Where to put almost 5 year old....

[momof2tx]

Our son is turning 5 on the last day of the cruise, do I put him with the older 5-8 year olds or the 3-4 year olds?

The DCL reps said I could choose since he was so close, but I don't know.

 

[KyCruisinSusan]

It really depends on your child.

You can start him out in the 3-4 yr olds and if he isn't enjoying being with them then you can bump him up to the 5-8 yr olds.

We have the same decision to make in Nov. with DD4. She will turn 5 two weeks after our cruise.

 

[lrodptl]

I would always prefer my child to be one of the oldest,not youngest.

 

[CM_Mom]

Unless your child is really immature or small for his/her age, I think I'd opt for putting them with the older group. I believe you're allowed to make one group change if that doesn't work out. Talk to the CMs. They can talk to your children and make a pretty good suggestion about where they think they'll fit best. There are usually enough kids in the club that there will be lots of other kids near his age.

 

[floridaminnie]

On our last cruise, I bumped DD up to the 5 year old group. It was our 5th cruise (she had been in the 3-4 yr old group for the other four cruises) and she was turning 5 the day after we came back. DD is a very outgoing girl, but she was one of the youngest in the 5-7 year old group. If it was her first cruise, I would have let her stay in the 3-4 year old group. She tried making friends with the "older" kids, but she ended up hanging out with the counselors instead a lot. She had a blast, but that was due to the counselors.

 

[kellimomo3]

I am having this same debate. I have three boys, 7, 6 & 4. The two older ones will be inn the club 5-7 group. My youngest will be 4 3/4 when we sail. SHould I keep him in 3-4s or bump him to his brother's group. He is into big kid things with his brothers but also when they are all together, I'm afraid they may get wild!!

My questions is, do they make the kids in 3-4 do what the navigator says, like after lunch it says rest time quiet movie. Jason would have no interest in this at all!! Can he play in the club while kids are resting or do they make all the kids in 3-4 rest?
That factoe will help me decide.

Thanks!!
Kelli

 

[kcashner]

The firm rule is that you can only move a child once during a cruise. With that in mind, I would start him in the "age appropriate" group (the 4 year olds). If that isn't working for you/him, you can then choose to move him up.

If you start by moving him to the 5-7, you have used up your "move" and (again officially) won't be able to move down. WHat they don't want is kids yo-yoing between programs.

DCL has a lot of experience with kids. I'd almost always start in the age appropriate group. Yes, we made my DD a "teen" on the cruise we took to celebrate her 13th birthday...but she is a very mature kid (takes courses at the local university), and it was an "off season" cruise with a very small teen group.