Why I won't "put it off"

[ZanyToes]

You won't believe how many comments I get about going to Disney while the kids are small or I'm pregnant.. (was pregnant last time w/ two small one's and will be quite far along this time around most likely w/ three smallish one's) They all say they are putting off their trip for "when their kids are older and can enjoy it more" ??? Why won't they enjoy it while they are small?

You know how many adults I've talked to that said their parents said the exact same thing... and they never got to go? I guess I just don't get the logic of waiting until the PERFECT time to do something. There will NEVER be a perfect time to have kids, to go on a vacation, etc.. never!! you just go and have fun instead of putting it off until never!

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

I completely agree with you. I love taking my kids to DW. Even if they don't remember it, I do. I love spending time with them and doing things together. So many parents take vacations without their kids, and that's their choice, but I would be miserable missing them. As soon as we could afford to take our kids, we did (it was the first trip for my dh and I too). The youngest dd I've ever taken was 5 months old, and she did great! I'll be pregnant on our next trip. This trip was planned before I was, but we're still going. I'll just have to go slower this time.

 

[la79al]

With nothing being guaranteed, take advantage of things while you can. I have been to DW without kids, pregnant and I have taken DD when she was 10 months old. All totally different experiences and I wouldn't trade any of them. I am taking DD when she is 19 months and probably looking forward to it more than any trip we've taken so far. Will she remember it? Probably not. Will she remember more if we wait 5 years? Maybe, maybe not. Is it going to be totally great to watch her have a blast? YES! Life happens too quickly to put things on hold, waiting for the perfect time.

 

[LWatson]

OMG Tell me about it. My family is the worst about that. They keep telling me that we are wasting $3000 (room/food/tickets/airfare). They say the kids wont remember it and its pointless. Its not pointless to me because my oldest does remember our last trip when he turned 3, and my youngest is ready to go to "MOUSE MOUSE". Even if they dont remember it we will have the pics and memories as parents. Now I could write a book on what I think my parents are wasting their money on in Dec, but I wont because that would be mean.

 

[ZanyToes]

I completely agree with you. I love taking my kids to DW. Even if they don't remember it, I do. I love spending time with them and doing things together. So many parents take vacations without their kids, and that's their choice, but I would be miserable missing them. As soon as we could afford to take our kids, we did (it was the first trip for my dh and I too). The youngest dd I've ever taken was 5 months old, and she did great! I'll be pregnant on our next trip. This trip was planned before I was, but we're still going. I'll just have to go slower this time.

That happened to me on our last trip.. planned it an unexpectedly got pregnant.. was about 3 months along and VERY sick (I get ubber sick for the first 4 months) still was fun though We are planning this trip before I'm pregnant but PLANNING to be pregnant on the trip.. hopefully past the sick stage though.

 

[ppan77]

We only live four hours away from WDW so its easy for me to say that we go every year with our kids. My ds4 has been every year since he was 18 months. Last year was dd's first trip at 9 months old!! When ds was 2 1/2 I was 27 weeks preggo and napped everyday with him back at CR! I feel my kids have gotten something out of every trip they have gone on and feel sorry for those who just don't get it. They are all missing the magic if they wait. Eventhough my dd was only 9 months old she got quality time with my hubby who works long hours and needed a fun vacation with the kids.

 

[doclegler]

I agree too!! We hear this all the time, and we've been taking our kids since our oldest was 8 months old (and our youngest was only 3 months). I've heard it all too, but you know what...WE LOVE DISNEY!! So we keep coming back, year after year, no matter what "they" say. My kids have never been too young, and there will never be a perfect moment in life. It will always be something...money, health, scheduling.
I'm just happy we can go. Someday we won't be able to go anymore. If we waited until the time was right, it would never come!!

 

[mupt02]

We keep hearing this as well. When we go next summer, our kiddos will be 4 ,2, and 9 months. My MIL keeps telling us that she will keep the baby if we insist on going. My response is that this is a family vacation - our whole family will be going. Honestly, it took some convincing to get my hubby on board as well. He only has some vague memories of DL as a kid. When he finally started looking at everything online, he became excited as well about the trip. The kids may not remember it, but it will be a completely different experience at each age. We figure that now, they will be all into the characters and riding Dumbo. We aren't even thinking about Space Mountain. Seeing my little ones when they meet Belle or Tinkerbell will make the whole thing worth while for me.

 

[~Kristina~]

I've been taking my kids to Disney World since my oldest was 2. He still loves it! He just told me tonight he was going to ask Daddy when we're going again! lol Seeing the magic through the eyes or a 3 or 4 year old is so much different than a 10 year old, imo.

 

[tinkerfan1]

I needed to hear this thread because I wondered myself if it would be worth it for very tiny ones (1 y.o. and maybe 5 months old). To me, it would be. Yes, lots of work. However, if you have parents and grandparents and can switch off, that takes the load off some, too. I just want so badly to see the faces on the faces of what will be our DGD4 and DGS4 and DGS8 at that time as well!!

 

[ebtbmom]

You are right, I didn't take my DS until he was 6. We had fun, but he was still somewhat of a "big kid" and didn't want to do many characters or Winnie the Pooh stuff, or anything he considered babyish. I wish I had taken him when he was a toddler/preschooler so I could have seen his reaction at that age.

Of course, how he's a pre teen and is totally bored with everything that Disney has to offer. I'm hoping the sword shop in Sleeping Beauty's castle will excite him on our DLR trip!

 

[PiperPizzaz]

Yeah, that kind of thinking makes no sense to me. If that is the case why take your small children anywhere. The park, the pumpkin patch, the fair etc. 'They won't remember it!' I guess we should just lock all of our children up in a dark room until they are ready for some fun.

 

[frtchr]

Yeah, that kind of thinking makes no sense to me. If that is the case why take your small children anywhere. The park, the pumpkin patch, the fair etc. 'They won't remember it!' I guess we should just lock all of our children up in a dark room until they are ready for some fun.

I totally agree!!!

 

[Colleen27]

Yeah, that kind of thinking makes no sense to me. If that is the case why take your small children anywhere. The park, the pumpkin patch, the fair etc. 'They won't remember it!' I guess we should just lock all of our children up in a dark room until they are ready for some fun.

I couldn't agree more!

I'm hearing it right now from my inlaws, who don't think spending a considerable sum of money to take a 15mo to Disney is the best use of funds in a recession. My older kids were 4 & 7 for their first trip, and my oldest really was too old to get the full magic - he wasn't very interested in characters, already thought Pooh & friends were "for little kids" and was too much into "boy stuff" to enjoy the Princesses. I am beyond excited to be able to take my youngest while she's still so small and so absolutely adoring of Mickey and his dog-dog (her word for Pluto). She might not remember this trip when she's older, but I'm sure she'll love it while we're there and we'll have memories and photos that will last forever.

 

[Keri]

SO agree. My FIL is the worst about this. I think he & MIL took my DH & his brother when they were 7 & 10 and like 13 and 10, I think. He's always "why don't you wait til they can remember?" WHo freakin' cares if they remember? I went when I was 10 & I don't remember much. By the time they are this magical "remembering" age, so much of the magic will be lost on them. Right now, they LOVE it. They believe in the magic, they LOVE the shows, the rides thrill them. And *I* will remember. The magic in their eyes, the anticipation, the excitement (and the cajoling I had to do to get DS on Dumbo ... yeah, I remember the hard stuff too LOL)

I ended up unexpectedly pregnant our first trip as well (booked it & found out less than a week later) but was "magically" at that one wonderful week where I wasn't sick or too huge. Last year we went with a 7 month old & she was awesome -- she had a great time, loved the rides, smiled at everyone, loved the characters. My other 2 were 4 and 5 and at least for now, they remember a ton! Who cares if they remember it when they are 25? That's what the pictures (and MY memory) are for!

 

[xipetotec]

You won't believe how many comments I get about going to Disney while the kids are small or I'm pregnant.. (was pregnant last time w/ two small one's and will be quite far along this time around most likely w/ three smallish one's) They all say they are putting off their trip for "when their kids are older and can enjoy it more" ??? Why won't they enjoy it while they are small?

You know how many adults I've talked to that said their parents said the exact same thing... and they never got to go? I guess I just don't get the logic of waiting until the PERFECT time to do something. There will NEVER be a perfect time to have kids, to go on a vacation, etc.. never!! you just go and have fun instead of putting it off until never!

When my daughter ( second child ) was born, my mother said she wanted to wait until she was "old enough" and she would take our whole family down... THen our youngest was born... At this point, she decided "oh well, let's just do it" and we went when he was 3 ( and she was 5 ).

This was the first trip I personally had been as an adult. And I can tell you, seeing the whole thing through the eyes of your little ones is just amazing. It's not about them "remembering it", they will LOVE it and YOU will remember it.

 

[disykat]

We waited until they would remember it, but not because we didn't think they'd enjoy it. We simply knew it wouldn't be something we wouldn't do more than once so we wanted them to remember it.

If our situation had been different (lived close and/or planned on traveling there often) we would have gone - no problem.

I'm glad we put it off because my kids do remember it (they were six and eight.) To me, taking the kids to the pumpkin patch IS different because we can do that every year. I don't get that comparison at all.

I would think simply saying "We already have plans to go again when they're older, so remembering won't be an issue for us." would solve the problem of people not understanding.

 

[frtchr]

I would think simply saying "We already have plans to go again when they're older, so remembering won't be an issue for us." would solve the problem of people not understanding.

For me, it's more the issue that it's nobody's business where I go, when I go, how often I go, or how old my kids are when we go. I can't imagine ever saying anything to anyone about vacation plans or parenting choices or...well, anything!

 

[thegreggersmom]

Add me to the list of the crazies who is taking a little one -- and I cannot wait!

 

[Tricia's mom]

Oh my goodness you are so right. I took DD when she was 6 months old. Everyone said' she won't remeber you know" as If I was an idiot ...Well it wasn't about HER it was about DH and Myself...we wanted to go and bringing her made all that much better !!She loved it and was so funny taking it all in what a joy it was for US!!!