what not to do as a parent.

[princessmom29]

Some people don't care what others do, and that's perfectly fine....however other people do care and that's perfectly fine too. For me, one of my childrens basic need is also to keep them safe and I believe it's not safe sending a 7 year old to the bathroom alone at disney and it's certainly not safe feeding an infant popcorn. If you do, then that's on you but don't wonder why other parents think your choices aren't the best. I'm not fully directing this post towards you because there's others here who feel the same way as you so please don't think I'm ganging up on you.

And by the same turn, I feel it is also a basic need to teach a child to survive without mommy. I don't believe it is unsafe to send a child of 7 to the bathroom alone, but feel it is part of teaching them to be responsible for themselves and cope without me. If you don't then that's on you, but you shouldn't wonder why other parents think your choices are not the best. It truly goes both ways.

 

[SweetMissy]

Ok...you're saying don't judge others but you're saying it's irrational to not allow a 7 year old to go to the bathroom by themselves and we're babying our kids for not allowing them to go. That's also judging. IMO allowing a 7 year old to go to the bathroom by themselves is like letting a 10 year old drive a car. Level of responsibility?? It's not about the 7 year old being responsible....they're not going to be less of an adult if their mom/dad didn't let them go off on their own, what it is about is the crazy people out there. I think people are in denial if they think bad things can't happen at a family oriented park. Bad things can and do happen EVERYWHERE! It's also horrible to assume that kids who have been abducted and killed didn't know how to run and scream....just because a child can do this, doesn't mean bad things can't happen to them. This is so weird how this is becoming a hot issue.....the care for the safety of a child should be the same for every child. I guess I'll continue to baby my child.

 

[SweetMissy]

And by the same turn, I feel it is also a basic need to teach a child to survive without mommy. I don't believe it is unsafe to send a child of 7 to the bathroom alone, but feel it is part of teaching them to be responsible for themselves and cope without me. If you don't then that's on you, but you shouldn't wonder why other parents think your choices are not the best. It truly goes both ways.

Survive without mommy?? LOL....OMG, the kid is 7!! What is so hard about walking to the bathroom with such a young child?? And coping with possibly being abducted or molested?? Nice...

My choices might not be the best....but when it comes to this, my choice prevents something happening to my kid, which IMO IS the best choice.

 

[mjkacmom]

I guess I'll continue to baby my child.

And I guess you will be in the minority here. However, if and when you decide to cut the apron strings, and give your child more independence, he will definitely be a more likely victim than mine, who has been taught to trust his instincts, and has the confidence and maturity to assess harmful situations. If you are so afraid of predators, keep in mind that a child who has be overprotected makes the perfect victim.

 

[SweetMissy]

And I guess you will be in the minority here. However, if and when you decide to cut the apron strings, and give your child more independence, he will definitely be a more likely victim than mine, who has been taught to trust his instincts, and has the confidence and maturity to assess harmful situations. If you are so afraid of predators, keep in mind that a child who has be overprotected makes the perfect victim.

LOL....denial! My kid will never be a victim with me taking the time to walk with him/her to the bathroom. I can't believe this....this is sad and funny at the same time.

 

[mjkacmom]

LOL....denial! My kid will never be a victim with me taking the time to walk with him/her to the bathroom. I can't believe this....this is sad and funny at the same time.

So, are you planning on keeping up this walk of shame until he's a teenager? I watch the news, and it seems like the older boys are more likely to be sexually abused than younger boys, even in the schools. I think you are sad and funny, too.

 

[princessmom29]

So, are you planning on keeping up this walk of shame until he's a teenager? I watch the news, and it seems like the older boys are more likely to be sexually abused than younger boys, even in the schools. I think you are sad and funny, too.

yes, I can just picture a 17 year old being marched into the ladies room so the big bad boogey man doesn't get him. Apprently if we don't do that we are failing our child and they will end up molested There is no accounting for some lines of reasoning.

 

[princessmom29]

LOL....denial! My kid will never be a victim with me taking the time to walk with him/her to the bathroom. I can't believe this....this is sad and funny at the same time.

I don't think SHE is the one in denial. Now you are trying to play it off as lazy parenting to send your kid to the bathroom alone. It isn't about that at all. It is about fighting that instict that says hold on and never let go becuase we know it isthe best thing for our kids to do so. You cannot wlak junior to the restroom when he is 30. At some point it has to stop. IMO, and apparently that of MANY here, 7 is well past time for that to happen.

 

[MariDisney]

I definitely agree with PP who said you really can't tell the age of children for sure. My DD is 12 and was asked if she wanted an adult drink in a restaurant over the weekend. Last time were at Kohl's 2 people asked if she worked in the department we were shopping in. Meanwhile, my niece, 13 months younger than DD (about to turn 11 next month) is often mistaken for a 6 year old and in fact wears 6x-7 clothing. So, sometimes you just don't know.

Editing to add a recent photo of the two (remember...13 months age difference!)

 

[princessmom29]

Survive without mommy?? LOL....OMG, the kid is 7!! What is so hard about walking to the bathroom with such a young child?? And coping with possibly being abducted or molested?? Nice...

My choices might not be the best....but when it comes to this, my choice prevents something happening to my kid, which IMO IS the best choice.

There is nothing hard about it, but it does my child no favors to continue to do it, in fact it is counterproductive. 7 is not "such a young child". They are in grade school, they need to learn to handle some things on thier own. Yes a kid DOES need to know how to cope with being approached by a possible predator becuase we cannot be everywhere with them all the time, and that is the ONLY thing that will keep them from being a victim. WE cannot be there all the time. They NEED to be taught how to recognize a ligitmate threat and how to respond to it. Otherwise you have achild who is COMPLETLY unprepared to handle it the one time mommy isn't there, i.e. the PERFECT victim, clueless. At some point he WILL have to go to the bathroom without mommy.

 

[NotUrsula]

I've posted this one before, but it bears repeating. This is a direct quote from the fine print on your ticket purchase agreement:

"Persons under the age of 7 must be accompanied by an adult when attending the Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney-MGM Studios or Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. If your ticket includes admission to Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park or Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, please note that persons under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult."

My personal threshold for letting kids who know the parks visit alone is about 12, but Disney doesn't have an issue with age 7 at the theme parks. At seven I think that the average healthy child should be able to navigate a crowded public restroom without an adult in tow, as long as he knows how to read a park map.

 

[ccgirl]

First of all, I cannot believe the picture of the two 12 year olds. What a difference.

Secondly, I did not stoop to name calling. I simply stated that I felt my 7 year old could handle going the bathroom by themselves. They do it in school. Saying your child will not be a victim because you walk them to the bathroom isn't totally accurate as they are more likely to be victimized by someone they know. So, it is best to educate them and give them the skills and knowledge to prevent it as much as possible. Sadly, even then it can still happen.

Comparing a 7 year old going to the bathroom with a 10 year old driving a car is not comparing the same things. It is illlegal for the 10 year old to drive the car but completely legal for the 7 year old to go to the bathroom themselves.

In the bottom line, we all do what we think is best for our children. Just because some of us feel it is completely safe for our 7 year olds to go to the bathroom does not make us wrong. When is the last time you heard of a child getting molested in the bathroom at WDW? When was the last time you heard of a 7 year old getting molested at home or at school? Do you really think a parent is going to stand by and watch a child get molested in a crowded bathroom at WDW?

 

[sweetdana]

If I could see the bathroom, and it were not say busy like Christmas week. I would let her go. At DW, she has been so many times, she knows where all the rides, and bathrooms are. Infact, she knows that when she sees the Epcot store.. The turkey legs are the next stop. Having her confortable with where she is, and certainly not her 1st time in any of the bathrooms would be a huge factor 2. I let her go in resturaunts by herself, as long as it is not so swamped I cannot see, and I can see the bathroom where I am at.

I think everyone knows there own kid. Some kids cannot, some kids can. It is not our place to judge others.


As far as the popcorn, it depends on the kid. My newphew at 9 months could not get the art of chewing and swallowing down, and still nearly chocked every meal even if applesauce. My DD6 at 4 months old Doc gave okay to start cereal and ate everything my 9 months. Never had a lick of an issue. I wouldn't hesitate to give her popcorn, if I thought she was ready and I was watching her.

 

[WantToGoNow]

If the bathroom is within sight, I would have no problem with either of my children going alone while I was nearby. If they have to hunt one out and there's the possibility of them getting lost on the way back, then no I probably would not.

As for the "infant" eating popcorn, I guess I need to know how old the child actually is. An infant is a child under a year of age and no they shouldn't have popcorn - many don't even have teeth to chew it. I've seen people refer to their 3-4 year olds as toddlers on here so I'm not convinced that the child in question was actually an infant but maybe a toddler or even a preschooler. If the child was not an actual infant and she was supervising the child with the popcorn, then she would be there to intervene if the child choked.

 

[Leajess99]

There is no way of knowing how old the child was. All 7 yr olds are not the same size. This is coming from the mother of an almost 12 yr old girl who isn't much taller than the average 7 yr old and is less than a head taller than her 6 yr old brother. She also did not mention how far away from the nearest bathroom she was. Or how responsible the child was.
Personally I wouldn't feed an under 1 yr old child popcorn but again, not my kid, not my decision.

When my now 13 year old was 7 she was actually asked by a teacher if she was ready to start 6th grade. She was only going into the 2nd grade but was the same size as several of the 6th graders. Even my current 8 year old is the same size as some of the 6th graders. One of the girls my 13 year old was in Kindergarten with was huge and it was always assumed she was much older.

Like your example, even on my 13 year old's under 14 team the kids vary in size. One of the youngest on the team is also the biggest on the team and appears older.

OP, just because you don't like the way the mother parents does not make it wrong.

 

[Leajess99]

Survive without mommy?? LOL....OMG, the kid is 7!! What is so hard about walking to the bathroom with such a young child?? And coping with possibly being abducted or molested?? Nice...

My choices might not be the best....but when it comes to this, my choice prevents something happening to my kid, which IMO IS the best choice.

Okay out of curiousity, do you enter the bathroom stall with your child?? There is no way to prevent something ffrom happening to your child. Accidents happen and you can't be with them 24/7. Does your child attend school??

If so than something can happen there. Did you miss the recent story about the boys molesting a younger classmate in the bathroom at school?? It is wiser to teach kids to protect themselves than to coddle them and do everything for them.

 

[tinkerpea]

I'm 26 & have 3 boys aged 9,6,6 I still look like a 17 yr old!! I get ID for lotto tickets and the otherday calpol!! which u have to be 16 for,so as a child I was very independent walked to school aged 7 and defiantly took myself to the bathroom....I was always mistaken for a much younger child and at 5.0 I can see why! So what makes the OP knownfor. Fact what age child she had seen? Did she also follow the child to see where that child was going? They could have just gone for a quick drink or to meet another family member in a que? She then decides it's wrong for the mother to have fed the infant popcorn! So did she have it in for this mother? Was she actively watching any other parents on her holiday! I would not lose my place in a parade so my over 7 yr old could go to the bathroom! Also you have no clue as a passer by how many times this family has been to DW they could have been coming since a baby and be able to know every toilet. Too many threads about others parenting! Worry about your own unless you see a child in immediate danger or that has asked for help

 

[QVCshopper]

Count me in with those tired of these judgmental parenting threads. My (just turned) 7 year old is so tall; kids in her school think she's in 5th grade and she's in 1st. She is over 4'6", 70+ lbs, and wears a size 10-12. Can you imagine the looks I used to get when she'd throw a tantrum at 3, but looked about 6? Even my 5 year old son is now taller than all of my daughter's friends--he's taller than the 2nd grader boy at the bus stop, and is growing a full year behind my daughter.

So, please, unless a child is in danger, mind your own business. And the popcorn? I don't really see a problem if the mom bit off the kernel part. Of course the dad will leave the mom alone with the kids again. Goodness!

 

[caitlinsmom]

Count me in with those tired of these judgmental parenting threads. My (just turned) 7 year old is so tall; kids in her school think she's in 5th grade and she's in 1st. She is over 4'6", 70+ lbs, and wears a size 10-12. Can you imagine the looks I used to get when she'd throw a tantrum at 3, but looked about 6? Even my 5 year old son is now taller than all of my daughter's friends--he's taller than the 2nd grader boy at the bus stop, and is growing a full year behind my daughter.

So, please, unless a child is in danger, mind your own business. And the popcorn? I don't really see a problem if the mom bit off the kernel part. Of course the dad will leave the mom alone with the kids again. Goodness!

Your 7 year old is only 2" shorter than my almost 12 yr old and weighs more than mine does.

 

[harding0010]

The boy told us he was 7. The bathroom was no where close by. The baby was under 1.