What would you do if this was your daughter?

[drafthorsecrazy]

We're planning our first trip to the Fort in our TT this August with our 3 boys. I was starting to think I was crazy for subjecting myself to being in a camper with them for 2 weeks...the running, fighting, shouting with no hope for a hot bath at the end of my day! I'm glad I found this thread because no matter how crazy they drive me I'm going to remind myself to enjoy them while they are still little and still like me (and still willing to go fetch me another beer). Someone please remind me of this in July, okay?

Comfort stations may not have hot baths...but trust me, I've taken many loonngg steamy showers. If you look and are lucky you might find a shower massage head in some of the stalls

 

[disney4dan]

We're planning our first trip to the Fort in our TT this August with our 3 boys. I was starting to think I was crazy for subjecting myself to being in a camper with them for 2 weeks...the running, fighting, shouting with no hope for a hot bath at the end of my day! I'm glad I found this thread because no matter how crazy they drive me I'm going to remind myself to enjoy them while they are still little and still like me (and still willing to go fetch me another beer). Someone please remind me of this in July, okay?

Boy, will you ever want to remember them while little. Our oldest is almost 16, and our youngest is almost 8. When our oldest was 14, we took the entire family out west for a trip of a lifetime, and then still managed to squeeze in a trip to WDW that October to take advantage of the free dining. The two to three months between trips was an amazing change in our oldest. He became irritable, cranky, problematic - you name it.

We thought we had entered into the dreaded "teenage years" and did our best to improve things and dreaded the upcoming teenage years with the others. Well, along comes summer '07 and we find part of the reason was likely due to the fact that the oldest had been battling a serious case of thyroid cancer and it was probably taking it's toll on his attitude. Nothing like 12 hours of surgery to put all the arguments and fights in perspective.

Enjoy them while they're little, and take the time to listen to what they want to talk about while they still want to talk! Mix with Kugaloosh as needed, stir in a few days at the Fort, and it's all good.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Wow.....what a wake up call, Dan!!!

yeah....that would make me feel awful if I found out my wholley terror's were that way from illness. I mean, theres no doubt my kids are sick...but its just a case of sick in the head...as far as we know!!!

 

[disney4dan]

It was a heck of a wake up call. Luckily, they tell us it's one of the easiest diseases to treat and nearly always curable.

I tell ya though, it really made me glad we have taken as many trips and done as much as possible with the kids. Especially the trips in '06. Had a real blast at the MNSSHP Also did a 14 mile hike in the Grand Teton's with the oldest that will never be forgotten. Still remember all the leg cramps and wondering whether he was going to be strong enough to drag my sorry but out of the wilderness .

 

[terri01p]

I dunno....an angry 16yr girl old can sure RUIN a good time!!!! How old are your kids, Poohbearwithme?

Oh my gosh this is so true, until you experience this you will never know the h... a child can cause for everyone else, I would have much rather left my dd at home than brought her if she didn't want to be there, it can place everyone in a big mood....it's horrible....horrible.....horrible......yea did I say horrible.

 

[auntie]

While I don't think you have to let a 16 year old "run the show"...the idea that she lives in your house, and you make the rules..well that sounds good on paper. I haven't found it works out well for either parent or child. Of course, you can rule the roost..and there are no doubt certain times when what the parent says is the rule. My question would be do you want a 25 day trip to FW(which she's been on several times already) to be one of them? I prefer to pick my battles. If there are options for the 16 year other than dragging her along and being miserable..why not contemplate them? It shows her that you respect her feelings. Right or wrong..they are her feelings. Yeah.., of course those feelings are all over the place. What can you do..she's a hormonal teenager. The teen is doing EXACTLY what she's supposed to do. She is breaking away from her parents...as much as that hurts(and I've cried plenty of tears over such things..but those are MY issues..I won't put them on my kids)..it's also is a sign that as a parent you are doing something right. She's testing the waters...giving her a bit of freedom while still being close enough to guide her..without alienating her is a heart wrentching thing for a parent to do. As Rog says..it's a "very fine line" to walk. Of course I have a 20 year old daughter I'd like to kill today ..(does that sound mean?) So who am I to talk? I think I'll take a hammer and nails and just seal her up in her room. END OF STORY..IT"S MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY..PERIOD....I SAID PERIOD. (What does that really mean anyway! ). Something tells me it's not going to work.

Hmm..that Kungaloosh you all talk about is sounding better all the
time.

_________________

 

[poohbearwithme]

I dunno....an angry 16yr girl old can sure RUIN a good time!!!! How old are your kids, Poohbearwithme?

14 (going on 20) and 13...Okay, maybe I'm not the biggest expert on 16 year olds but my younger sister did the same thing at 16 (not wanting to go to Disney). My dad made her go anyway...(said "Say goodbye to your boyfriend and tell him that you'll see him in 14 days"...btw they broke up not long after we return) and she had a great time once she was there. Leave her with grandma/grandpa or an aunt/uncle. Maybe I'm old school...But why should the rest of the family have their vacation shorten your because of a hormonal teenager? Is that right?

 

[Sinclare]

I've been giving this issue some thought myself (I like to plan wayyyyyyyy ahead for such stuff). My son is only 12 but I know he is going to reach this point eventually.

My planned response is ....."So, you're going to give up the chance to hang in Disney World where there are thousands of half naked teenage girls running around at any given time to stay here with grandpaw and grandmaw?"

Nothing gets teenage boy's attention more than the truth....perhaps the same would work for teenage girls

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Now THAT is manipulation!!!!!!!

 

[2goofycampers]

I've been giving this issue some thought myself (I like to plan wayyyyyyyy ahead for such stuff). My son is only 12 but I know he is going to reach this point eventually.

My planned response is ....."So, you're going to give up the chance to hang in Disney World where there are thousands of half naked teenage girls running around at any given time to stay here with grandpaw and grandmaw?"

Nothing gets teenage boy's attention more than the truth....perhaps the same would work for teenage girls

THAT REMINDS ME , TRY THIS TRUE STORY ON HER. We took our 17 year old son kick'n an screaming to the AKL,(because we left him home at 16 an he didn't follow any of the rules) First evening there he went to the swimming pool by himself bout 8:30PM , came back all excited, he had met 2 Swedish nannies from N.J. who got to go out when the kids went to bed at 8:00. Needless to say that was his best trip ever . We had to back to the AKL by 8:00 every night...

 

[BigDaddyRog]

THAT REMINDS ME , TRY THIS TRUE STORY ON HER. We took our 17 year old son kick'n an screaming to the AKL,(because we left him home at 16 an he didn't follow any of the rules) First evening there he went to the swimming pool by himself bout 8:30PM , came back all excited, he had met 2 Swedish nannies from N.J. who got to go out when the kids went to bed at 8:00. Needless to say that was his best trip ever . We had to back to the AKL by 8:00 every night...

High Fives to the kid....ya see...it REALLY IS fun for the whole family!! Aint nothing like some international lovin, makes a kid that age feel like he's got game all over the world!!

 

[boldlyreal]

Wow, How do you find that kind of time? Our teens and middle schooler play sports and we are lucky to squeeze a free week during the year other than spring break.

 

[JCJRSmith]

Its me whos trying to compete with YOU MrsGus!!! Yes, I have 4 girls, but only 1 boy in the house(grandson)...so ya got me beat by a boy!!!!

I have always said it is easier to raise a boy than a girl, because with a boy you only have to worry about ONE set of male genitalia.

 

[AuburnJen92]

I have always said it is easier to raise a boy than a girl, because with a boy you only have to worry about ONE set of male genitalia.

Yes, that might be true in teenage years. The hard part with boys is getting to the teenage years. My DS4 is about to drive me to drink (more)!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I have always said it is easier to raise a boy than a girl, because with a boy you only have to worry about ONE set of male genitalia.

Now THAT is a great line!!!

 

[ntsammy5]

One thing I can say is that I remember the teen years, through a glass darkly. I know bad things happened, but I just don't remember them that clearly! Must be some kind of survival mechanism.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

YA know, much of my memory is clouded as well.....Ive really changed in the last 5 years or so.....and especially so in the last 6 months....I wonder if hanging on here with you guys has been a 'good' influence...like reverse psychology.....or a good laxative.

 

[JCJRSmith]

Yes, that might be true in teenage years. The hard part with boys is getting to the teenage years. My DS4 is about to drive me to drink (more)!

My wife and I are blessed. My son will be 16 in June, the week before we leave for WDW. He is a pretty level headed kid, and enjoys doing things with his parents. I have been his soccer coach going on 7 years now, and we are pretty close. I remember when he was younger, and he would do something bizarre or stupid, my wife would ask "Why did he do such a thing?" The simple answer is "Because he's a boy."

I worry about his little sister though - she just turned 10 last week, and with her, the tears of disappointment are alway VERY close to the surface. We are working on getting her to save her tears for the big stuff and don't sweat the small stuff, and that it is ALL small stuff. I dread to think what it will be like a couple of years when her hormones kick in.

 

[chief19spixi]

My oldest DD is 9 and she is already driving me crazy! She is a drama queen and can put on a great act at times to the point where I just wanna grab her and give her a good shake! DH always says "oil and water" when the two of us girls get into it... usually over something stupid! The other issue is that she is a cutie and the problem is that she KNOWS IT!! So of course she bats her eyes at school to gain attention and so far daddy has had to tell 2 boys to stop calling the house!! I think he is a bit crazy at this point cause what in the world is a 9 year old gonna do by just calling... but I have no clue as to what goes through a fathers mind when a boy calls! LOL

 

[seabee]

My oldest DD is 9 as well, and I don't know if I will make it to the teen years! I am lucky that she still wants to do family stuff, and I think she pretty much always will-that is just her. BUT, she wants NOTHING to do with family "stuff" at home. All the crying, yelling, and door slamming, I think I will just move into the camper. I hate to say it, but the hormonal mess starts earlier now! Half the time no one(including her) knows what she is upset about. Just today, I came into the kitchen and begged my DH to get a trip to the fort set before Oct. I NEED IT!!!!!! I just got the recipe for kungaloosh, maybe I will go get everything I need and escape later tonight!!!