with his buddies or go in the pool will quickly change his mind. I really think he's going to be OK, we'll see!

Good luck!!!

Lisa

 

[disneybride96]

Don't you know that you can't go on the "Big Boat" if you can't go in the pottie? I can't tell you how many phone calls I've received from my 3 year old nephews announcing that Mickey will now let them on Aunt Susan's Big Boat. (yeah...they think the boat is mine.) I don't know if that is proper pottie etiquette, but it worked for my sister! They are now working on dining room manners...Dad gets to be a different waiter every night and the twins get to "order" their meals.

 

[lbgraves]

Don't stress about it. They will PT when they are ready. DD was almost 4 before she was really PTd. Any bribing, pushing, encouraging I did just didn't interest her. She lost toys with accidents even. It ended up that I told her that her PS changed the rules and you had to be PTd to go back. She missed one day. After that she was dry so that she could go see her friends. If I had known that would be her trigger, I would have said it a long time ago.

 

[snicklefrytz]

(snort) I thought I was the only one thinking about this very thing. My son will be 3 in Dec., and we cruise in Feb. I will try my best, but I don't want to push him too much. Hoping for dry pants by the winter!

 

[encmerk]

We are cruising in 3 weeks. My daughter will be 3 in October. Here is the thing she wants nothing really to do with the potty. She will sit on it but not go in it. I have done the underware thing, and she hated having an accident. I put the panties back on her, and she yelled at me "NO". She then proceeded to go and get a diaper of her own and put it on. But here is the twist. She goes to preschool two mornings a week and she goes on the potty there, but not at home. Lately I have decided not to push her and she will go when she is ready. I have tried bringing her friend over for potty time and telling her that she can't go in the pool with a diaper. She doesn't care! The only reason I didn't cancel the cruise was that I knew even if she was potty trained she wouldn't go in the clubs, she would rather be with us. So the moral of the story is don't guarntee on anything!

Courtney

 

[colonels cruisers]

We cruised right after our son turned 3. He was classified as potty trained but did I trust that he would stop amongst all of the Disney fun and potty.. NO. We just took turns 'checking on him'. We did find out that the CM's do encourage potty breaks and they know why you are checking. They actually told me that DS was going on his own (w/o me mentioning why I was down there).

What we found out is that depending on the crowd down there it might be a bit rough or much or whatever you want to say for a 3 yr old. Our son is very social very big BUT when he was grouped with a 5 yr old he was squashed (literally). In this instance the Cms knew this one child was a bit rough and were doing their best. Eventhough DS lost to the bully there were 3 nice older boys who came to his defense. I say that bc I don't want my story to make you think it is rough in there. I think that if you have 800 kids and 1 isn't so nice that is a reasonable ratio. whenever ages 3-7 were together we just kept him out. I think our cruise was heavier on the 7's than the 3s.

 

[kcashner]

The above post makes 2 excellent points. First, the age distribution on the cruises can vary significantly. While there is a total for kids on the ship, there is also a maximum allowed in each age group...thus, there may be a reservation open for a group of 3 adults, but not for a family with a child.

You really need to check on the group that your child is with. Usually all is fine, but..... When school is in session, the cruise tends to be very heavy with preschoolers. On school breaks, there tend to be more teens and older kids.

The other point is to check in at the club now and then to take your munchkin to the potty. You will get to see what's happening in the club as well as possibly preventing an accident.

 

[LiserAnn]

I thought the age groupings in the clubs are 3-4 year olds and then 5-7 year olds....is that not the case? I definitely think it could be a problem to have a recent 3 year old with an older 5 year old!

 

[Sinderelli]

I think the age group is 3-7. My DD will be 3 in February and my DS will be 6. Although we don't plan on leaving them in the club for an extended amount of time, we will definitely check in on them and encourage potty breaks! Excellent ideas, everyone- thanks for the input. BTW, today was Day 4 with no diapers and no accidents!!

 

[LiserAnn]

I guess I'm confused because I have copies of the Kids Navigator's from one of the west coast cruises (which is what we're going on) and they have one for the 3-4 yo and one for the 5-7 yo and the activities are different. That's why I asked. I understand that they're in the same general area but thought by the activities they were segregated.

Lisa

 

[lbgraves]

Yes, to both. The O Club is for the 3-7 yo group. They are further divided into a 3-4 & 5-7 groups. There are times when both groups are in the Club together for free activity play. More often the groups are in two seperate places on the ship during the day.

 

[Michelle2]

That's good to know. I saw on their website too that the club was further divided into smaller groups 3-4 and 5-7. Having a new 3 year old there, for me, would be pretty intimidating knowing that he was in with big 7 year olds. I would check on him often, and worry alot.

We have a little more than 4 months to potty train our son, and he so far has no interest, so I know what you guys are going through, and we will need some pixie dust ourselves it looks like

 

[goofy4wdw59]

I can relate to your post! Right now, "Bear in the Big Blue House--Potty Time with Bear" is playing on our VCR! Our almost 3-yo DD watches it frequently--I know/sing the "Toileteer" song alot .
We are hoping she'll be potty-trained for our Nov Cruise, but, it doesn't look good right now, LOL. (Older DD was not fully potty-trained until almost 4) Oh well, we'll plan for Flounders, but still hoping she may be able to try the kid club.
Good luck to you!

 

[Ariel&Flounder'sMom]

Another Mom here waiting for DD to be PT! She'll be 3 in August, and we cruise in January. Right now, she's refusing to sit on the potty. A few months ago, we had a couple of dry days. Now, she's absolutely refusing! I wish I had pushed it a bit more back then.

My older DD (now 5) trained herself at the age of 2 1/2. I never realized how easy that was. I'm already talking to DD2 about the kids clubs - and PS - (although she can go to PS even if not PTed)

Here's to dry days for all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jodifla]

I have to say I think this is one of the unfortunate things about DCL. On Carnival, they take non potty trained 2 year olds into their clubs, taking the pressure off.

Between that and the U.S. govt. declaring pools off limits to non potty trained kids, it makes for a tough decision for parents. I also think it would be much smarter to insist, like I've seen other public pools do, that anyone under the age of 4 wear protective pants in the pool.

 

[Sinderelli]

I have to say I think this is one of the unfortunate things about DCL. On Carnival, they take non potty trained 2 year olds into their clubs, taking the pressure off.

Between that and the U.S. govt. declaring pools off limits to non potty trained kids, it makes for a tough decision for parents. I also think it would be much smarter to insist, like I've seen other public pools do, that anyone under the age of 4 wear protective pants in the pool.

I agree! Even kids who are fully potty trained have accidents in pools. If all kids under 4 wore protective pants it would prevent a lot of people from being exposed to a harmful situation. BUT- how could we possibly get all parents to agree to this?

Good luck to all in their potty training endeavors!!!!!!!