Share your stories of being *That* family

[dez1978]

So on our last trip, just last month we were with my sister in law and her fam. So 4 boys, 11, 8 and 2 5 yr olds (cousins, not twins). Our last park day was HS, so we were up at 5 to get out by 6 am. The boys were wound up and obnoxious of course. We were at Riviera down the hall from the elevator about 8 rooms, so I'm whisper yelling at them to be quiet and stop yelling as we are going down the hall. Then we get to the lobby. All week we've been on them about running, to no avail obviously. So the lobby has sliding glass doors. My 5 yr old is being a jerk, like overtired kids are, and running, and face plants into the sliding glass door, because he chose the wrong side to try to run thru lol. (he was fine). My (and everyone else in the fam) immediate reaction was to laugh bc really, it was pretty funny. This older lady next to me gave me the dirtiest look and said "Oh that poor baby!" Like, no lady. If he'd have listened to me the first 900x I said stop running it wouldn't have happened.

 

[dez1978]

Our most recent trip was with my parents. My mom was grumpy all evening and threw an actual toddler-like tantrum in the line for Slinky Dog. She was on an ECV, screaming and running over our feet trying to get out of the line. It was so ridiculous that it was very funny after the fact. Almost a year later, my husband and kids still bring it up and joke about it.

In all our years of vacationing (kids are ages 13-21), I don't think they have ever really complained, thrown a fit, or fought with each other. Unfortunately, the same can definitely not be said about me. I can't even count how many times I've been hangry or cried out of frustration.

I have to ask how you managed that (the kids) ? Duct tape? lol I kid. (mostly)

 

[tzolkin]

I have to ask how you managed that (the kids) ? Duct tape? lol I kid. (mostly)

They're just weird kids

We used to drive 22 hours to FL twice a year when they were little and they were nearly silent the whole time. They're still like that on trips. I, on the other hand, am always whiny, uncomfortable, bored, and have to pee after 20 minutes in the car.

 

[MarkLT1]

A different form of being "That Family".. specifically being "That Dad". One of our favorite things to do in Epcot when our kids were smaller, was to go over to the Imagination fountains. The kids always wanted to grab the water, so I'd start putting them up on my shoulders, and stand where the jumping water would leap over the pathway. In just the right spot, the kiddos would were able to reach up, and grab the water, soaking us both. They LOVED it. We are from the frigid, snowy north, and we'd be doing this in.. early February, in high-60s/low-70s weather.

People would watch.. and start laughing as the kids and I would get soaked. It was all fun and games, until THEIR kids turned to their parents and said "DADDY, DO THAT WITH ME!!" Then I would start getting the dagger-eyes-of-shame. Eventually, you get a kid, who convinces his dad, kid and dad get sufficiently soaked, and are now cold. Then they look at me with even more dagger-eyes, as we pull out the towel we brought with us just for this occasion, and dry shirts to go change in the Imagination bathrooms. (We actually started bringing a second towel, and would offer it to the poor saps who followed me into battle).

 

[Sandiz08]

On our very first trip to disneyworld our four year old son started throwing a fit inside AK. He wanted a popcorn bucket all for himself, so he didn't want to share. He started having a meltdown just outside festival of the Lion King and began slapping my arms. At the time, he loved watching youtube videos. I told him I was going to record him acting out and put the video on youtube, which angered him even more but eventually made him stop. I recorded a few seconds of him throwing a fit, but of course only kept the video to ourselves. Its a silly memory to look back on. Kids will act out and do act out no matter where they are. We've all been there.

 

[Schilltastic4]

We were traveling with another family and left the kids (roughly 12, 12, and 15) sitting at the table while we were getting lunch in DHS. As the parents are getting condiments for lunch I notice that the only child that wasn't mine was with us. It struck me odd and I asked why he left the table, fearing the worst. The worst was realized in that moment as he said ds(12) and dd(15) were arguing and he felt uncomfortable. I leave the ketchup collecting to the other adults and head to the table to see what was going on. Dd is sitting w/tear stains on her cheeks, ds is NOWHERE to be found. I ask what happened, when we left to get lunch everything was totally fine and while they fuss sometimes it's not typically a tear stained/runaway affair. She shares what happened and I start the search for ds. I find him sitting on a curb outside the restaurant and ask him to explain what happened thinking that SURELY dd's rendition was lacking something.

NOPE

both stories completely match

They were arguing over whether it is pronounced gif (as in gift) or jif (as in peanut butter)
She was weeping and he was ready to find a new family
After food was consumed they were both better but good grief we STILL don't have that conversation in our family.

 

[musika]

On our very first trip to disneyworld our four year old son started throwing a fit inside AK. He wanted a popcorn bucket all for himself, so he didn't want to share. He started having a meltdown just outside festival of the Lion King and began slapping my arms. At the time, he loved watching youtube videos. I told him I was going to record him acting out and put the video on youtube, which angered him even more but eventually made him stop. I recorded a few seconds of him throwing a fit, but of course only kept the video to ourselves. Its a silly memory to look back on. Kids will act out and do act out no matter where they are. We've all been there.

I can see my four year old doing this, totally!!

And after 5 pages, I no longer feel so alone in my Disney Drama

 

[MarkLT1]

They were arguing over whether it is pronounced gif (as in gift) or jif (as in peanut butter)

I don't care WHAT the inventor of the GIF format says, the correct answer is gif, as in gift.. It is the "Graphics Interchange Format" not the "Giraffe-ic Interchange Format"! Also, your kids are awesome, and hilarious to be arguing over gif/jif at WDW

 

[dez1978]

They're just weird kids

We used to drive 22 hours to FL twice a year when they were little and they were nearly silent the whole time. They're still like that on trips. I, on the other hand, am always whiny, uncomfortable, bored, and have to pee after 20 minutes in the car.

Good lord. My kids can’t be around each other 5 minutes without fighting. And forget silent. Pretty sure my 8 yr old thinks he’ll die if he doesn’t speak for more than 30 seconds

 

[tzolkin]

Good lord. My kids can’t be around each other 5 minutes without fighting. And forget silent. Pretty sure my 8 yr old thinks he’ll die if he doesn’t speak for more than 30 seconds

Yes, I’m one of four siblings and it’s amazing we made it to adulthood without killing each other. DH was an only child so he cant quite grasp how genuinely weird it is that our kids never argue or fight.