Should my 17mo go with? What can...

[jjnb7709]

We leave Monday!!

So, originally, DM, DSis and I were taking my 4yo DS for the week. Well, 17 mo DS was staying home with DH, but now I'm feeling guilty!!

I've got to decide quickly, so please help! Obviously, it'll be a lot more work to take the little guy - and he is a RUNNER!!

But, I'm wondering if he should go anyway. Won't be quite as restful for me, but would I be depriving him of a great trip?

Would a 17mo be able to do much? We'll only be visiting MK and MGM - figure the rest of the parks can wait till next trip!

Any advice? Thanks!

 

[EBONYPRINCESS2000]

I have a 22 month old who is also a runner, boxer, etc.(LOL)! HE IS NOT GOING!! He does not know what he is missing anyway. There will be other trips! Skip the guilt and go!

 

[disney4mykids]

This would be way to sad to leave him beind....they would love the music and the sights!!!!!


I am taking my little one........I could not bear leaving him behind....who cares if he will remember, just think of all the fun he will have while he was there. Heck, if I did things for my kids just because they would remember......Oh, bring him........Once you leave without him, you cannot change your mind..........

 

[JAYNED]

WHAT CAN I SAY -

I TOOK MY DD WHEN SHE WAS 11 MTHS OLD AND MY DS WHEN HE WAS 18 MTHS OLD

THEY BOTH LOVED IT MY DS WAS A RUNNER (AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WAS FAST) AND MY DD WAS A QUIET LITTLE TINKERBELL

DS USED TO LOVE SEEING THE ANIMALS AND MK PARADE AND DD LOVED THE HORSES WHO PULLED THE CARRIAGES - THEY BOTH LOVED THE SUNSHINE THE POOL AT THE HOTEL, THE MONORAIL AND THE FOOD!!

THEY LOVED LOTS MORE BUT TOO MANY TO MENTION

TAKE HIM WITH YOU HE WILL LOVE IT!! IT MAY BE A LITTLE MORE HARD WORK BUT JUST THINK YOU WILL REMEMBER HIS FIRST VISIT TO WDW EVEN IF HE DOESNT

 

[jjnb7709]

Okay, so I now have a LARGE suitcase packed full of diapers, wipes and swim pants!! I've called the airline and added him to our ressie - he's coming with us!!

He's such a cute little guy (in my totally objective opinion!!) that I just can't look at him and say "Sorry, buddy, you're being ditched"

I finally asked my 4yo DS if he wanted to go with just Mommy, Grandma and Auntie or if we should take his brother. Bless his heart, he said, "Oh Mommy, I think Nick should go - he's never been on a plane before".

I'm blessed with wonderful sons!!

I'm sure it will be magical for them both!!

Thanks for your replies!

 

[SandraC]

TAKE HIM ~ THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL HAVE A BALL!

Our kids, 7 year old dd and 15 month old ds had a blast in April!

dd was there at 4.5 years old and had a great time.

Our son is lovely but like yours A RUNNER! He is noisy and we call him "ATTENTION BOY!"

BUT

He was an angel on the plane, PERFECT in the restaurants and ABSORBED EVERYTHING!

He was happy to stay in the stroller ~ we would let him walk all over when we could, he LOVED the BONEWARD!

He went to ALL THE RIDES, except thrill rides.

YOU WILL ENJOY SEEING BOTH KIDS FACES JUST BEAMING! LET US KNOW WHAT YOU DECIDE!

 

[Cameo]

We took my DD when she was 20-m-o. I do not think that she got much out of it (at least not memory wise), but I guess we are a family now. I can't imagine leaving my little ones behind. Sure, you miss out on some things, but you also get to have fun with your kids.

We are going in Sept. with 4-y-o DD and 19-m-o DS (he is a runner too!). I'm thinking it will be quite a challenge to tote along all their stuff, but I can't wait to take them.

I think it also teaches our DD that DS is part of the family and on important things like vacations, he will always be coming along. They have to learn how to travel, patience, tolerance, tasting new food, etc. I think this just helps them learn sooner.

Have fun! Please post again how it went. Since your two are the same age as mine will be when we go, I'll be curious how it went.

 

[Pembo]

I know you've already made your decision but I just wanted to add that we just returned from a trip with DH, DS age 5 and myself. We left my ds 2 1/2 with my parents for the week.

It was so much fun with just our 5 yo. We were up early everyday and pushed him to his limit. We had some "moments" but with 2 parents to 1 kid things were easily resolved. As much as I know my 2 yo would have loved the characters and all it was tough enough with my 5 yo. It would have been a much different and to me more difficult vacation if we had brought my little guy along.

I know many of you disagree with me but my 5 yo was very glad to have some quality time alone with his parents and my 2 yo had a ball with his grandparents (and they with him).

We are now planning our next trip in 2 1/2 yrs when little ds will be 5.

Just my opinion........

 

[THE RAT]

We took my DS who was 18mos. Last May He was a handful but he enjoyed it.DD is 8years old and it was there first trip.I am taking her this August back to Disney without my DS.He will be staying home with DH and I will miss him but I figured my DD can enjoy the trip and we can do alot together without a little one.But he will be going back with us maybe I'll make another trip next year for the whole family again

 

[laughinplace199]

I'm glad to hear that you are bringing your son - you'll all have fun! We have taken trips with and without our daughter, and I definitely prefer to travel with her. In March of 2000, we went to WDW without her since she was only 9 months old at the time. We had fun, but I cried every day because I missed her so much. This past August, we took her to Disneyland (she was 13 months old ) and it was great! There was plenty for her to do. We took her on all of the rides (except for the thrill rides, of course), and she loved the parades and characters! I don't know how much of the trip she'll remember, but whenever she hears the word "Disney" she says "Mickey" and "castle." We just loved experiencing Disney with her. Have a great time!

 

[ohiominnie]

jjnb,

Think of it this way...You've got a LARGE suitcase filled with consumable items....diapers, wipes and swim diapers....so by the end of the trip, the suitcase will be practically empty....great for filling with souveniers!

He'll have a blast!!! He may need to take breaks in the afternoon to nap, but that will give your older child and the adults some down-time (nap or pool). He will force you to slow down and enjoy your vacation instead of doing it Commando style.

Have fun!

ohiominnie

 

[HeatherPage]

I'm probably not too qualified in most people's eyes to answer to this since I only have one on the way and not one actually here yet. Our baby is due this October and I plan on going the following September when he/she is around 10-11 months old and cannot imagine going without him/her now. I've gone to Disney many times with my parents as a child, I've gone with my husband a few times alone and now I am ready to go with my baby. My mother in law suggested that next time we go I should drop my baby off with her and me and my husband go for a week (I tried not to look at her like she was crazy) I politely told her that was the whole reason for us going to spend time with my baby and she made the comment that they won't remember anything anyway-perhaps, I said, but me and my husband will remember and there are these things called cameras...I say go for it...you never know what tomorrow brings.

 

[Tiggerkeeper]

Personally, I wouldn't but having said that we took my 18 mo god son one year and out of four adults and one 5 year old he was the BEST behaved!! The only reason I say I wouldn't is because of all the work involved. And being selfish I would want that to be a special time for the older child. I have a 17yo and 14yo and have taken both separately so they can monopolize on the adults and we have had a ball.

To each his own! Have a great time! And don't forget those naps - they are sooooo important!!

Melissa

 

[ohiominnie]

Isn't it funny when people say "oh, they won't remember it anyway??" I find that hysterical. So what they're saying is we shouldn't do anything with or say anything to our babies until they are ready to remember it? What about just stimulating them with the colors, sounds, smells, etc at WDW? Just because they can't REMEMBER the Dumbo ride, wouldn't they be tickled by seeing it go around and hearing the music in Fantasyland? Now, granted, it is extra work to take a baby...but isn't it fun to watch the sparkle in their eye as they soak it all in?

(Maybe we should tell the grandma that we aren't going to bring the baby by for any visits until they are older. After all, they won't REMEMBER her!!)

HA HA HA

ohiominnie

 

[THE RAT]

ohiominnie,That is so true My MIL says the samething
Why take him he wont remember anything. I just hate when she says that.

 

[jjnb7709]

Thanks for all your replies!! We had a wonderful trip (17 mo. old included!) and came home this weekend.

It is now Monday - and I am JUST beginning to feel human again. I had no idea how exhausted I would be!!

To all of you considering taking a little one:

I could not stand the guilt of leaving him behind, so my 17 mo DS went along. If you can overcome the guilt, I would recommend leaving the little one behind.

Although I couldn't do it - it would have been nice to have more alone time with my older (4 yo) DS and really focus on him because he was at a PERFECT age for this trip!! His wonder and excitement made my heart swell...

Especially if you are planning to go back - the little one can go later when old enough to enjoy everything AND make it easier on Mom.

If I had to do it all again - I would take him (I couldn't stand the guilt!) but for those of you who are stronger than I.....leave the littlest one behind and enjoy some special time with the older kids!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I'm glad that you had a good time. We leave in 5 days and we are taking our 17mo son, but NOT our older kids. We all went in January and will go again in August--we are going this time because of my DH's conference. We could have left our 17mo son with his grandparents (who will be watching our other 3 children), but he would have run them ragged. Besides, I was worried that we would come back to a clingy toddler and he is so independent now. And, I think that I would have missed him just too much and been too worried to have had a wonderful time. We are getting a sitter one morning so that we can go to the parks without him, though.

 

[sablair]

Ive been keeping up with these posts because we have a 15 yr DS, a 6 yr DD and a DS who will be 18 mos in July when we are going to WDW. We are planning on leaving him with his sitter the week we are gone Im sad about it and am going to miss him every minute. We had almost changed our minds reading the posts. Yes, we would enjoy the memories, and yes he will have a great time at times.. but it is so HOT!!!!! The thing is, when I see people with small babies and toddlers dragging them around a theme park in hot weather I think "how selfish" and wonder WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!! It is so easy for them to get dehydrated and miserable in that heat, not to mention sunburn, a strange bed and eating out every meal. Me and DH talked for weeks about this one and my sitter finally put it in perspective when I asked her opinion. She said "You arent going to drag my baby around in 90 degree weather!" We know it would be extra work, but that's not the reason for leaving him at home - we signed up for that work when we had him My older two will enjoy the trip more if they are allowed to do what they want for a change too. So, this trip is for them, and for me and DH just to spend a week not having to tailor every minute to the babies needs. We are planning to return in the fall or spring and take him to avoid the GUILT And, he wont remember! - if taking him to grannies was as stressful as Disney in July, he wouldnt go there either!

 

[THE RAT]

I am going in August and leaving my DS who is 2 home with Daddy. I feel real guilty about doing this.But I'm taking my DD who will be 9 I want hear to really enjoy this trip. because the last time we went last May DS was 18 months and it was alot of work.But just think of all the neat stuff we will be coming home with for the little one.this time he will be spoiled

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Rat, Don't feel guillty about leaving your son with your husband! I would do the same in a heartbeat. I just didn't want to leave my son with his grandparents since they aren't used to chasing and keeping up with a little guy his age. If it were my husband I would sure leave him!