Actually cutting your trip short because of kids misbehaving

[Trentmom]

I have seen quite a few trip reports, where peole say they hear parents threatening their kids that if don't start behaving,they are getting on a plane or getting in a car and going home now.

So, my question is, is there any parent out there who actually went thru with this threat?

I can not imagine spending a couple of thousand dollars on a trip and then leaving after the first 2 or so days, and throwing all that money down the drain, because ones kids were being really bad....

So, has anyone ended their vacation short because of their kids' action??

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Nope. I am a firm believer in issuing threats only if you will actually carry them out, which I doubt many (if any) parents would do in the case of cutting a trip short. I DO tell DS11 if he is rude or disrespectful that I will get an in-room babysitter and leave him in the room all day, and I would ABSOLUTELY do it. I am glad I have never had to go through with it, but I would.

 

[MrsBanks]

I did - well actually the children were too young to "threaten" they were 9 months and 2 y/o at the time (so they had no concept of time anyway) - we were all miserable that trip so we cut our stay short by 2 days, didn't even try to get any $$ back and had to pay to change flights - we still refer to it as the "April trip" - thankfully each and every trip before and after has been (nearly) perfect

 

[marlynnp]

Yes, I have cut a trip short, it wasn't a trip to Disney.

And therein lies the *magic* ~ if you've actually done this and followed through it's a card you'll never have to play again - you might show it once or twice but you won't have to leave again. A simply, seriously stated, "We're not going to have to repeat the xxxxx incident are we?" (I prefer to raise one eyebrow while saying it) will ellicit a quick, "No Mom, I'm sorry" and an even quicker adjustment to proper behavior.

And this isn't a threat I use often, probably twice in 5 years, it's saved for truly horrid behavior - the consequence has to match the crime.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

No but I used to drive by the KinderCare on Disney property to remind my oldest DD that if she misbehaved that she could be dropped off at the daycare while the rest of us went to have fun at the theme parks.

That always straightened her out!

 

[Trentmom]

No but I used to drive by the KinderCare on Disney property to remind my oldest DD that if she misbehaved that she could be dropped off at the daycare while the rest of us went to have fun at the theme parks.

That always straightened her out!

That is a great idea.....

 

[Trentmom]

Yes, I have cut a trip short, it wasn't a trip to Disney.

And therein lies the *magic* ~ if you've actually done this and followed through it's a card you'll never have to play again - you might show it once or twice but you won't have to leave again. A simply, seriously stated, "We're not going to have to repeat the xxxxx incident are we?" (I prefer to raise one eyebrow while saying it) will ellicit a quick, "No Mom, I'm sorry" and an even quicker adjustment to proper behavior.

And this isn't a threat I use often, probably twice in 5 years, it's saved for truly horrid behavior - the consequence has to match the crime.

Sounds like cutting your trip short once has worked perfectly for you.....

Great job!!!

 

[Trentmom]

I did - well actually the children were too young to "threaten" they were 9 months and 2 y/o at the time (so they had no concept of time anyway) - we were all miserable that trip so we cut our stay short by 2 days, didn't even try to get any $$ back and had to pay to change flights - we still refer to it as the "April trip" - thankfully each and every trip before and after has been (nearly) perfect

Oh man, that stinks....

But if everyone was really miserable, you might as well leave..glad you only missed two days......

Was it just too much having two very young kids there?

 

[MommaPooh217]

I've done it once , but not in Disney World. My two oldest were fighting in the car on the way to an amusement park in Virginia (we live in MD) and I told them if they did not stop we were turning around and going home. We had just crossed into Va, they continued their bad behavior and DH turned the car around and we went home. I have never had to do it again because they know when I make a threat like that I follow through. Now in WDW I would probably just say if the bad behaviour does'nt stop we will go back to the hotel (the child who did the misbehaving and I, because I agree it's not fair to make everyone pay for one persons bad behavior.)or like one of the previous posters, let them know that I would drop them in daycare( again the one who misbehaved). Although I have never had to make this threat to DD's 7 & 4 I know they would definitely not be happy campers about missing out .


Blessed Be,
Tina

 

[Trentmom]

Nope. I am a firm believer in issuing threats only if you will actually carry them out, which I doubt many (if any) parents would do in the case of cutting a trip short. I DO tell DS11 if he is rude or disrespectful that I will get an in-room babysitter and leave him in the room all day, and I would ABSOLUTELY do it. I am glad I have never had to go through with it, but I would.

I guess the threat was enough to scare him...Good for you!!!

 

[Trentmom]

I've done it once , but not in Disney World. My two oldest were fighting in the car on the way to an amusement park in Virginia (we live in MD) and I told them if they did not stop we were turning around and going home. We had just crossed into Va, they continued their bad behavior and DH turned the car around and we went home. I have never had to do it again because they know when I make a threat like that I follow through. Now in WDW I would probably just say if the bad behaviour does'nt stop we will go back to the hotel or like one of the previous posters, let them know that I would drop them in daycare. Although I have never had to make this threat to DD's 7 & 3 I know they would definitely not be happy campers about missing out .


Blessed Be,
Tina

Wow..you one tough mommy...good for you!!!

Glad it worked for you!!!!

 

[Nancyg56]

No, I never did, but when my kids were barely teenagers they were terrible. We were gone about 5 days and it continued to get worse. I told them that was it for a long time, an it was a long time before we went on a vacation like that again. When I took them they never did it again.

Now when I have gone with my DGD and she misbehaves with me I tell her we will go back to the room, or if it is at dinner, I explain we will sit outside and wait for everyone to finish and then she and I will go back to the room. She knows I mean it so she does not test.

 

[tjmw2727]

I haven't cut a trip short because that would punish everyone for the actions of one but I have left a park once with each child after one warning. I find that once is all it takes

My kids LOVE the kids clubs so that would not be a punishment as they ask to go!

Usually though when my kids are having a rough time its time for a break anyway. Sometimes shade and a popsicle works other time we need some pool time or a real rest.

I also find that if you consistantly follow through with consequences for bad behavior at home and in general then they don't have any reason to doubt you will on vacation.

I have also turned around from trips to the zoo/park/mall etc. Not always as a consequence for bad behavior but just because at some point during the drive it became apparant nobody was going to have a good time that day so why waste $$ on an outing.

TJ

 

[Trentmom]

No, I never did, but when my kids were barely teenagers they were terrible. We were gone about 5 days and it continued to get worse. I told them that was it for a long time, an it was a long time before we went on a vacation like that again. When I took them they never did it again.

Now when I have gone with my DGD and she misbehaves with me I tell her we will go back to the room, or if it is at dinner, I explain we will sit outside and wait for everyone to finish and then she and I will go back to the room. She knows I mean it so she does not test.

Good for you following through with your statement of no more vacations loike that for a LONG time....

Sounds like your DGD knows you mean businesss

 

[Trentmom]

I haven't cut a trip short because that would punish everyone for the actions of one but I have left a park once with each child after one warning. I find that once is all it takes

My kids LOVE the kids clubs so that would not be a punishment as they ask to go!

Usually though when my kids are having a rough time its time for a break anyway. Sometimes shade and a popsicle works other time we need some pool time or a real rest.

I also find that if you consistantly follow through with consequences for bad behavior at home and in general then they don't have any reason to doubt you will on vacation.

I have also turned around from trips to the zoo/park/mall etc. Not always as a consequence for bad behavior but just because at some point during the drive it became apparant nobody was going to have a good time that day so why waste $$ on an outing.

TJ

Very true...not fair to ruin the trip for everyone when it is just one person acting out...

Yes, a break is always a good idea, espcially with younger children

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Yes, I have cut a trip short, it wasn't a trip to Disney.

And therein lies the *magic* ~ if you've actually done this and followed through it's a card you'll never have to play again - you might show it once or twice but you won't have to leave again. A simply, seriously stated, "We're not going to have to repeat the xxxxx incident are we?" (I prefer to raise one eyebrow while saying it) will ellicit a quick, "No Mom, I'm sorry" and an even quicker adjustment to proper behavior.

And this isn't a threat I use often, probably twice in 5 years, it's saved for truly horrid behavior - the consequence has to match the crime.

I agree. I have done the same. Only had to do it once or twice-like you said, its all about follow through. If I say it, I mean it, its not an empty threat, it is a personal guarantee. I did leave MK once, just turned tail and we went back to the hotel (I think hopping on a plane and actually going home is a bit extreme-ending the days activities seems to have enough of an impact). For the rest of the trip the kids were angels. I wouldn't toss that out there lightly either though, only if the kids were off the wall crazy, and that has truly been a rare occurence (and thankfully rarer still now that they are teenagers).

 

[rentayenta]

I haven't had to cut a trip short but I have left a store with a cart full of groceries or taken friends home when a play date/sleepover was planned.

 

[Parla]

At the world I only threaten and follow through on not getting to buy something that they were planning on or not getttig to ride a favorite ride. I had to give DH a warning before our last trip because he tends to threaten with big things. I told him not to tell the kids we wouldn't go to Disney if they did something because we would have to follow through on the threat and we had already paid. He was pretty good and never threatened it. We did threaten to leave a park one day but that was enough to stop the behavoir.

 

[Darcy03231]

Not at WDW, but DS did have to spend his day in the cabin once on a cruise. That was the one and only time we've had any behaviour issues on a trip!

 

[DawnM]

I have done it on a small scale. Once my son was misbehaving in line and even though we had waited over 45 minutes we got out of line and he wasn't allowed to ride that ride for the rest of the day.

I would never do it on a big, "We will cut our vacation short and lose money" scale because that would punish the parents!

Dawn