Why does everyone want their kids to move up?

[KT2038]

I forgot to add, it is not a sense of "desperation" that we feel to have our 13 year old move up. That is an interesting choice of phrase.

Some people are desperate. As Counselor's we have been bribed, had parents begging us, and instructing their children to cry and carry on so that we won't want them in the space. It's quite sad really

 

[Sytrace]

More scary than sad really.

 

[Ravenne]

I think most kids that want to age up are bored with the lab. I don't think it's a "parent problem" because they want their kids to age up. I think its a DCL problem. If 9 and 10 year olds are bored with the lab then DCL needs to do something to fix this. I would have been happy keeping my kids in the lab at age 10 if they didn't hate it so much. They put 10 year olds in with 3 year olds that the big problem, and there are very few activities offered that are age appropriate for a 10 year old. I'm sorry but most 10 year olds don't want to dance around on a colored floor or play Mickey Mouse games. I put this totally on DCL. Not the parents.

Yes! This exactly. Hit the nail dead on.

I loathe to compare, but NCL for example, breaks their kids clubs up into more age groups: 3 – 5 Years, 6 – 9 Years, 10 – 12 Years, and Teens. I've never sailed with them before so I don't know how exactly that's handled, if they each have their own areas or what, but those age groups makes more sense to me. I'm surprised that for as kid and family centric that Disney is, that they would lump kids 7 yrs apart into one big club. It's a huge age difference, interest, and ability level. Even adults with that big of an age difference would have a hard time finding things in common, let alone kids. I don't want my children to age up to the next level. I think my kids are fine with their own age group, but a preschooler is not in the same age group as someone who is about to enter middle school. I just want my children to be entertained, engaged, happy, and not begging me on the Wave phone all through dinner at Palo to be picked up because they're bored in Oceaneer with kids less than half their age. It's not a parenting, or Cast Member fault. It's the powers that be at DCL that didn't think that 7 yrs is a huge age gap for kids. While I wouldn't bribe anyone, or instruct my children to carry on, but if I come off as desperate, maybe it's because I'm desperate for my children to have an enjoyable time on vacation too while my husband and I go have a much needed date night dinner at an adult only establishment that we paid an extra charge for without having to worry that our tweens are bored out of their minds in a place that promises to be fun for them, but it's not when it's programming for kids much younger than them. I'm sure counselors' hands are tied, so again, it's a DCL fault and problem but it ends up being a frustration and problem for counselors and guests/parents.

 

[bfamily5]

Our first cruise the kids were 17 and 15. The 15 year old had the time of his life!! He had a huge possy of teens his age that hung out. The 17 year old though, felt like she was too old. She said all the girls were 12 or 13 and she ended up hanging with us. I guess it depends on the cruise but she was really looking forward to the teen program

 

[jcemom]

I'm trying to choose a date for our cruise this year and the clubs are part of my dilemma. DD will be 14 in October. I think I'd rather her be in Edge, so that means a September cruise. However, she's mature for her age, starting 9th grade next year (though she's homeschooled), yet small for her age so she LOOKS younger. I know how teenage girls can be (I used to be one, and I have one lol) and I'm worried that older girls in the Vibe will shun her, thinking she is much younger and doesn't belong there. Yet I worry that if she's one month shy of 14 and in the Edge with 11 year olds she will be bored. Sigh.

On our last cruise she was one month shy of 11 and in Oceaneer's Club. She spent nearly all her free time there, but I think that was partially because she just liked being "on her own" and away from me. She enjoyed some of the activities, like flubber and cookie making, but didn't care for many of the others, like the light up floor games, because they seemed babyish to her. She spent most of her time doing art projects. She tried the Club activities on Castaway Cay and really didn't care for that at all. I left her there for an hour or so and she said she was ready to leave right away because it was all baby stuff, like "finding" things that were in plain sight lol, a treasure hunt, I think?

I think she would enjoy the teen excursion on Castaway Cay, if I wait until after her birthday in October. I just don't know.

 

[disnygirl55]

We never asked to bend the rules, but it was a relief when our son aged into the Edge. It was so much more his style - video games, scavenger hunts, girls vs. boys contests. He was pretty bored in the Lab the last time before age 11. Maybe he was even 9 when it became too boring for him. I agree that it absolutely depends on the kid. He has never enjoyed crafts or make believe things, or a lot of the structured events. His favorite part about the Lab the last time he attended was playing the games on the magic floor and a couple of the games loaded on the computers, I think. He also loved GaGa Ball. Once he got into the Edge, we hardly saw him, and he had such a great time "chillin" with kids his age. In 3 months, we are sailing on the Fantasy and he will be 14. He's excited to see what Vibe is all about, but he may spend more time in the Edge than Vibe. We'll see.

The counselors do a great job trying to find interests and activities for all the kids to enjoy. One of the worst things you can do is include younger kids in the next age up. That's part of the charm of getting to age into the next category. Most kids would rather hang out with kids slightly older than themselves. As someone above posted, they would be horrified to have "little kids" in THEIR club. So DCL has the right idea, maybe just need to find a little alternate programming for the Lab kids who are a little more interested in Tween Activities.

 

[Ofinn]

it used to be the Club was for the younger kids and the Lab for the older kids. Until parents complained that their kids were separated. It is still programmed that way though. With the lab having the science and cooking and drawing classes and marshmallow Olympics and piston cup; and the club having the royal ball, little Einstein's, plutos pj party and Mouseketeer training. This doesn't mean we aren't going to have a 3 year old who loves science or a 12 year old who wants to dance with Cinderella. We all love looking after your kids and hate to think they are bored. Please encourage them to give their space a go and to come to us and tell us they're bored and we can start up an activity with them.

I'm sorry, but most 10 year old are not interested in cooking classes, drawing classes, marshmallow Olympics and piston cups. That's all very babyish to them. I think DCL may be a little out of touch with what 9-10 year olds can do, and what they like to do. Kids now a days are very advanced with computer skills and the games they play. I'm don't want to start a debate on whether that's good or bad that just the way it is in this day and age. Instead of complaining about the parents maybe you should try to fix the problem. I think the lab needs a complete over haul in their activity planning. Kids that age also like to chill with kids their own age in their own space. The club is so chaotic and crazy with 3- 5 year olds running all over the place. How could a ten year old enjoy that?

 

[keaster]

it used to be the Club was for the younger kids and the Lab for the older kids. Until parents complained that their kids were separated. It is still programmed that way though. With the lab having the science and cooking and drawing classes and marshmallow Olympics and piston cup; and the club having the royal ball, little Einstein's, plutos pj party and Mouseketeer training. This doesn't mean we aren't going to have a 3 year old who loves science or a 12 year old who wants to dance with Cinderella. We all love looking after your kids and hate to think they are bored. Please encourage them to give their space a go and to come to us and tell us they're bored and we can start up an activity with them.

This is spot on. When we first cruised in 2009, the Club and Lab on the ships were two separate spaces. Oceaneer's Club was for ages 3-7 and the Lab was ages 8-12, no moving in between. Programming was age appropriate between the two clubs.

Now both the Club and Lab are for ages 3-12 and since they are connected they can just move freely back and forth between the two. To me, it just makes it too chaotic and as other posters mentioned, too difficult to do age appropriate activities. I do believe it was altered to be this way because parents didn't want their children separated.

 

[Cruise-n-2015]

It is really messing up the clubs. My daughter didn't care for the Edge at all, they had let many 10 year olds up on our cruise. I didn't want her to move up(she is 13) as I didn't want her with 17 year old boys.

That's exactly why we wouldn't let my daughter even attempt to get into edge even though she was 14 in 2 months.
17 year old boys and 13 year old girls are worlds apart. I have a 17 year old boy, he is off to University next year and my daughter is starting high school. There is not a lot in common for them ( if they were not related) to be chilin..

 

[Hundredacre]

I'm sorry, but most 10 year old are not interested in cooking classes, drawing classes, marshmallow Olympics and piston cups. That's all very babyish to them. I think DCL may be a little out of touch with what 9-10 year olds can do, and what they like to do. Kids now a days are very advanced with computer skills and the games they play. I'm don't want to start a debate on whether that's good or bad that just the way it is in this day and age. Instead of complaining about the parents maybe you should try to fix the problem. I think the lab needs a complete over haul in their activity planning. Kids that age also like to chill with kids their own age in their own space. The club is so chaotic and crazy with 3- 5 year olds running all over the place. How could a ten year old enjoy that?

We have one in that age group who enjoys stuff like that, although I know not all kids in that age group do. I agree that the problem people are talking about is the age group lumping. Sometimes it is in the presentation and focus. Just like in a classroom, when they do not separate kids according to their abilities, it is the lowest common denominator that benefits. If there is a goup with ages 5-10 and they are doing a cooking activity, the cm will teach the activity to the 5year old's level so that no one is "left out." The ten year old is right in thinking, "get me out of here, this is a baby activity!" Because it is. But cooking (just an example) doesn't have to be a baby activity.
But that also may be the problem with pushing kids up. They may be making the older kids in that group less interested in it. The younger kids then become the focus of cms and activities in the vibe. Suddenly the 16 or 17 year olds no longer want to go there!

 

[Cruise-n-2015]

Our first cruise the kids were 17 and 15. The 15 year old had the time of his life!! He had a huge possy of teens his age that hung out. The 17 year old though, felt like she was too old. She said all the girls were 12 or 13 and she ended up hanging with us. I guess it depends on the cruise but she was really looking forward to the teen program

My 17 year old was the same, he did give vibe a shot but he quickly returned to join us when he walked in and they were watching frozen.

 

[jcemom]

I'm sorry, but most 10 year old are not interested in cooking classes, drawing classes, marshmallow Olympics and piston cups. That's all very babyish to them. I think DCL may be a little out of touch with what 9-10 year olds can do, and what they like to do. Kids now a days are very advanced with computer skills and the games they play. I'm don't want to start a debate on whether that's good or bad that just the way it is in this day and age. Instead of complaining about the parents maybe you should try to fix the problem. I think the lab needs a complete over haul in their activity planning. Kids that age also like to chill with kids their own age in their own space. The club is so chaotic and crazy with 3- 5 year olds running all over the place. How could a ten year old enjoy that?

My daughter still likes things like cooking and drawing classes, even at 13. But I agree about the chaotic atmosphere with a bunch of little kids running around. At 10-12 just being able to chill in their own space is definitely appealing. Just like the 16-17 year olds don't want bothered by 12-13 year olds, many of the 10-12 year olds don't really want to be bothered by 4-6 year olds.

 

[jcemom]

Although slightly OT, does anyone here know if a 14 year old is allowed to go back and forth between the Edge and Vibe? Or do they need do choose one OR the other? I just read where someone said they could attend both clubs if they were in that overlap age, but I thought they had to choose one. TIA

 

[appledown]

14 yo's can move back and forth - they don't have to choose.

 

[TJ95]

I'm sorry, but most 10 year old are not interested in cooking classes, drawing classes, marshmallow Olympics and piston cups. That's all very babyish to them. I think DCL may be a little out of touch with what 9-10 year olds can do, and what they like to do. Kids now a days are very advanced with computer skills and the games they play. I'm don't want to start a debate on whether that's good or bad that just the way it is in this day and age. Instead of complaining about the parents maybe you should try to fix the problem. I think the lab needs a complete over haul in their activity planning. Kids that age also like to chill with kids their own age in their own space. The club is so chaotic and crazy with 3- 5 year olds running all over the place. How could a ten year old enjoy that?

Actually, I disagree. Those particular events had pretty much all older kids participating in them in the lab and were scheduled at times when there were additional events targeted for younger children in the club. My son enjoyed them BECAUSE they had all older kids participating- they were able to develop a lot more elaborate events and challenges for each other because of it- the 3-5 year olds were busy running around in the club, while the events targeting older children were in the lab- and the counselors apparently drew off the little ones who were in the lab to do something else, according to my son. They do differentiate the programming, even if not the actual ages the children are allowed in each. That being said, we deliberately do not cruise during school vacation times- so neither location was jammed with children.

 

[jcemom]

14 yo's can move back and forth - they don't have to choose.

Wonderful, thank you! That makes my choice SO much easier! Now I know I want to pick a date that falls after her birthday.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

People are taking about 3-10 in the club. It's listed as 3-12! As a mom of a 3 year old, that makes me very nervous. We didn't use the child care options at all last time as she was newly 3. We will see what happens when she's just a couple weeks shy of 4.

I feel like if there was a break in the lab/club age range, you'd have fewer people trying to circumvent the age ranges. Maybe 3-6, 7-10, 11-14, 15-17. That also more closely mirrors school breaks in the US.

As noted, time was that Oceaneer's Club was ages 3-7 and Oceaneer's Lab was ages 8-12. But there were sooooo many parents that wanted their kids to be able to go the club together, that DCL combined them. So now we have ages 3-12 in Oceaneer's Club/Lab. And parents are complaining that the age range is too wide, and too "dumbed down" for the older kids, driving the desire to move them up to the older group. And Edge and Vibe are filling up with kids whose parents deem them to be "advanced" for their ages, and should be with the older kids, making the older (appropriately aged kids) not want to be in "their" club.

DCL can't win.

 

[bumbershoot]

Op, we don't want DS to move up. So it's not everyone.

Only problem is my DD WAS 13 in High school!! She was 17 when she started college!! So you can't go 100% on age....

Same for me.

Though when thinking about it, my mom should have held me back. I was in NO way mature enough to be so young in my class the whole way through school. But then they allowed October birthdays (I was actually be second youngest!). Alas my single mom worked and literally used school as a place to send me for free during the day (if she'd been a woman of means she would have homeschooled me, she told me years later) so the earlier the better for me.

3-10 is way to broad IMHO.

It's 3 through 12, to be precise.

He hated it -not the activities but the way the CMs talked to them. Because there were young kids in the group he felt like the CMs talked to all of them like babies.

My son enjoys the Lab activities, but he absolutely agrees with that. It really soured him, especially after he experienced Royal's kid club and the counsellors who do NOT talk down to the kids. And both Royal sailings we've been on they have combined the 6-8 and 9-11 clubs so it's not like they don't have younger kids in there.

My son had no trouble fitting in at the edge when he was 10. He met his best friend there. He was 10 and his friend is 12.

And both of them could have been in the club/lab and met there.

I forgot to add, it is not a sense of "desperation" that we feel to have our 13 year old move up. That is an interesting choice of phrase.

I'm guessing the op sees desperation and that's why she used the word. She needs to look around and see that there are likely plenty of kids not being moved up, and stop focusing on those who are.

The club is so chaotic and crazy with 3- 5 year olds running all over the place. How could a ten year old enjoy that?

Said 10 year old needs to stay in the Lab. Thats what DS has done and he avoids most of the littles that way. But he doesn't mind little kids.



I really disagree with 9-10 year olds not wanting to play but wanting to chill. I think that behavior is a school thing. Once kids are away from that need to look cool and not show their essential kid-ness, they are very silly and into playing. Since we go to the Ymca and I'm around 8-18 year olds almost every day because of DS's dance classes and company, I see how goofy and kid-dish they are. And he's one of the only homeschooled ones so that's not the reason. There are kids of those ages interacting, from different schools and grades, private and public, elementary and middle and junior and high schools, just having fun.

My son loves dancing on colored squares because it's dancing. He makes lots of friends who have protested when we come to pick him up, because they are having so much fun with a boy who dances. He loves the Piston Cup thing and Get the Hook and the cooking classes. He likes super sloppy science (though that's where the "talking down to kids" has been the worst). He ignores any coloring events. So those don't bother him because he ignores them. . On Royal the counsellors have loved him because he will throw himself into the activities. On a cruise where he only started going to the club on day 4 of 7, he was crowned King of the cruise because he was willing to jump on in. He also tells me that in the talent portion of the last night he "broke out The Worm" while dancing and that clinched it. He has a ton of fun doing the time-honored his-age activities. Though he says DCL does gaga ball wrong lol.

And he is not the only kid of his age having fun. The kid who sits in the corner sulking because it's too babyish, on Royal, stands out because s/he is one kid. The rest of his/her same-age kids are all out on the floor, participating.

Ofinn I hate to disagree with you, I really do, but if DS even at 11 started telling me that he just wanted to sit and chill and not play, I'd tell him that he's a kid, playing is what kids do, stop trying to be 16, and go run around. If he balked then I'd introduce him to what being adult is like; perhaps we would sit in the stateroom and balance a checkbook or read a book quietly. If being a kid is too babyish for him, then he can just graduate straight to adulthood.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Op, we don't want DS to move up. So it's not everyone.



Same for me.

Though when thinking about it, my mom should have held me back. I was in NO way mature enough to be so young in my class the whole way through school. But then they allowed October birthdays (I was actually be second youngest!). Alas my single mom worked and literally used school as a place to send me for free during the day (if she'd been a woman of means she would have homeschooled me, she told me years later) so the earlier the better for me.



It's 3 through 12, to be precise.



My son enjoys the Lab activities, but he absolutely agrees with that. It really soured him, especially after he experienced Royal's kid club and the counsellors who do NOT talk down to the kids. And both Royal sailings we've been on they have combined the 6-8 and 9-11 clubs so it's not like they don't have younger kids in there.



And both of them could have been in the club/lab and met there.



I'm guessing the op sees desperation and that's why she used the word. She needs to look around and see that there are likely plenty of kids not being moved up, and stop focusing on those who are.



Said 10 year old needs to stay in the Lab. Thats what DS has done and he avoids most of the littles that way. But he doesn't mind little kids.



I really disagree with 9-10 year olds not wanting to play but wanting to chill. I think that behavior is a school thing. Once kids are away from that need to look cool and not show their essential kid-ness, they are very silly and into playing. Since we go to the Ymca and I'm around 8-18 year olds almost every day because of DS's dance classes and company, I see how goofy and kid-dish they are. And he's one of the only homeschooled ones so that's not the reason. There are kids of those ages interacting, from different schools and grades, private and public, elementary and middle and junior and high schools, just having fun.

My son loves dancing on colored squares because it's dancing. He makes lots of friends who have protested when we come to pick him up, because they are having so much fun with a boy who dances. He loves the Piston Cup thing and Get the Hook and the cooking classes. He likes super sloppy science (though that's where the "talking down to kids" has been the worst). He ignores any coloring events. So those don't bother him because he ignores them. . On Royal the counsellors have loved him because he will throw himself into the activities. On a cruise where he only started going to the club on day 4 of 7, he was crowned King of the cruise because he was willing to jump on in. He also tells me that in the talent portion of the last night he "broke out The Worm" while dancing and that clinched it. He has a ton of fun doing the time-honored his-age activities. Though he says DCL does gaga ball wrong lol.

And he is not the only kid of his age having fun. The kid who sits in the corner sulking because it's too babyish, on Royal, stands out because s/he is one kid. The rest of his/her same-age kids are all out on the floor, participating.

Ofinn I hate to disagree with you, I really do, but if DS even at 11 started telling me that he just wanted to sit and chill and not play, I'd tell him that he's a kid, playing is what kids do, stop trying to be 16, and go run around. If he balked then I'd introduce him to what being adult is like; perhaps we would sit in the stateroom and balance a checkbook or read a book quietly. If being a kid is too babyish for him, then he can just graduate straight to adulthood.

Just because you think you should've been held back (because your mom saw school as free daycare) doesn't mean that is the right decision for others. I was a SAHM even after my kids were in school and I (along with the school) carefully evaluated her readiness. She actually had the best attention span of any child in her class! And she was socially and emotionally ready and mature enough for her age. She had been in preschool so she was prepared. She graduated high school with nearly a 4.0 and a member of National Honor Society. She is also a member of the Honor Society at her college as well. But thanks for questioning our decision. She has done just fine!!

 

[Ofinn]

Op, we don't want DS to move up. So it's not everyone.



Same for me.

Though when thinking about it, my mom should have held me back. I was in NO way mature enough to be so young in my class the whole way through school. But then they allowed October birthdays (I was actually be second youngest!). Alas my single mom worked and literally used school as a place to send me for free during the day (if she'd been a woman of means she would have homeschooled me, she told me years later) so the earlier the better for me.



It's 3 through 12, to be precise.



My son enjoys the Lab activities, but he absolutely agrees with that. It really soured him, especially after he experienced Royal's kid club and the counsellors who do NOT talk down to the kids. And both Royal sailings we've been on they have combined the 6-8 and 9-11 clubs so it's not like they don't have younger kids in there.



And both of them could have been in the club/lab and met there.



I'm guessing the op sees desperation and that's why she used the word. She needs to look around and see that there are likely plenty of kids not being moved up, and stop focusing on those who are.



Said 10 year old needs to stay in the Lab. Thats what DS has done and he avoids most of the littles that way. But he doesn't mind little kids.



I really disagree with 9-10 year olds not wanting to play but wanting to chill. I think that behavior is a school thing. Once kids are away from that need to look cool and not show their essential kid-ness, they are very silly and into playing. Since we go to the Ymca and I'm around 8-18 year olds almost every day because of DS's dance classes and company, I see how goofy and kid-dish they are. And he's one of the only homeschooled ones so that's not the reason. There are kids of those ages interacting, from different schools and grades, private and public, elementary and middle and junior and high schools, just having fun.

My son loves dancing on colored squares because it's dancing. He makes lots of friends who have protested when we come to pick him up, because they are having so much fun with a boy who dances. He loves the Piston Cup thing and Get the Hook and the cooking classes. He likes super sloppy science (though that's where the "talking down to kids" has been the worst). He ignores any coloring events. So those don't bother him because he ignores them. . On Royal the counsellors have loved him because he will throw himself into the activities. On a cruise where he only started going to the club on day 4 of 7, he was crowned King of the cruise because he was willing to jump on in. He also tells me that in the talent portion of the last night he "broke out The Worm" while dancing and that clinched it. He has a ton of fun doing the time-honored his-age activities. Though he says DCL does gaga ball wrong lol.

And he is not the only kid of his age having fun. The kid who sits in the corner sulking because it's too babyish, on Royal, stands out because s/he is one kid. The rest of his/her same-age kids are all out on the floor, participating.

Ofinn I hate to disagree with you, I really do, but if DS even at 11 started telling me that he just wanted to sit and chill and not play, I'd tell him that he's a kid, playing is what kids do, stop trying to be 16, and go run around. If he balked then I'd introduce him to what being adult is like; perhaps we would sit in the stateroom and balance a checkbook or read a book quietly. If being a kid is too babyish for him, then he can just graduate straight to adulthood.

My kids are obviously very different then your son. My kids never met friends in the lab because it was a zoo. They have friends all over the country they have met in the Edge. My kids and none of their friends would be into the activities they offer in the lab. They dont just sit around and chill in the edge they have lots of activities including playing ouside. I give my kids lots of freedom. Somethin I know you dont give your son. Were very different type of parents, but thats ok.