sure wish parents would watch their kids

[anneboleyn]

Very true. One of the trips we took was at the end of April - said never going back again then. Lots of school kids on trips (visitors) or nights out (locals) with little supervision.

We were on a monorail one night and some tween boys were trying to pry open the doors from the inside while we were moving. From their jackets we could see that they were from near us back home. DH stood up and told them to knock it off. Fortunately they listened. (Today he might‘ve gotten cold cocked.)

We also had a group of unsupervised kids rocking our boat on Pirates and other groups making out and feeling eachother up in the line for Haunted Mansion. Made it an unpleasant experience.

Animal abuse would be my line in the sand, too. I haven’t seen it at Disney other than maybe a kid chasing a bird or something, but we went horseback riding in Aruba and kids on the farm were throwing rocks at chickens and hitting the horses (and telling us to). 😢

Oh geez, I am glad your husband said something to those kids! And I am surprised they didn't stop the entire ride because of the ones rocking the boat on Pirates...you would think actively endangering the lives of park guests would warrant that lol.

I have unfortunately seen animals getting tormented a few times at Disney. Usually the ducks are faster than the kids who are attempting to kick them, but the one time I did have to intervene when some kids were trying to put a toad in a trash can. I got pretty irritated over that one.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Very true. One of the trips we took was at the end of April - said never going back again then. Lots of school kids on trips (visitors) or nights out (locals) with little supervision.

We were on a monorail one night and some tween boys were trying to pry open the doors from the inside while we were moving. From their jackets we could see that they were from near us back home. DH stood up and told them to knock it off. Fortunately they listened. (Today he might‘ve gotten cold cocked.)

We also had a group of unsupervised kids rocking our boat on Pirates and other groups making out and feeling eachother up in the line for Haunted Mansion. Made it an unpleasant experience.

Animal abuse would be my line in the sand, too. I haven’t seen it at Disney other than maybe a kid chasing a bird or something, but we went horseback riding in Aruba and kids on the farm were throwing rocks at chickens and hitting the horses (and telling us to). 😢

Well, blending this in now "children acting up/cruises/vacations" thread. I will say that one benefit of being a childless couple is that we always travel off-season to avoid the crowds and tons of families....because it can be more chaotic, no matter where in the world you go. And families are traveling a lot more now...all over the world. When I was a kid growing up...in my town, families did not go on European cruises or elaborate cruises to far-off destinations. I think it was a combination of where I grew up (more of a blue collar town), but also that travel was very expensive back then.

We now even tend to choose resorts that skew towards adult only (or have a nice adults only pool)...and for a trip to South Africa in 2024 we're paying way more for one of the lodges because it's only 18+...and also because it's an amazing place to stay. The other place we're staying has two lodges in the reserves and our advisor put us at the lodge to draws couples and not families.

Plus, for that trip we're traveling the middle two weeks of September when most kids around the world are in school. Although people tend to pull kids out more these days, certain times are definitely less likely in our experience.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well, blending this in now "children acting up/cruises/vacations" thread. I will say that one benefit of being a childless couple is that we always travel off-season to avoid the crowds and tons of families....because it can be more chaotic, no matter where in the world you go. And families are traveling a lot more now...all over the world. When I was a kid growing up...in my town, families did not go on European cruises or elaborate cruises to far-off destinations. I think it was a combination of where I grew up (more of a blue collar town), but also that travel was very expensive back then.

We now even tend to choose resorts that skew towards adult only (or have a nice adults only pool)...and for a trip to South Africa in 2024 we're paying way more for one of the lodges because it's only 18+...and also because it's an amazing place to stay. The other place we're staying has two lodges in the reserves and our advisor put us at the lodge to draws couples and not families.

Plus, for that trip we're traveling the middle two weeks of September when most kids around the world are in school. Although people tend to pull kids out more these days, certain times are definitely less likely in our experience.

I think you remember (since you helped out on my thread) that I'm taking that Seabourn cruise in July.

There was a FB post on one of the pages I'm on where a mom was asking if Seabourn had like a get together for all the young ones because her sons were in their 20s and 30s and got bored on their last cruise they took with their parents on Silver Sea and thought that Seabourn would be different in terms of activities and clientele (they aren't all ultra luxury is similar enough). I was, in a polite way of course, basically suggested Virgin Voyages where a couple of young guys will have zero issues finding others their age with plenty of activities there to occupy their time. Even though my husband and I are in our 30s no way would we cruise ultra luxury even wanting the company to make a special get together for us I want to be treated just like any other passenger not like I'm different for being 40 years younger than the average cruiser there

It's also pretty much warned to not take young young kids like they'll bring someone on board to help out if a particular cruise has enough kids but you're unlikely to run into many of them anyhow.

One thing I have learned from the couple of Seabourn FB pages is there are a certain small group of people that hate with a passion Millennials cruising on it and assume everyone who is is going is going with their parents, of course I have a big laugh about it. These are just wealthy whinny people who get mad if they run out of their English Twinnings Tea but we'll still have great fun on the cruise. Enough members on the FB pages are tired of the old fuddy duddies acting the way they are anyhow. You think formal night on Disney got the tongues wagging well let me tell you you should have heard the riot that came from some people when Seabourn recently updated their after 6pm dress code to include "elegant jeans"

In any case we're super excited for the cruise, I can almost taste the champagne waiting for me in my room

 

[dvcgirl67]

I think you remember (since you helped out on my thread) that I'm taking that Seabourn cruise in July.

There was a FB post on one of the pages I'm on where a mom was asking if Seabourn had like a get together for all the young ones because her sons were in their 20s and 30s and got bored on their last cruise they took with their parents on Silver Sea and thought that Seabourn would be different in terms of activities and clientele (they aren't all ultra luxury is similar enough). I was, in a polite way of course, basically suggested Virgin Voyages where a couple of young guys will have zero issues finding others their age with plenty of activities there to occupy their time. Even though my husband and I are in our 30s no way would we cruise ultra luxury even wanting the company to make a special get together for us I want to be treated just like any other passenger not like I'm different for being 40 years younger than the average cruiser there

It's also pretty much warned to not take young young kids like they'll bring someone on board to help out if a particular cruise has enough kids but you're unlikely to run into many of them anyhow.

One thing I have learned from the couple of Seabourn FB pages is there are a certain small group of people that hate with a passion Millennials cruising on it and assume everyone who is is going is going with their parents, of course I have a big laugh about it. These are just wealthy whinny people who get mad if they run out of their English Twinnings Tea but we'll still have great fun on the cruise. Enough members on the FB pages are tired of the old fuddy duddies acting the way they are anyhow. You think formal night on Disney got the tongues wagging well let me tell you you should have heard the riot that came from some people when Seabourn recently updated their after 6pm dress code to include "elegant jeans"

In any case we're super excited for the cruise, I can almost taste the champagne waiting for me in my room

Ha...that's hysterical! I love that the "young ones" are in their 20s/30s....lol. And I do remember your cruise planning...if I remember correctly . I'm not sure about the upscale cruising world, but when we stay at 5 star resorts...it just seems to us that *everyone* of all ages has a lot of money. On our last trip to Costa Rica...we definitely ran into a bunch of late-twenties/early-thirties, but they were all honeymooners, so a milestone trip (likely funded in party by Mom and Dad...or wedding gift money).

I'm talking more about younger ones...like tweens who might hit me in the side of the head with a football while I'm making my way towards the swim-up bar for a margarita. . One place we love in Mexico (Cabo San Lucas)...is Esperanza, an Auberge Resort. It has three sections, like many upscale resorts do these days....a hotel, a fractional ownership villa area and then straight up villas that people purchase. If you're at the hotel...you can use the hotel pool and fractional ownership pool...but not the villa pool. We stayed at the fractional ownership part for the first time in 2016 as guests...friends gave us a week in their three bedroom villa (amazing)...and back then, the best pool allowed kids. We were there in May, so not a ton of kids, but some for sure. They made the pool adults only by the next time we visited...and it was well...just way better experience for us .

When it comes to the safari lodges, we don't want to end up with a family for the twice daily 3 hour game drives...for several days in a row. The one flight several years back with those horribly behaved kids and completely clueless parents ruined us.

It *might* be super fun if you get a great kid (s) and more fun maybe?....but people with some money....can sometimes be super lax with parenting and kids can get a bit wild. And it's a lot of time in a vehicle with whoever you're with. It's still a possibility for the one lodge where we're staying for four nights (Ngala Tented Camp in the Tivbavati Reserve in Kruger), but our travel advisor told us that they will almost always be able to give a family or two families together with kids....their own vehicle. The other place...Londolozi Grantie Suites (Sabi Sands Reserve)....there are only three suites and only two adults per suite. That's at the end of our trip and so we're splurging a bit on that for sure.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ha...that's hysterical! I love that the "young ones" are in their 20s/30s....lol. And I do remember your cruise planning...if I remember correctly . I'm not sure about the upscale cruising world, but when we stay at 5 star resorts...it just seems to us that *everyone* of all ages has a lot of money. On our last trip to Costa Rica...we definitely ran into a bunch of late-twenties/early-thirties, but they were all honeymooners, so a milestone trip (likely funded in party by Mom and Dad...or wedding gift money).

I'm talking more about younger ones...like tweens who might hit me in the side of the head with a football while I'm making my way towards the swim-up bar for a margarita. . One place we love in Mexico (Cabo San Lucas)...is Esperanza, an Auberge Resort. It has three sections, like many upscale resorts do these days....a hotel, a fractional ownership villa area and then straight up villas that people purchase. If you're at the hotel...you can use the hotel pool and fractional ownership pool...but not the villa pool. We stayed at the fractional ownership part for the first time in 2016 as guests...friends gave us a week in their three bedroom villa (amazing)...and back then, the best pool allowed kids. We were there in May, so not a ton of kids, but some for sure. They made the pool adults only by the next time we visited...and it was well...just way better experience for us .

When it comes to the safari lodges, we don't want to end up with a family for the twice daily 3 hour game drives...for several days in a row. The one flight several years back with those horribly behaved kids and completely clueless parents ruined us.

It *might* be super fun if you get a great kid (s) and more fun maybe?....but people with some money....can sometimes be super lax with parenting and kids can get a bit wild. And it's a lot of time in a vehicle with whoever you're with. It's still a possibility for the one lodge where we're staying for four nights (Ngala Tented Camp in the Tivbavati Reserve in Kruger), but our travel advisor told us that they will almost always be able to give a family or two families together with kids....their own vehicle. The other place...Londolozi Grantie Suites (Sabi Sands Reserve)....there are only three suites and only two adults per suite. That's at the end of our trip and so we're splurging a bit on that for sure.

Generally everyone seems to agree that any kids they see on the Seabourn ships are "well traveled" which appears to be code for well behaved. I mean the ships don't have any kids club, don't have any kids activities, don't have anyone to watch the kids (unless there's enough and then Seabourn brings on basically an activities person just for them), etc so when someone asks "do you think we'll be okay with our 8 year old" (which someone did ask) most everyone was like "uhh how about a Disney cruise" lol, like any time a young young kid is brought up most suggest Disney. Plus the fare is per passenger not per cabin so if you're willing to spend thousands for that 8 year old I mean I guess go ahead but you'll have to actually be that present parent the whole time.

But I do understand what you're referring to with the money part with kids, I could see how it could come out like "I paid X amount they can do what they want" and we all know from our Disney trips there are parents out there like that. On these cruises I think we get the older Baby Boomers/younger Silent Generation peeps who are like that. People are like "you should be thankful you're even able to cruise" so I usually just sit back and watch that drama unfold. It is strange because I never make the assumption that someone's parents are paying for their trip when someone appears to be adult enough nor do I think it even matters, if you're an entitled person who cares who paid for it, you're still going to be an entitled person

A DISer couple we know went on an African safari a couple years back she had an amazing time. The picture she sent of the resort room she had was so stunning (and so were the animals too!). She loved that experience. I think that's a great idea if there are multiple families to give them their own vehicle because those kids can feed off each other's energy and make for probably a really exciting adventure together. I bet you're going to have a trip of a lifetime for that safari trip.

When we were searching for our Mexico trip we looked at some places that had adults only areas and that is becoming more common it seems, people are def. looking for areas to be kid-free and I'm seeing these mega resorts (like where 4 or 5 resorts are technically all part of one big encompassing one) have one resort be adults only. We did look into some adults only resorts too although that qualifier sometimes meant as low as age 16 with most being age 18+. The resort we chose does have an adults only section (completely separate buildings and 18+) but has zero view (a trade off you get) and for that reason we didn't book that category, my sister-in-law and her boyfriend will be in those however as the category we booked and what she would have preferred sold out when she went to book. But the adults only has access to their own restaurant if they want a respite from others.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Generally everyone seems to agree that any kids they see on the Seabourn ships are "well traveled" which appears to be code for well behaved. I mean the ships don't have any kids club, don't have any kids activities, don't have anyone to watch the kids (unless there's enough and then Seabourn brings on basically an activities person just for them), etc so when someone asks "do you think we'll be okay with our 8 year old" (which someone did ask) most everyone was like "uhh how about a Disney cruise" lol, like any time a young young kid is brought up most suggest Disney. Plus the fare is per passenger not per cabin so if you're willing to spend thousands for that 8 year old I mean I guess go ahead but you'll have to actually be that present parent the whole time.

But I do understand what you're referring to with the money part with kids, I could see how it could come out like "I paid X amount they can do what they want" and we all know from our Disney trips there are parents out there like that. On these cruises I think we get the older Baby Boomers/younger Silent Generation peeps who are like that. People are like "you should be thankful you're even able to cruise" so I usually just sit back and watch that drama unfold. It is strange because I never make the assumption that someone's parents are paying for their trip when someone appears to be adult enough nor do I think it even matters, if you're an entitled person who cares who paid for it, you're still going to be an entitled person

A DISer couple we know went on an African safari a couple years back she had an amazing time. The picture she sent of the resort room she had was so stunning (and so were the animals too!). She loved that experience. I think that's a great idea if there are multiple families to give them their own vehicle because those kids can feed off each other's energy and make for probably a really exciting adventure together. I bet you're going to have a trip of a lifetime for that safari trip.

When we were searching for our Mexico trip we looked at some places that had adults only areas and that is becoming more common it seems, people are def. looking for areas to be kid-free and I'm seeing these mega resorts (like where 4 or 5 resorts are technically all part of one big encompassing one) have one resort be adults only. We did look into some adults only resorts too although that qualifier sometimes meant as low as age 16 with most being age 18+. The resort we chose does have an adults only section (completely separate buildings and 18+) but has zero view (a trade off you get) and for that reason we didn't book that category, my sister-in-law and her boyfriend will be in those however as the category we booked and what she would have preferred sold out when she went to book. But the adults only has access to their own restaurant if they want a respite from others.

Your first paragraph describes the family that I know who loves Seabourn....they have one son who is about twenty-five now and has traveled the world with his wealthy (also amazing) parents. I'm sure you'll have that same experience with any kids you run into on that ship. They're also the same people that gave us a week back in 2016 for a week at Esperanza, which was our first "non-European" trip since 2006.....and we loved all of those adventures, but just being at a resort for a week was a nice change, especially one like that. We've upped our travel game since that experience, especially when doing "resort" trips. For Europe, we'd still be fine with good three stars (and there are some that we've stayed in)...and four star hotels. We're doing so much sight seeing and are barely in the room. We did start adding four and one five star at the end of European trips...ending in a more "resort" area like the Amalfi Coast. We have not done the AirBnB thing yet, which many of our friends and my sister swear by...but plan on doing that when we retire.

For the South Africa trip...a lot of people on the trip advisor forums say that it can be addicting...and there are regulars on those boards for sure who have been on dozens of trips there. And you can do that part of the world on any budget, from staying at very basic lodging inside the Kruger park itself, to mid-level resorts at reserves for say...$250 per person, per night....to $2,500 or more per person, per night. What I've learned from the two travel advisors I've dealt in planning (and then having the trip canceled thanks to the pandemic)....essentially two trips, that a bunch of these lodges call themselves "five star"....but there's five stars...and then there's "five stars for real". The place we're staying at for the second lodge we're staying at has several properties inside its reserve and calls the one we're staying at "seven stars". I'm not sure who comes up with these designations, but for the price, I'm expecting a baby elephant to be at my door each morning to greet me. .

 

[Smugpugmug]

I'm currently spending the weekend at WDW (only going to Epcot) and was on line for Test Track when the kid behind me in line (I'm gonna say he was 7?) was repeatedly tugging on and touching my backpack. I would pull away but he went right back to it. Eventually I told him to stop and he did...meanwhile his parents were completely ignoring their kid and the situation. Didn't say a single thing to me.

This made me think about this thread lol

 

[kymom99]

There have been a couple of posters who have stated a couple of times that people without children can't possibly understand what it's like to raise/discipline a child. It's not hyperbolic to expect them to do so again.

Mr. Mouse stated that he's disappointed that as a society....that he can no longer enforce corporal punishment on his kids because he fears prosecution. He started with..."I know I am about to get bashed for this but here it goes". I would call *that* a hyperbolic statement. And so Mr. M is hearing what people think...which is what he expected I suppose. Then he continued to bait another poster....seemingly trying to get her to admit she doesn't have kids. Which would somehow make him feel that he won the argument that he should be able to hit his kids....because he has procreated....and she hasn't? Honestly, it's one of the craziest threads I've seen here in some time.

Kids don't need "their butts whooped sometimes". They don't ever "need" that. Sure, many of us here have endured some form of spanking, paddling...etc as kids. We're not "better for it".....we endured it because our parents didn't have the tools or education to do better. That doesn't mean our parents were bad people, but I know my own Mother winces at the thought of her younger self and the occasional use of the "wooden spoon" in my house when we were little kids...because that's what her Mother did to her. Her two daughters who do have children....do not physically discipline their children (her grandchildren)...so, in my family at least, we've improved in this department.

The goal is to evolve as human beings...we get smarter, and hopefully we do better. This is why newborns aren't placed in the backseat of the station wagon in a basket as I was 55 years ago. Now, they're strapped in like they're about to embark on a mission to Mars....because we have learned....and adjusted.

And I don't need to have children to know that I wouldn't hit them. I have had six dogs in my adult life....have three right now, and I've never once hit any of my dogs.

My mom used a fly swatter. My dad used the back of his hand. If we hit her grandchildren she would have been so upset with us. Because like you said, we have evolved.