WHY do parents allow children to run in the cabin hallways??

[summerblue]

Basically what I get every time I hear this is that "I'm on vacation from parenting and they're your problem and I don't want to be a parent cause.......I'm on vacation.....etc. etc. etc.

Well, I'm on vacation, too, and I love Disney cruising with or without our kids, but I certainly don't expect children to be "allowed" bad behavior and ill-manners just because they are on "vacation". We have had the running up and down and slamming doors for a straight hour on our last cruise and I finally opened our door and told them to knock it off or I was calling security -- and they did. Never did see or hear a parent get involved. We've also come across very young (too young to be roaming decks on their own) children going up to the soda station at night, alone, unsupervised and riding the elevator. The two times this happened, NONE of them were older than eight! Midnight, and your kids are roaming the ship alone! Very troubling!

On our Panama Canal trip in 2005, we came across dozens of teenagers laying all over the steps and walkways on many decks at all hours and talking about how bored they were. At some areas, we couldn't even pass. Someone called security and they were cleared away and told not to do it again! Again, I guess the parents don't have to parent while THEY are on vacation, so the rest of us have to parent other people's kids not only for their safety, but for our sanity

I guess DH and I are opposite than some. We use vacations as an opprotunity to do serious parenting on how we expect our DD to act in public and to show, good manners and good behaviors are rewarded, where as poor behavior is not tolerated. We make 2-3 WDW trips a year, if she behaves badly, we leave the park or whatever activity we are doing immediately and go back to the hotel where she has to take a nap. We have cancelled bibbity bibbity boutique appointments and such to reinforce bad behavior is not rewarded, even if we are on vacation. We have made it very clear to her that on the cruise we are taking in July ( her first) she is expected to behave, we have let her take an active part in planning and have set parameters if she misbehaves. She is by far not perfect, and is easily excited and sometimes forgets her manners, but i make sure to correct her immediately, and if it has disturbed or affected anyone she is made to appologize ( as in she bolted into an elevator in front of someone, she was made to stop, exit the elevator, appologize to the people already waiting and wait for them to get on before entering the elevator). We do some of our best parenting and reinforcement of manners when on vacation.

 

[NFLDERS]

I guess DH and I are opposite than some. We use vacations as an opprotunity to do serious parenting on how we expect our DD to act in public and to show, good manners and good behaviors are rewarded, where as poor behavior is not tolerated. We make 2-3 WDW trips a year, if she behaves badly, we leave the park or whatever activity we are doing immediately and go back to the hotel where she has to take a nap. We have cancelled bibbity bibbity boutique appointments and such to reinforce bad behavior is not rewarded, even if we are on vacation. We have made it very clear to her that on the cruise we are taking in July ( her first) she is expected to behave, we have let her take an active part in planning and have set parameters if she misbehaves. She is by far not perfect, and is easily excited and sometimes forgets her manners, but i make sure to correct her immediately, and if it has disturbed or affected anyone she is made to appologize ( as in she bolted into an elevator in front of someone, she was made to stop, exit the elevator, appologize to the people already waiting and wait for them to get on before entering the elevator). We do some of our best parenting and reinforcement of manners when on vacation.

Our Parenting style, and now Grandparenting style.

 

[Jillpie]

I guess DH and I are opposite than some. We use vacations as an opprotunity to do serious parenting on how we expect our DD to act in public and to show, good manners and good behaviors are rewarded, where as poor behavior is not tolerated. We make 2-3 WDW trips a year, if she behaves badly, we leave the park or whatever activity we are doing immediately and go back to the hotel where she has to take a nap. We have cancelled bibbity bibbity boutique appointments and such to reinforce bad behavior is not rewarded, even if we are on vacation. We have made it very clear to her that on the cruise we are taking in July ( her first) she is expected to behave, we have let her take an active part in planning and have set parameters if she misbehaves. She is by far not perfect, and is easily excited and sometimes forgets her manners, but i make sure to correct her immediately, and if it has disturbed or affected anyone she is made to appologize ( as in she bolted into an elevator in front of someone, she was made to stop, exit the elevator, appologize to the people already waiting and wait for them to get on before entering the elevator). We do some of our best parenting and reinforcement of manners when on vacation.

I wish there was a clapping emoticon, I'd use it ten times. We have been parents for twenty five years now, and this was our exact parenting style. We never hit, or spanked, just always reinforced good behavior, and in bad, take away their prize toy, video game etc. and it worked. Awesome post, thank you.

 

[Jillpie]

At the risk of coming across as being rude I am going to ask the question anyway.

From some of the comments in this thread, it seems like people expect the hallways to be practically silent 24 hours a day.

I understand expecting people to adhere to it during the requested quiet hours of 10pm to 8am but it sounds like people here are requesting that you are quiet and practically make no noise all day long.

I'll admit it, during the day I let my kids run down the hall. They weren't noisy, they weren't screaming, they weren't talking loudly, they weren't banging on the walls or doors, but yes they would run down the hall. There aren't a lot of places to really run around the ship. Yes there is deck 4, but it was frequently closed due to high winds and I'd rather them not run in front of runners. They are just burning off a little extra energy in an area where there are less likely to be a lot of people. They weren't allowed to run around corners just on the straight aways and were only allowed to get a few doors ahead of us at a time.

Would I let them do it early in the morning or in the evening? No. This was a 10am to 6pm thing. And you know what, I would probably do it again.

I am speechless.

So let me get this straight. You allow your children to run up and down the halls, between the hours of 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. Do you realize babies are taking naps? And maybe Mom and Dad are too, because baby had them up at 6:00 am that morning and they need some extra shut eye in the afternoon? Or folks that just came back from a long excursion, are exhausted, and are trying to sleep for an hour, so they can go have fun the rest of the night?? I cannot get over how inconsiderate and down right selfish your entire post is. Remember, these are sleeping quarters we are talking about, not playgrounds.

 

[Bonniec]

There is a kid club and a pool area for burning off energy. The hallways aren't the place for that, and it's flat out dangerous. Not only could they get hurt, they could hurt someone else. You can count us in with the group that doesn't believe the word vacation means taking a break from parenting.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Kitster]

I guess DH and I are opposite than some. We use vacations as an opprotunity to do serious parenting on how we expect our DD to act in public and to show, good manners and good behaviors are rewarded, where as poor behavior is not tolerated. We make 2-3 WDW trips a year, if she behaves badly, we leave the park or whatever activity we are doing immediately and go back to the hotel where she has to take a nap. We have cancelled bibbity bibbity boutique appointments and such to reinforce bad behavior is not rewarded, even if we are on vacation. We have made it very clear to her that on the cruise we are taking in July ( her first) she is expected to behave, we have let her take an active part in planning and have set parameters if she misbehaves. She is by far not perfect, and is easily excited and sometimes forgets her manners, but i make sure to correct her immediately, and if it has disturbed or affected anyone she is made to appologize ( as in she bolted into an elevator in front of someone, she was made to stop, exit the elevator, appologize to the people already waiting and wait for them to get on before entering the elevator). We do some of our best parenting and reinforcement of manners when on vacation.

 

[peachygreen]

OK - they are not running up and down the halls crazy. My DD is 2. There are few places where she can run. And she is running 5 doorways at a time on a hallway where there are doors on only one side of the hall. Its barely running but I do let her get a little ahead of me.

I actually have very high standards of behavior for my children but for those few instances yes I would let her run a couple doors ahead. She'd then stop wait for me to get there and run a few more doors ahead. The rest of the time on the ship she had to walk next to me holding my hand so she wouldn't get lost or trampled on..

And no I do not want her running on deck 4 where there are serious runners coming by or people playing shuffle board. Nor do I want her running on the pool deck. And since she is 2, she is too young to go to the club and let of steam.

So yes I let her run quietly one the way to our room. She makes much less noise than the carts moving up and down the halls or groups talking in the halls.

And yes I know kids take naps but the way people are talking around her you would expect that people not even talk in the halls.

You can be speechless all you want. I don't consider it rude to let her run a few doors at a time to be rude or inconsiderate or unsafe. She knew to stay to the side so she wasn't by where the doors would open and someone would come out without seeing her.

Her running is like fast walking for most people.

There are just not a lot of places where a 2 year old can run. Letting her run a few steps ahead of me kept her from talking loudly.

You asked why parents would let their children run down the hallway, well this is why my daughter was allowed to run down the hall.

If she was older it wouldn't have been as much of an issue and I wouldn't have let her do it. This was her one area of freedom on the whole ship.

 

[mkmommy]

I am speechless.

So let me get this straight. You allow your children to run up and down the halls, between the hours of 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. Do you realize babies are taking naps? And maybe Mom and Dad are too, because baby had them up at 6:00 am that morning and they need some extra shut eye in the afternoon? Or folks that just came back from a long excursion, are exhausted, and are trying to sleep for an hour, so they can go have fun the rest of the night?? I cannot get over how inconsiderate and down right selfish your entire post is. Remember, these are sleeping quarters we are talking about, not playgrounds.

I am speechless on this.

I can understand both sides , but I cannot understand how you could expect to not hear noise from the halls during the day.

It is a public ship with 2000+ people not your private home

 

[Jillpie]

I am speechless on this.

I can understand both sides , but I cannot understand how you could expect to not hear noise from the halls during the day.

It is a public ship with 2000+ people not your private home

I don't expect silence. I expect respect of other people sleeping. Of course we are going to hear children. What I don't expect are posters saying I ALLOW my children to run through the hallways, and I will continue to do so.

 

[Dug720]

Haha, I have no idea. We are usually very careful with our door and do not allow it to slam. No manner of cajoling would have it close properly. We tried several ways while waiting for the maintenance guys to arrive. It seemed to be "falling" on its hinges a bit so the doorjamb was not quite square.

It did get better (in that it closed at all) after three visits to try to fix it, but they explained to us that it needed that extra hard contact to get it to "seat" properly.

Hopefully one of those things they will fix when the Wonder goes into dry dock.

And that, friends, is part of why the no over the door organizer things. Over time the weight causes the alignment to get out of whack.

 

[Dug720]

OK - they are not running up and down the halls crazy. My DD is 2. There are few places where she can run. And she is running 5 doorways at a time on a hallway where there are doors on only one side of the hall. Its barely running but I do let her get a little ahead of me.

I actually have very high standards of behavior for my children but for those few instances yes I would let her run a couple doors ahead. She'd then stop wait for me to get there and run a few more doors ahead. The rest of the time on the ship she had to walk next to me holding my hand so she wouldn't get lost or trampled on..

And no I do not want her running on deck 4 where there are serious runners coming by or people playing shuffle board. Nor do I want her running on the pool deck. And since she is 2, she is too young to go to the club and let of steam.

So yes I let her run quietly one the way to our room. She makes much less noise than the carts moving up and down the halls or groups talking in the halls.

And yes I know kids take naps but the way people are talking around her you would expect that people not even talk in the halls.

You can be speechless all you want. I don't consider it rude to let her run a few doors at a time to be rude or inconsiderate or unsafe. She knew to stay to the side so she wasn't by where the doors would open and someone would come out without seeing her.

Her running is like fast walking for most people.

There are just not a lot of places where a 2 year old can run. Letting her run a few steps ahead of me kept her from talking loudly.

You asked why parents would let their children run down the hallway, well this is why my daughter was allowed to run down the hall.

If she was older it wouldn't have been as much of an issue and I wouldn't have let her do it. This was her one area of freedom on the whole ship.

Especially since she's that little I would be EXTREMELY cautious of this simply for the safety factor. Not only could anyone possibly come out of a door at any time, the odds of a small child being in their line of vision is honestly pretty slim, thus increasing the danger to her and anyone who might not see her.

I'm only concerned for the physical safety of all involved.

 

[Pfsedita]

Our very first DCL trip will be this summer and I must confess, this thread is TERRIFYING me. I am 100% certain I will tell my 10 year old boy to - stop running, slow down, be quiet, etc- more than once, more than twice and likely more than three times in four days. I am also 100% certain I will not confine him to the cabin for repeated infractions.

Here is where I get confused...we are taking our first cruise. I am going to take my kid onto what is basically a floating version of the Bellagio with Mickey and Friends, with flashing lights, horns, whistles and bright colors. Then I am going to expect him to be the calm and quiet kid he is at school and church? It's not gonna happen. He is going to be a kid, he is going to make mistakes, I am going to correct those mistakes and then he is going to make them again.

Doesn't help that all our summer vacations in the past have been hiking in bear country where we practice stomping our feet and talking loudly to avoid an encounter of the scary kind!

(Now I am cringing awaiting the replies...)

 

[chris31997]

Our very first DCL trip will be this summer and I must confess, this thread is TERRIFYING me. I am 100% certain I will tell my 10 year old boy to - stop running, slow down, be quiet, etc- more than once, more than twice and likely more than three times in four days. I am also 100% certain I will not confine him to the cabin for repeated infractions.

Here is where I get confused...we are taking our first cruise. I am going to take my kid onto what is basically a floating version of the Bellagio with Mickey and Friends, with flashing lights, horns, whistles and bright colors. Then I am going to expect him to be the calm and quiet kid he is at school and church? It's not gonna happen. He is going to be a kid, he is going to make mistakes, I am going to correct those mistakes and then he is going to make them again.

Doesn't help that all our summer vacations in the past have been hiking in bear country where we practice stomping our feet and talking loudly to avoid an encounter of the scary kind!

(Now I am cringing awaiting the replies...)

I think we both might get flamed

Here is my take on it. DS was 2ish when he went on his first DCL cruise. there was no stopping him from running. But of course like a PP said the housekeeping carts made more noise than a 2yr old. I would tell him to whisper and then he would talk in a normal voice DS was about 5 when he did NCL around Hawaii. Still no stopping him from running. But we made it a game for him to walk on certain things in the hallway and follow the carpet. STILL had to tell him to "whisper" in the hallway. Let him run wild on the deck. Let him run up the flight of stairs, 1 flight at a time, next to the wall. I know there were times when people were like Here they come again.

The good news. Your DS is 10. He can go into the clubs and make as much noise in there as he wants. He can be as crazy as he wants in there. As long as he is following the rules There are placestimes where he can make noise and be a kid. Just strongly encourage him to be quiet in the hallway. See if you can find hidden Mickey's or make a quiet game. Have him run up a flight of stairs, one flight at a time next to the wall Tell him no knocking on doors. No going into rooms, except yours

Sometimes, it is hard to please everyone.(have not read the whole thread not directed at anyone ) No matter what you do, someone is going to be mad at you. Have him practise common sense, remind him what that is.....not sure boys have it yet. Mine doesn't

 

[Slappy32]

Concierge hallways are as quiet as a tomb.

 

[BBG-BLT]

I am going to take my kid onto what is basically a floating version of the Bellagio with Mickey and Friends, with flashing lights, horns, whistles and bright colors. Then I am going to expect him to be the calm and quiet kid he is at school and church? It's not gonna happen. He is going to be a kid, he is going to make mistakes, I am going to correct those mistakes and then he is going to make them again.

Love this - floating version of Bellagio. We're going in 12 days and I understand the cringing - but I think if we keep our kids within the standard deviation of normal behavior we'll be okay. I really think what people are talking about is the wild ban-chi children. But I can't leave my fourth home so I'll do the best I can with her. Just kidding -

Hope this made you smile.

 

[Bonniec]

Love this - floating version of Bellagio. We're going in 12 days and I understand the cringing - but I think if we keep our kids within the standard deviation of normal behavior we'll be okay. I really think what people are talking about is the wild ban-chi children. But I can't leave my fourth home so I'll do the best I can with her. Just kidding -

Hope this made you smile.

Agreed. I think people just like to argue on the internet. Because some of ya'll are a bit over the top. What's the point in posting "My kids will make noise....but not too much!" I didn't see anyone posting that children have to be silent. I'm fairly sure people expect there will be noise in a hallway during the day. The issue is kids/people slamming doors over and over, running and stomping down the hallways, screaming like a banshee, i.e. making excessive noise and allowing the kids to do it. There are places on the ship for making large amounts of racket and outside someone's stateroom door wouldn't be one.

Concierge hallways are as quiet as a tomb.

Glad I booked it after reading this thread! lol

 

[lbgraves]

This is the exact reason why when staying forward we always took the forward elevators to the pool deck when the kids were young. We picked our battles with the kids and when the goal is to get outside ASAP, the shortest route results in the quickest calm when the kids are excited about going to the pool. Of course when parents do that they risk getting dirty looks or being talked about on the DIS because they walked through the adult pool area with their kids.

 

[justmestace]

I am going to take my kid onto what is basically a floating version of the Bellagio with Mickey and Friends, with flashing lights, horns, whistles and bright colors. Then I am going to expect him to be the calm and quiet kid he is at school and church? It's not gonna happen.

Just an interesting little piece of trivia.....until recently when MGM Properties bought the Bellagio, the Bellagio had a NO CHILDREN policy.

As the story goes, Steve Wynn, who built the Bellagio, tripped over a stroller in a casino/hotel/lobby area at one time, and decided he wanted no part of that in his newest upscale property.
I have to agree with him.....I don't mind the kids when they get excited, but I absolutely HATE strollers. In the parks, parents use the stroller as a weapon, they're so aggressive. And onboard a ship, where it's hard enough to walk through limited spaces, strollers make it even worse.

Now it will be my turn to get flamed, but we didn't take our kids to Disney, or on a cruise, until they were old enough to walk all day. I feel sorry for little ones in strollers, when all they see all day are the backs of people's legs.

 

[mab2012]

What's funny is that I always thought that as well...Until Alia Faith - my 4th. My twins would be and still are compliant without much of a fight and when we had the third I was still pretty much in control and then I had AF. Now it's not that I have 4 kids - it's that I have her. If she were my first she would have been just as head strong as she is as my fourth. There will be no gently taking her hand and explaining that this is the way it is... so for all the parents who have one like me I just was reaching out to them. Kind of sharing a inside joke.

I understood your joke. All too well.

I'm always privately amused when other parents assume that their biddable and comparatively manageable children are a clear reflection of their superior parenting skills.

 

[twopeasonepod]

Bottom line: Be considerate of others. No one will behave perfectly (child or adult), but you can certainly make an effort to avoid disturbing others (who have just as much right to enjoy their cruise).