We were shocked at the parks

[Drake]

As a person who was brought up too strict, I swore I would practice self control when raising my own children. In my opinion, any parent that resorts to hitting their child, does so because they don't have the patience to deal with the situation any other way. They seem to forget that they are the adult. They are the example their children sees. If the parents hit, the children will grow up hitting.

I raised three children..... I know how hard it is And, yes, they were normal children. One was a constant screamer....the other threw temper tantrums until she was 3 years old....the youngest was into everything I would remove them from situations and I would talk to them. They laugh about this, now that they are in their twenties. They joke and say that I talked with them so much when they were in trouble that sometimes they wished I had just hit them ...

And, no, they didn't turn out to be bad kids. Never a problem with them...ever. Great grades, respectful to adults and kids alike, responsible.

When I see children having tantrums in public and a parent screaming at them or hitting them, it tells me that the parent is worse than the child. A child is still learning self control.....the adult should have it.

 

[my_try]

I know this response has nothing to do with family members yelling at each other....still I had to let you know about MY experience at Epcot last summer.

My daughter and I were in line for "Fast Track" and in front of us were two girls (about 16 years old) OPEN MOUTH KISSING!!!!!!!!!! I do not know if the two of them were just "trying it out" to see if they'd get a "rise" out of the crowd behind them or if the two were truly gay.

I have to tell you how difficult it was to hide them from my nine year-old daughter who was in line with me at the time. It was quite an experience I have to say!

Kathy

 

[remmy_7]

I don't like to see parents screaming at their kids at such a happy place but I do find it funny when I hear a parent tell their kids "If you don't cut it out, were going right home!" If I were the kid I'd be thinking "Yeah right dad"

 

[Shagley]

So what your saying is that Disney should raise the prices to keep out everyone you consider "riff-raff" because of course anyone who has a disobedient child or an argument on Disney would be by your standards "riff-raff"

So let me ask what would the admission have to be in order for you and yours to not make an appearance??

I don't think Micca was referring to just "anyone who has a disobedient child or an argument", I think he/she was referring specifically to the "Jerry Springer" type incidents which to me would be much more of a no holds barred shouting match (and often involves the female removing a shirt ).

 

[Luv4Mickey]

Okay, so let me be the first to say that I would like to meet the "perfect family". You know the ones that have children that "always" mind, put the toy back when told NO the 1st time, wait patiently in line without asking "how much longer", never complain about the heat, have the perfect smile in every character picture, wait for 2 hours for the parades in scorching temps...etc. I KNOW that we are not that family. We have tried to give our children the life we never had, and now it has turned them into little spoiled brats on occasion. Of course they are complete angels at school, and get wonderful grades, etc. BUT let us go through one of those scenerios listed above and they turn into Satan's children. They know how to manipulate the system. They know when you will give in to "society" watching, and push those buttons oh so much harder!
It is frustrating to think of all the hard earned money that you spend on these trips for the kids to "expect" it since you have been so many times.

I know growing up the "look" is all that was needed, but today's kids are different. PLEASE do not judge unless you have traveled with that family all day. Sometimes something may have happened the day before and the child was put on a "better be in your best behavior" mode tomorrow and still doesn't listen.
SO, here's hoping you don't post about seeing me at the end of June!!

 

[Mamu]

Disney is probably the #1 place where more families have melt-downs then any where else.

I've tried to have tunnel-vision when at the parks. Sometimes it's difficult, but it's a must do.

 

[PixiDust04]

I know I probably shouldn't be saying anything at all, since I have no children of my own, but I've been to both WDW and DL enough times to have experienced this. I've always been a kid with my parents in the parks, and when me and my sisters were younger, I'm sure we had our share of impatient moments as well! Dealing with heat, long lines, crowds, and being in a somewhat unfamiliar place can be really hard on a family! When I used see a child throwing a tantrum or a parent yelling at a child or another adult, at first it was always hard not to stare. But I've begun to think of it this way...its not going to make their situation any better by staring. It will embarrass them, which could make it worse. Plus, you never know if the fight is just a one-time thing. Maybe someone just reached the end of their ropes and had to let out some steam. I know, many would say not to let off steam in the middle of a public park like that, but for many it has to be done. If my parents or my sisters and I got in an argument, it was often just a one-time thing on our trip. I wouldn't want someone staring at us, because it was the only time we were ever on "bad behavior." I don't know...this is just my humble opinion...put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine what that person is feeling.

I don't want to cause any more arguments!

 

[LukenDC]

I am a single man sans kids. When I went to WDW last year, I saw many tantrums and lots of screaming out of control kids. I saw one tantrum at Epcot that was so bad that I was tempted to remind the parents that there was a Mayan sacrificial temple just down the path.

Discipline, mixed with love, is such a good recipe!

 

[Simba22]

Some people just shouldn't go out in public anywhere.

Yeah like my brother in law...pictured below in my sig pic 2nd from the left. He was 17 when we went this past May and to anyone there during the week of 5/14-5/20 that heard me screaming at him, please forgive me. I tried so hard to be patient, and so hard to keep myself calm so that I wouldn't be one of these people we're talking about! Some of you may have read about my adventure on another thread but basically this kid has never been anywhere "public." He is from the "ghetto" and thinks that he can act like a hood rat where ever he goes. He believes that yelling out curse words, running ahead of us, and getting mad/throwing a tantrum (at 17, can you believe it??) would make the lines go faster, or the crowds at park closing move faster, etc. Everything I asked him not to do, he promptly did (over and over), and everything I ask him to do, he didn't. I finally broke down in the hotel on Thursday night of our trip screaming at him...my brother left the room, and my DBF (BIL's brother) sat there and let me go off! We were both pissed that we spent so much money to bring him to our favorite place in the world and he ruined the whole week for me. I must have gone at him for 20 minutes but at least we were in the privacy of our hotel room. Would you believe that on Friday he was as good as gold? Made me wish I had yelled at him on Monday! But I already told him that I will never take him anywhere with me again. People & children alike who can't act appropriately don't deserve to be rewarded!

 

[chigirl]

The only breakdown I saw at WDW was when a lady infront of me threatened to punch me because I asked if she could hold my DS's autograph book for a second while I gave him medicine...I have told this story on these boards before, so I won't go into it, but she misunderstood (I hope) and thought I asked to cut infront of her and she began to scream at me like a banshee that she was A SCRAPBOOKER AND THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO HER!!!! Her husband even threatened to punch me IN FRONT OF THEIR KIDS (this was in line waiting to see a character) and my DS and he came inches from doing it.
Hello, psycho!!!

Otherwise, I guess I was lucky to not witness any of the stuff others have...but working for a major company, I do witness it on an average day:
parents so wrapped up shopping that they ignore their child who is in the midst of a full-blwon pee pee dance that the poor tyke wets themself; CODE ADAM's called for 13 month olds (who lets a baby walk around a store by themselves?), and out-right punching and slapping of kids. I will get flamed, but 9 times out of 10, when a kid is really acting up, it is because their parent is ignoring them. Every bratty kid I know has self-absorbed parents, period.

 

[chigirl]

Yeah like my brother in law...pictured below in my sig pic 2nd from the left. He was 17 when we went this past May and to anyone there during the week of 05/14-5/20 that heard me screaming at him, please forgive me. I tried so hard to be patient, and so hard to keep myself calm so that I wouldn't be one of these people we're talking about! Some of you may have read about my adventure on another thread but basically this kid has never been anywhere "public." He is from the "ghetto" and thinks that he can act like a hood rat where ever he goes. He believes that yelling out curse words, running ahead of us, and getting mad/throwing a tantrum (at 17, can you believe it??) would make the lines go faster, or the crowds at park closing move faster, etc. Everything I asked him not to do, he promptly did (over and over), and everything I ask him to do, he didn't. I finally broke down in the hotel on Thursday night of our trip screaming at him...my brother left the room, and my DBF (BIL's brother) sat there and let me go off! We were both pissed that we spent so much money to bring him to our favorite place in the world and he ruined the whole week for me. I must have gone at him for 20 minutes but at least we were in the privacy of our hotel room. Would you believe that on Friday he was as good as gold? Made me wish I had yelled at him on Monday!

Yelling at teenagers, especially Ghettofabulous ones, is always acceptable and even encouraged.

 

[Karnak]

Reading some of these posts about children screaming and such just makes me even happier to be going solo. My personal park itineraries always allow for plenty of time for people watching (while trying not to look like I'm watching), and being amazed at some of the things I've seen.

Looking forward to my next visit ...

 

[Hixski]

Yelling at teenagers, especially Ghettofabulous ones, is always acceptable and even encouraged.

Now that is funny!!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Guests fail to recognize one immutable fact.
2) Just because it is WDW, behavior doesn't change overnight.
3) Parents get upset the little terrors from home aren't angels at WDW.
4) Some examples are
. . . kids getting cranky and testy after several hours of walking
. . . kids falling asleep during fireworks after a long day at the parks
. . . kids crying on buses on the way back to the resort at night
. . . kids not listening to parents and wanting everything in sight
. . . kids not eating all their breakfast-lunch-dinner
. . . kids needing naps in the afternoon while the parents want to keep going

NOTE: I think the kids have it more right than most parents. They know they are on vacation and they should be able to behave as normal. Kids! They REALLY DO know more than some adults. (Of course, if kids do have a meltdown, parents should simply remove them from the area so the kids don't bother others, and let the kid continue the meltdown. They eventually stop. Threatening, cajoling or bribing just doesn't work well.)

 

[Simba22]

Yelling at teenagers, especially Ghettofabulous ones, is always acceptable and even encouraged.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! You just made me feel so much better! I'm not one to judge others, especially ones I don't know, but before this trip I always thought to myself "how can a parent act like that in public?" NOW I KNOW!!!

 

[Mariposa]

I thought DD8 was going to get me arrested on our November trip. She's got ADHD and we'd recently changed meds, so she hadn't quite evened out yet. She's usually very good, doesn't tantrum, but (like a LOT of ADHD kids) she gets frustrated (usually with herself) pretty easily. Enough background..

We were at DTD, her Dad had gone to take pics while we were sitting on a little rock wall waiting for him. She'd been having a little attitude issue at the Lego store and we'd been talking about it. I'd asked her to give me the bag from the store and told her that we were going to have to put it up until her behavior cleared up, she didn't comply so I simply reached for the bag.. and that's when she lost her ever-lovin' mind. Seriously, haven't seen her act like this since she was 2. She started SCREAMING at me that I was HURTING her.. "STOP HURTING ME, YOU'RE BREAKING MY ARM, OWWWW!" etc.. Now, mind you, I hadn't touched her at all. I let go of the bag and she just kept crying, yelling, screaming (and this child is 8 and weighs over 70lbs, no way was I going to be able to move her without getting both of us hurt and me thrown in jail and I knew it)- expanding the subject to include how I'm sooooooooooo mean to her and never do anything nice for her (all the while throwing in yelps about how I'm still hurting her, even though I had completely backed away from her) and that I'm the WORST MOMMY IN THE WORLD! Well, after getting over my initial shock at my child behaving like she was possessed by demons, I began talking to her- telling her to calm down, explaining that I wasn't even touching her, etc.. People were staring at us, aghast. It was horrifying and she wouldn't stop. So, I lost it. I just looked at her and yelled, "Oh, for heaven's sake, will you just shut it!" At which point the little old lady nearby who'd watched the whole thing announced, "I don't know why you have to be so mean to that poor dear." Here's the best part.. I growled at her. Really. I mean, seriously. I have no idea where it came from, I've never growled at anyone before or since. DD immediately went quiet, I informed her we were moving, called her Dad, met up with him and we left.

So, yeah, I yelled at my kid at DtD AND I growled at an "innocent" bystander.

 

[mumeof3]

Ok.........ok........ so no one flame me. I just had to get this out. We were just at WDW and in the parks were absolutely shocked at all the parents screaming and I mean screaming at their children.

funny you should mention this.Last night we were talking about our trip 4 years ago with my MIL and she brought up the 2 worst memories of our trip,1 being at 1900 park for dinner and the waitress spilling the whole try of drinks on my MIL{no sorry,no nothing but a towel!}and sitting at the park on a bench and hearing all the parents screaming at their kids!!!!!

 

[mitros]

I thought DD8 was going to get me arrested on our November trip. She's got ADHD and we'd recently changed meds, so she hadn't quite evened out yet. She's usually very good, doesn't tantrum, but (like a LOT of ADHD kids) she gets frustrated (usually with herself) pretty easily. Enough background..

We were at DTD, her Dad had gone to take pics while we were sitting on a little rock wall waiting for him. She'd been having a little attitude issue at the Lego store and we'd been talking about it. I'd asked her to give me the bag from the store and told her that we were going to have to put it up until her behavior cleared up, she didn't comply so I simply reached for the bag.. and that's when she lost her ever-lovin' mind. Seriously, haven't seen her act like this since she was 2. She started SCREAMING at me that I was HURTING her.. "STOP HURTING ME, YOU'RE BREAKING MY ARM, OWWWW!" etc.. Now, mind you, I hadn't touched her at all. I let go of the bag and she just kept crying, yelling, screaming (and this child is 8 and weighs over 70lbs, no way was I going to be able to move her without getting both of us hurt and me thrown in jail and I knew it)- expanding the subject to include how I'm sooooooooooo mean to her and never do anything nice for her (all the while throwing in yelps about how I'm still hurting her, even though I had completely backed away from her) and that I'm the WORST MOMMY IN THE WORLD! Well, after getting over my initial shock at my child behaving like she was possessed by demons, I began talking to her- telling her to calm down, explaining that I wasn't even touching her, etc.. People were staring at us, aghast. It was horrifying and she wouldn't stop. So, I lost it. I just looked at her and yelled, "Oh, for heaven's sake, will you just shut it!" At which point the little old lady nearby who'd watched the whole thing announced, "I don't know why you have to be so mean to that poor dear." Here's the best part.. I growled at her. Really. I mean, seriously. I have no idea where it came from, I've never growled at anyone before or since. DD immediately went quiet, I informed her we were moving, called her Dad, met up with him and we left.

So, yeah, I yelled at my kid at DtD AND I growled at an "innocent" bystander.

Hey! good for you! Some of those "innocent bystanders" are not so "innocent". It's like when someone parks in a handicap spot {with a handicap tag}, and someone, who looks healthy, gets out of the car and a nearby "innocent bystander" yells at the person for parking in a handicap spot. There are people that do not "look" like they have a medical problem, but do, just like you were justified yelling at your child for her actions. Folks need to think before they yell at another person if they do not know the whole story. If you were beating your child with a pointed stick, now, that would be a reason for some "innocent bystander" to be concerned.......

 

[disneymama73]

Hey! good for you! Some of those "innocent bystanders" are not so "innocent". It's like when someone parks in a handicap spot {with a handicap tag}, and someone, who looks healthy, gets out of the car and a nearby "innocent bystander" yells at the person for parking in a handicap spot. There are people that do not "look" like they have a medical problem, but do, just like you were justified yelling at your child for her actions. Folks need to think before they yell at another person if they do not know the whole story. If you were beating your child with a pointed stick, now, that would be a reason for some "innocent bystander" to be concerned.......

Absolutely! Also, sometimes, I think, when you're a parent, it's a double-edged sword. If you yell or try to take control of a situation the best you know how, you're being mean. If you don't, you're a bad parent who doesn't know how to discipline your kids. Either way, you're going to get dirty looks.

 

[jimmytammy]

I think people go to WDW expecting a lot for their hard earned $$. And they should, dont get me wrong. But it tends to throw adults and kids worlds upside down. They are tired. They become irrational. They say things and do things they probably wouldnt do under normal circumstances. Its sensory overload at the max. Not that it makes it right, but it seems to happen more in the public eye at WDW than any other place I have experienced. Sometimes the happiest place on earth can be a bit more to handle than we expect.