Put it in perspective...

[colleen costello]

I had to share with you guys a funny thing I saw last week in the Magic Kingdom. We had PS at Crystal Palace for 4pm and I hurried over there while hubby and the kids rode one more ride. As I approached the building, there was a Mom and a small son having a huge battle. The kid was little, maybe between 5 and 7, and he was throwing a real fit. He had grabbed onto the column of the banister to the building and she was trying to pull him off. They were really into it and I couldn't help but giggle. As I passed them, trying not to gawk, she said menacingly "That is IT, I am calling the airline and we are going home TOMORROW!"

This cracked me up. My son had been whining a lot that day and I was kind of ready to strangle him. He wanted to leave the MK and we were trying to hang on so as not to miss the Crystal Palace. A ride on Space Mountain completely cheered him up and all was well, but this really put into perspective how SMALL my family's issues are! Thank goodness for DVC! We come down so often that we get to take it easy and ENJOY vacation, and when the kids go psycho, we just go back to the resort and swim. SO next time one of your family members fusses on vacation, tell them you are calling the airline...

 

[mom2rb]

Thanks for making me feel better. Last Sat. I took my five-year old boys to Sea World in San Antonio. One of my boys threw a major fit. It was a BAD ONE!!! Everyone was staring at me like I had just beat him ( I didn't promise). It is nice to know that other people's kids do this to. I had to put them in the car and drive back to Houston.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Sorry, but I have to say this-that kid was probably one of the ones that I saw splashing in the pool at 11:30 the night before with Mom and Dad. Or the one running around the lobby of the hotel at midnite. Or that little one enjoying the arcade all night. Then parents wonder why their kids have a meltdown in the afternoon. Can you say "Overtired"? We always put our kids to bed early at WDW, and that's one of the reasons we loved the FW Cabins-they couldn't see the other kids up late. And we never had a daytime "meltdown". Sorry, this Mom of grown sons just had to say "When our kids were little at WDW...."

 

[Maistre Gracey]

"...he was throwing a real fit. He had grabbed onto the column of the banister to the building and she was trying to pull him off."

You know, I have been known to do this very thing while my wife is trying to leave VWL.
Fortunately, I limit myself to check-out time, and if my wife is dragging me shopping.

MG

 

[crazywig]

maistre gracey!! thank you, i really needed a laugh today!

my son will be just over 2 when we go in june...him having multiple tantrums all over the world has me shaking in my boots but, we also know we're going again next year so we plan to take it easy and hopefully avoid any meltdowns.

please be kind if you see me negotiating with him while he lies down in the middle of main st

 

[jaysue]

We are very lucky - we have not this type of meltdown episode at WDW yet with the kids - we enforce bed time rules, if we see DS#1 start flagging we take him back to the resort for a break. We typically tour in the AM, break/lunch/swim in the noon/early afternoon and then head back out late afternoon - this probably helps.

Finally, we generally let him set the direction we are going in at WDW and ride preferences. After all, a vacation at WDW is a family vacation and as such I do "delegate/second" a fair amount of decision making to DS#1

thanks
jaysue

 

[BrianTime]

You know it's true and I never really gave it much thought. Having the kids participate in planning the activities does help out. Having three of my own, I know that occassionally there is a tantrum with our name on it that will happen. Rest is important and does help keep things mellow, but with multiple children of varying ages, no one schedule will keep everyone happy.

It is also true that knowing I will be back again in a year has let us ease our park raids and take things at a more relaxed pace. I must confess that before I had children, I was one of those who probobly shot you a mean glance when your child was acting up and thought to myself, "Can't these people see their children are tired and need a break?" or "Can't that parent control that child?"

Life is funny that way. God can take a few years to set up your payback for those mean glances by putting you with your own children on the receiving end of that look

 

[RumpleMom]

Wonder if that family really was leaving the next day? If they weren't, she was only teaching her son to throw a big enough fit and he is guaranteed to get his way.

On the other hand, if they were leaving the next day anyway, then she teaches him that he has a great deal of power over the family. He thinks he caused them to go home, either making him feel powerful or guilty.

The lesson for Mom is to never threaten a consequence you aren't prepared to carry out.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would second the "don't let them get overtired" statement. To me, that is probably the biggest thing that causes misbehavior/meltdown. WDW is a busy place, very visually stimulating, and it's easy to forget that little ones can only handle so much.

I always tell people with little ones to take an afternoon break and rest!!!! It's the first piece of advice I give!