Tips for Teen Behavior

[budwmn]

Cruise Critic has a nice new article on teen behavior on cruise ships and how to avoid problems. Here are a few highlights (and suggestions) :

"Lay down the law.
Tell your kids what is expected of them. Yes, it's a family vacation and there will be fun: curfews stretched to 3 a.m., unlimited slices of pizza daily and other we-never-do-this-at-home occurrences. But insist that basic good behavior still applies. No running, pushing, shoving or cursing in public areas. No cutting in lines, shouting in the halls or throwing food in the dining rooms.

Then, create consequences. If you or anyone else catches your progeny misbehaving, let them know what will happen. After my teenage son missed a midnight curfew by two hours, we "grounded" him the following evening, insisting he stay in the cabin after dinner with no friends visiting. For the rest of the voyage, he came in on time (though not one minute too soon).

Talk about sex, drugs and alcohol.
Think of a cruise ship as a weeklong party for teens. Now think of what you warn your kids about before going to a land based bash: sex, drugs and alcohol. On a Caribbean sailing when we asked a mother of two lively 13- and 16-year-old daughters why her girls weren't participating much in the teen program, she told me the boys only want one thing "and my girls aren't interested." On another Caribbean cruise an outgoing and popular teen was busted mid-voyage for selling marijuana. He and his family were not forced off the ship, but he was booted from the teen program and shunned by his peers -- for getting caught, we think, not necessarily for selling. So don't be naive. Cruise ships, while wonderful, aren't Neverland.

Monitor your kids.
"Your parenting responsibilities do not stop because you walked across the gangway of a ship," says McDonald. We've learned to have our teens to check in with us several times a day. We tell them to find us at the gym, adult pool or other quiet spot we're likely to be by a certain time. This enables us to touch base, ask what they're doing, and make plans for dinner or the next day's shore tours. If for some reason, we've changed our locale, then the teen is to go to the cabin, look for a note from us and write down where he or she will be. Then, once in awhile go to where your child is hanging out and observe. It's not spying; consider it checking up.

Be realistic.
Nobody's kids are perfect, and neither are the adult passengers. But clearly stated rules and expectations as well as frank talks go a long way toward creating the type of family vacation you want to remember for the right reasons."

 

[barkley]

also tell them that disney will kick families off if the behaviour is unacceptable. i witnessed a senior staff member in a heated discussion with a father who was told that because of his teen's behaviour the teen could not be out of the company of one of his parents at any time for the remainder of the trip. when the father complained the staff member told him that he had the choice of disembarking in port the next morning, and further that if the teen was sighted once without a parent the familiy WOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE SHIP AT THE CLOSEST AVAILABLE PORT.

GO DISNEY!

 

[Regina]

WHOA Barkley!! I wonder what the kid did.

 

[WDWMom]

I would also recommend to parents that they check their teens charges daily. Friends just got back and their 16DD charged $1100 playing video games. SHe did not pay attention to how many games she was playing and played dumb on how many she played. This is not the first time we have heard of this either.

 

[StuartMI]

How can you charge $1100 in video games.

 

[tecdavidt]

It would be easy to charge that amount if the teen was also buying cards for other people! We found out our daughter did this two cruises back so the last cruise she was banned from the game room. We only found out through the parents of the girl she bought the cards for. They gave us $50. The total game room bill was $300 and that was not even for a full 7 days so I can see how it happened.

I like the tips for parents. Great post and so true. I remember our last cruise with out teen boys three cruises back. We had connecting rooms. My husband's son was in the boy's room with a friend. He didn't know we were in our room let alone on our verandah. They went out on their verandah and decided they were going to smoke. Some heated moments when they were told "no you will not." Then it was "I am 18 blah blah blah" and our response-- "we paid for the room so therefore no smoking." Both boys left.

I am glad to read that DCL will take care of those who are not following the rules of the ship. We told our boys that there would be serious consequences if the rules of the ship were not followed. Glad to read that it is true.

This is the first Spring Break in three years we are not on the Magic. The next week will go by so slow. March '06 here we come . Kathy

 

[jrabbit]

Heres a thread from the past regarding a "contract" with your kids regarding their behavior and the consequences.

 

[DCLgodess]

I wish those teens that do not misbehave wouldn't have to take the fall for those that do. my sister and i would never dream of acting up.

 

[OHJulie]

Budwmn,

Great info.! On our last cruise our son was 11 and he LOVED the freedom that he had to check himself in and out of the club - it was an excellent independence builder. We will be cruising again next year and he will be 13 - a whole new experience with older kids. He will certainly be getting the "speech" before embarking.

Thanks,

Julie