Problem on 2/21 Eastern

[woody64]

We just returned from a magical 2/21 Eastern cruise. We only experienced 2 things wrong on this trip. One was 15-20 ft seas due to weather but you can't change the weather.

The other problem was childrens behavior in the Goofy pool. Children are constantly jumping/doing cannon balls into this pool! The pool is not regularly watched by any Cast Members so it is up to the kids/parents to police themselves. Needless to say, for a few this is not done.

Quick story, last Sun.(1st sea day) my DS wanted to swim in the Goofy pool. As we were swimming a few kids, I'm guessing 10-12 yrs old, begin doing cannon balls into the pool. First from the pool deck, then the first wooden deck and finally a couple of kids from the 2nd wooden deck. The parents did nothing. I finally had enough and told them there is no jumping allowed and pointed to the signs posted around the pool.

One young man did not like this so when I turned my back he would splash me. My wife saw all this as she was taking pics and couldn't figure out what was happening. It was the first time I ever wanted to dunk a kid in my life. I decided to grit my teeth and not react as this probably bugged him more than me reacting to it. The whole time his father is next to the pool doing nothing.

I understand kids want to be kids but by the end of the day you can not see the bottom of the pool and it is very dangerous. I justify my policing the kids to not wanteing one to jump on my kids and I don't want the cost of my cruise to go up even more because some kid not following the rules or being watched by their parents gets hurt and sues DCL.

End of rant. Parents please watch your kids in the pools and make sure they know the pool rules and follow them. It will be better for everyone.

woody

 

[Jillie]

I just do not understand some parents.....but i guess if their parents don't care about their behavior the kids will do what they want knowing there will be no consequences.
I think you handled it well!!

 

[nato]

I agree with you. We had a problem with kids splashing other kids in the face. My four year old would ask them to please stop, but this only made them do it more. She was in tears and wouldn't get back in the pool because she was afraid of them. As you said parents just sat and watched. My ten year olds got in and told them to stop and they finally did. It would be nice to have a CM on duty around the pools to enforce the rules and allow all the children to have good, but safe fun!

 

[christinou]

I just came back from the same cruise as Woody, and there was the same problem in the Mickey Pool, one little boy actually jumped right on my daughter, she got quite a nasty bruise from it. I also told, probably the same kids, not to jump in the goofy and was completely ignored. We started going later in the day, when it was not as crowded, and it was great.

 

[krhardy]

as a teacher of children 6 mos-5th grade (I teach music at a local private school), I OFTEN have to remind myself that it is NOT the children that need a spanking, but the PARENTS! I genuinely cannot fathom why some parents feel the need to let their children do whatever they want to! I tell my children (ages 9,7, and 3)that our house is not a democracy, it is a benevolent dictatorship.
It is very often I have to turn my back at school, because with certain children, correction does not work, as they do not receive it at home.
My profound apologies that you had to endure this while on your vacation. I'm sure that you will not let it deter you from another cruise.

 

[westjones]

That is a probelm on the ship. The pools can get very crowded. Our favorite time to swim is right when we get on the ship. My girls wear their suits under their clothes and we head straight up to Deck 9th (we get pizza for lunch).

Other than that time, the other times we have been to the pool have been very crowded.

DJ

 

[krhardy]

as a teacher of children 6 mos-5th grade (I teach music at a local private school), I OFTEN have to remind myself that it is NOT the children that need a spanking, but the PARENTS! I genuinely cannot fathom why some parents feel the need to let their children do whatever they want to! I tell my children (ages 9,7, and 3)that our house is not a democracy, it is a benevolent dictatorship.
It is very often I have to turn my back at school, because with certain children, correction does not work, as they do not receive it at school.
My profound apologies that you had to endure this while on your vacation. I'm sure that you will not let it deter you from another cruise.

 

[The4OfUs]

This was a problem on the 1/31 cruise as well...I was swimming with DS, and he kept wanting to join the kids who were doing this and I would not let him. Being 10, I heard the complaints, "But Mooooom...they're doing it!!" but used this as a rare opportunity to be obnoxiously loud in my "lesson".... "NO, you can NOT jump into the pool, it is against the RULES and just because OTHER PARENTS are allowing their children to ignore the rules does not mean that I WILL!!"

Of course it did nothing...the parents in question just kept sunning themselves...but I felt a little better. *evil grin*

 

[ZebraStripes]

I have to admit, this is the one thing I am not looking forward to on our upcoming Eastern. Twice we've run into the same type of behavior. My DD8 is very shy and timid. She loves to swim. Looks foward to the cruise all year. But, when kids act like this, she won't go near the pool. I plan on getting up early so she can have the pool to herself a few times. Its too bad Disney doesn't have someone posted to oversee the pool.

 

[westjones]

Are the pool pretty empty in the mornings? We haven't tried that yet, but maybe we will. We could get our breakfast and bring it over to the Goofy pool and let the kids swim.

One thing I am thinking might be nice on the 7 night for the 10-12 year old group they have an evening swim party in the Mickey Pool just for them. We have late dinner that night, but I am going to see if my kids want to do this instead of dinner.

I'm not a morning person, but if my kids can swim in a 'not so crowded' pool, I will get up early.

DJ

 

[ZebraStripes]

Originally posted by westjones
Are the pool pretty empty in the mornings?

We would get there as soon as they opened, 6 or 7 am and there was no one there. Nice way to start the morning. Of course, the draw back is that it is so darn EARLY!! The things we do for our kids!

 

[westjones]

Hey, that sounds fine as long as my kids want to get up early. I love taking 'afternoon' naps while they are in the Lab, so I will ask them if they want to go to an empty pool (at 7:00 in the morning---don't think we could make it by 6:00).
DJ

 

[Muushka]

Reading threads like this makes me very happy that we don't have children, or have to worry about others children's bad behavior at the pool.

The thing that bothers me the most is the fact that these kids just choose to ignore an adult. I cannot understand that. When I was a kid, if an adult told me to do something, I did it!

We will stay away from that pool! And I hope DCL does something to help out the kiddos that are good!

 

[Mickeylover]

Unfortunately, even the most affluent of parents don't make the best parents...I also agree that its the parents that need to be spanked.

Usually it appears the problem is either apathy or denial. "Not my kid" or "so what if its my kid"...kids aren't afraid of getting into trouble anymore. If they're not afraid of their own parents punishing them, why should they react to any other adult differently?

Oh well...if that's the only thing that bothers me on this cruise, I'll do what I can to avoid it...and if there are any 40 year olds doing cannonballs in the adult's pool (outside of the bellyflop contest)....I'll just have to speak to THEIR moms!

 

[inkkognito]

When I did my internship (family counseling), I saw more than my share of parents who want to be a friend to their children. That's not what kids need; they need guidance, not a pal. It seems to be especially rampant (at least in my experience) in households where the parents work long hours and are looking for a way to make it up to the kids via material goods, lax rules, etc.
I haven't had problems in the pools on DCL because the adult pool is rarely crowed and the adults behave (at least for the most part...I did once see an idiot in there smoking a cigar in the middle of the pool and flicking his ashes into the water). But if I did, I would find some "subtle" way to remind the kid (I like your style, 4ofus1!).
A few years back, hubby and I were at a roller coaster club event. Part of our group event was free soda. We were in a line with two kids behind us. They were pushing each other, and the one kept running into me, stepping on my foot, etc. A polite "excuse me" only made matters worse. I had a free soda in my hand, so the next time I got bumped, it just so happened that the impact knocked the soda from my hand and all over Teeniebumper's shirt. Oops!
Maybe a bit drastic, but so is being constantly bumped and getting your foot stepped on. You can bet he steered clear of me...he actually didn't say a word and just left the line with his friend, so I'm sure he realized what was going on.
Yes, I am an EVIL woman.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[westjones]

Barb,
I love it!
DJ

 

[Goofy Girl]

Oooopps!

Sometimes you just have to make a point!

 

[DisneyForLife]

Good for you Barb, that is exactly what I would have done.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Bruce:

I completely stayed away from the pools! I didn't have the responsibility of a young child so I had no need or desire to go near the pools!

I agree with the other comments about the parents' involvement in the development of their children's habits, manners, etc.

For the Farewell Performance, a dad and his two daughters were sitting about 4 seats to the right of me. I witnessed this probably 7 year old child disrespect her father severely. I wanted to give that child a whack! A few minutes later, she moved into the seat next to me. Something possessed me and I commented to her with a mean expression on my face - "I don't think you want to sit next to me if you're going to act disrespectful like that." She quickly moved next to her father and I didn't hear another word from her.

The whole time I witnessed this child's ill behavior, I was thinking to myself . . . "the father is being treated this way because he has allowed it!"

It may have been the same child/parent from the pool!

Lisa

 

[wildcatwmn]

We were on the 2/15 Wonder cruise and I have to say for the most part, the pools were not bad, and most of the time, there were CMs around, especially at the Mickey Pool/slide. It was crowded the sea day, especially with the weather being windy and no one wanting to sit outside the hot tub or the heated pool, but we got out and had a snack when it got crazy.

I was shocked however on Tuesday night as we were waiting for the elevator by Triton's. There was this 6 or 7 year old boy KICKING his mother in front of the elevator, and she was making like he was playing, which he wasn't. My son was in shock and looked at me with a blank stare. I stared at the kid, like, "you would NEVER get away with that with me," and he stopped for a minute and then went back to kicking his mother. Again, the child did this because the parent ALLOWED it. And then people wonder why we have so many psychotic adults when a child grows up thinking this is ok?!?!