Surprising kids

[awdsmama]

I've never met a grownup whose life has been completely devastated because they found out when they were 8 or 9 that the gifts were from mom and dad not Santa.

 

[jory29]

Here's my 2 cents.... I love a surprise, my kids love surprises...

I would surprise my kids about a Disneyland trip if I thought they would love that.

Truth is, they love planning out the details, watching youtube vids, counting the days before we go.

Just like at Christmas time, so much of the fun is the anticipation.

I am hoping by posting this I save a few kids from 'We're going to Disneyland NOW' into 'We're going to plan to go to Disneyland in a week, or a month, etc.'

NOT that any child needs to be saved from Disneyland on the spur of a moment trip, lol... it's just that so much of the fun IS anticipating the trip.

We plan our trip 8 - 9 mos. in advance usually, and we have to fly in, etc. I can't imagine springing this kind of news on them instantaneously; we prefer planning as a family, and appreciate the months of planning.

To each his own, but yeah, I lied to my kids about Santa Clause too. It didn't bother or hurt them. I bet they'll do the same for their own kids one day.

 

[Hawaiian Style]

We live in Honolulu, and told our kids that we are going to Maui next week. Not sure if we are going to pop the surprise on the plane or in the airport. They might go nuts on the plane, so I'm thinking airport.

 

[CrazyDuck]

We live in Honolulu, and told our kids that we are going to Maui next week. Not sure if we are going to pop the surprise on the plane or in the airport. They might go nuts on the plane, so I'm thinking airport.

You may want to tell them ahead of times they don't freak out 3 hours in wondering if the pilots fell asleep again....

 

[zuzupetals]

We live in Honolulu, and told our kids that we are going to Maui next week. Not sure if we are going to pop the surprise on the plane or in the airport. They might go nuts on the plane, so I'm thinking airport.

We are going to Aulani the end of July. We decided to add a couple of days at DL at the begininng of the trip as a birthday suprise for DS (like Hawaii for your bday isn't already enough ). I decided that we are going to get to LAX and tell him our flight to Hawaii has been canceled and that we need to stay in LA. While he freaks out we'll eventually tell him we are going to DL.

 

[Honeybee1983]

I too get the planning thing! I LOVE to plan and would love to include the girls in on it too, but wanting to surprise them is winning over this time. I think as they get older, for sure I will want to plan with them! We did decided that we need to chat with them about the plane ride though, since neither of them have ever been on one. We don't want them to be scared. So sometime soon we are going to let them know that we will be going to great grandma's in a couple months and yay, we get to go on an airplane! And thanks to the wonders of youtube, we will show them what to expect. They will find out about Disneyland after we land.....well if I don't slip up in the meantime! LMAO!!

 

[lalasmama]

We're heading out in 4 weeks (OMG! FOUR weeks! It's almost here!)....

DD has watched the youtube videos and planned with me the whole way.

But she thinks we're going when she's 9, maybe 10 years old. It will be a few days before her 8th bday.

I LOVE that she's clueless, but I know not every child/family would be able to pull this off! She's a special kind of kid who just doesn't understand when mommy's being silly, unless its REALLY outlandish. And apparently, packing for a trip 1-3 years in the future isn't outlandish enough

As for actually outing the surprise, she's going to have a VERY small party (like 3-4 kids) the day before we leave, and then her last present will be a modest sized box from me, with the airline tickets, and a pair of ears that says, "I'm going to Disneyland Resort!"

Trying to decide if I'm going to make some kind of sign that gives her more information, ie, "Tomorrow, we will get on the plane and go to Disneyland!"

 

[Honeybee1983]

We're heading out in 4 weeks (OMG! FOUR weeks! It's almost here!)....

DD has watched the youtube videos and planned with me the whole way.

But she thinks we're going when she's 9, maybe 10 years old. It will be a few days before her 8th bday.

I LOVE that she's clueless, but I know not every child/family would be able to pull this off! She's a special kind of kid who just doesn't understand when mommy's being silly, unless its REALLY outlandish. And apparently, packing for a trip 1-3 years in the future isn't outlandish enough

As for actually outing the surprise, she's going to have a VERY small party (like 3-4 kids) the day before we leave, and then her last present will be a modest sized box from me, with the airline tickets, and a pair of ears that says, "I'm going to Disneyland Resort!"

Trying to decide if I'm going to make some kind of sign that gives her more information, ie, "Tomorrow, we will get on the plane and go to Disneyland!"

This is GREAT! What a fabulous way to surprise her! And I love thta she's actually planned with you the whole wait without even knowing! HA! Good job mama!!

 

[awdsmama]

The past few days I've began showing my son the Disneyland site as well as HOJO's pics of their pool etc and saying how much fun it will be "someday" to go. He got very excited when I told him we would probably go next summer.

58days and counting woohoo!!!

 

[ohmystarz]

I literally made an account just to reply to this thread, but as someone who has been both surprised and included in the planning for Disneyland, I much prefer the surprise route Planning is fun, but the waiting is just painful! I'm 22 now and am going a little crazy waiting for next month.

 

[sweetlovin']

For the past 3 years, everything in my house has been a suprise. A puppy, a trip to Paris, even a house! Yep, this Christmas, I wrapped a house I bought with one of those big car bows and drove them there after I closed on it. They were jumping up and down with excitement each time. This year, they all think they are going to WDW, but my son is headed to London, my daughter DLR and the other one a Disney Cruise.

I've done both where my kids have been in on the planning of WDW trips and suprise trips. One time, I dropped my mom off at the airport and told the kids the drive home would be longer. They woke up at the WDW sign and were thrilled. Last Mommy and Me trips I let them plan the entire trip from rides to restuarants to hotels. Whatever they planned, I did and they all love it. However, I think overall, my kids prefer the suprises. I'll keep suprising them as long as I can! I love watching their faces light up in shock and joy.