Actually cutting your trip short because of kids misbehaving

[kerry34]

I have never threatened that one and never would because I know that I would never go through with it. Usually my threat is staying behind while the rest of the kids have fun. I have had to do this once with one of my 7 yr old twins (at the time she was 5) and she missed out on going swimming. We were eating dinner at Ohana's and then planning on swimming at the volcano pool afterward. My daughter just made dinner miserable for me because the only thing she wanted to do was swim and she made it known every two seconds that she did not want to eat dinner. As the dinner progressed it got worse and she really started getting disrespectful to both her father and I. I issued the warning that if she didnt stop she would be spending the night in the room instead of swimming. By desert she actually yelled at me and that was it. I took her by the hand before she even got desert and escorted her back to the room, put her in her pjs and off to bed she went. She was so upset when the other kids came back to put on their suits to go swimming. The next day she apologized to both of us and said she never wanted to do that again. Now when we go away and she starts up all I have to say "You must feel like sitting in your room right?" She knows I mean business.

 

[surfgirl]

wrong thread.

 

[Bonnie151]

I wouldn't cut a trip to WDW short (nor make the threat to), but on this trip we did skip a few events because DS(5) had been badly acting up and after warnings, continued to be badly behaved - e.g. he missed the fireworks at MK in favour of an early night. To be honest though, he generally was only repeatedly badly behaved when he *needed* some chill time in the room. I think a fortnight in WDW was a bit too overwhelming for him at times even though we had planned days off and swimming/chill time every afternoon.

 

[Trentmom]

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!

How sai he must have been, but since he was good the rest of the time, it must have worked...

 

[Trentmom]

I have never threatened that one and never would because I know that I would never go through with it. Usually my threat is staying behind while the rest of the kids have fun. I have had to do this once with one of my 7 yr old twins (at the time she was 5) and she missed out on going swimming. We were eating dinner at Ohana's and then planning on swimming at the volcano pool afterward. My daughter just made dinner miserable for me because the only thing she wanted to do was swim and she made it known every two seconds that she did not want to eat dinner. As the dinner progressed it got worse and she really started getting disrespectful to both her father and I. I issued the warning that if she didnt stop she would be spending the night in the room instead of swimming. By desert she actually yelled at me and that was it. I took her by the hand before she even got desert and escorted her back to the room, put her in her pjs and off to bed she went. She was so upset when the other kids came back to put on their suits to go swimming. The next day she apologized to both of us and said she never wanted to do that again. Now when we go away and she starts up all I have to say "You must feel like sitting in your room right?" She knows I mean business.

Oh man, I know that feeling.

DS will sometimes act up when we are out to eat and wants to be doing something else......

We were going to go to the park(at home), and we went straight home after lunch and he was so upset....

He apologized a little bit later, but there was still no park until the next day...

 

[Trentmom]

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.

When I first started to read this, I thought you were going to say you had to give DH a warning for acting up....

 

[kelscross]

We haven't cut our trip short, but we have left the parks and went to the room and stayed. Fortunately I had another adult with me so we would take turns staying in with her and taking the other to the pool. It never happened again.

 

[southcarolina4]

When we went to POP the first time...my wife and I had planned every minute of every day to a certain degree..the first 2 days went fairly smooth but we quickly learned that our wonderful kids who at the time were 7 and 5 that the schedule and "trying to maximize your park time" was not as important to them....Our 3rd day was horrible...ruined AK all together..kids fussing,parents fussing,kids falling scraping knees,etc..etc...

so in the middle of the day we abandoned ship and went back to POP...with the ..well everybody calmed down.My wife and I talked about our "strategy" and realize some mistakes we had made and planning.

From that point on we scheduled down time in our trip for each day...and we set certain rules that She and I follow that helps tremendously...

1.No more than 5 hours at a park(at a time)
If hit MK for EMH early one morning we are out of there by 2pm..no if's,and's or but's...we are going back to the resort and one day is actual rest during this time..the next day is pool time/arcade,etc... at this time
Our Kids love it!!!!

2.at least half of one day will be spent somewhere other than a park...
DTD,Boardwalk,etc...we usually try to schedule this day when a park has a PM EMH...so we relax,browse for part of a day then go to park late and stay late..

So now we plan every day(except one..that we "wing it") to be 2 parks each day with a break during the day.
Our kids expect it and helps keep them and us levelheaded.We still have an occasional flare up at snack place or in line.... but they few and far between.

 

[SeptemberGirl]

This is a great thread. I've never done this, but my kid is not quite 3, so give me some more time and I might!

I do, however, leave parks and malls and restaurants and playdates when I say I will. My friends tend to threaten and not pack up the kids, but I say it, mean, it, and she's out of there. She misbehaves at this age when she's tired or out of sorts, and it doesn't do either of us any favors to hang around when she's reached her limits - or when I've reached mine!

 

[Trentmom]

When we went to POP the first time...my wife and I had planned every minute of every day to a certain degree..the first 2 days went fairly smooth but we quickly learned that our wonderful kids who at the time were 7 and 5 that the schedule and "trying to maximize your park time" was not as important to them....Our 3rd day was horrible...ruined AK all together..kids fussing,parents fussing,kids falling scraping knees,etc..etc...

so in the middle of the day we abandoned ship and went back to POP...with the ..well everybody calmed down.My wife and I talked about our "strategy" and realize some mistakes we had made and planning.

From that point on we scheduled down time in our trip for each day...and we set certain rules that She and I follow that helps tremendously...

1.No more than 5 hours at a park(at a time)
If hit MK for EMH early one morning we are out of there by 2pm..no if's,and's or but's...we are going back to the resort and one day is actual rest during this time..the next day is pool time/arcade,etc... at this time
Our Kids love it!!!!

2.at least half of one day will be spent somewhere other than a park...
DTD,Boardwalk,etc...we usually try to schedule this day when a park has a PM EMH...so we relax,browse for part of a day then go to park late and stay late..

So now we plan every day(except one..that we "wing it") to be 2 parks each day with a break during the day.
Our kids expect it and helps keep them and us levelheaded.We still have an occasional flare up at snack place or in line.... but they few and far between.

Sounds like you got a great system there!!!

 

[Parla]

When I first started to read this, I thought you were going to say you had to give DH a warning for acting up....

Well, us mommies do have to keep the household under control!

 

[Trentmom]

Well, us mommies do have to keep the household under control!

I can so picture you putting your DH in the corner for misbehaving...

 

[pl'smama]

While we were in the MK last December our DD3.5 was very well behaved for the most part. However, one afternoon it was getting a little hotter and our DD was starting to lose some patience with line ups etc.. DH took her on the Dumbo ride ( not for the first time) and she had been warned about her behavior and that if she did not behave there would be no more rides. Well, I had settled myself down in some shade to people watch and wait for them when I see DH and DD walking toward me. DD was crying her heart out and DH looked ready to just leave. Turns out DD had an incident with another child. I am still hazy on the details, but DH said it was DD fault so out of the line they went. I tell you it broke my heart, she was so upset. She kept on saying, "I'm sorry Daddy", but she did not get on that ride again that day. We actually had a family time out in the shade and a drink. SHortly after DD had a nap in the stroller. I am glad we never said we would leave the park because I don't think I could go through with that. But to this day she will comment on the situation and say she will never "be bad" again.

The other thing is to share my DSL way of doing things. I personally don't agree with her, but anyway. Recently her DD9 has been a real test, to use her words. DSL is constantly threatening to not go somewhere or take away a privelege. Nothing seems to work. We had a family birthday party to go to for our DN10 and our DSL and family were also to attend. DSL told my other DSL that she would use this as a "thing" to promise to go to and then take away for bad behavior. So, she was planning all along not to take her DD to the cousin's party even though there had not yet been any bad behavior to warrant the punishment.

DSL has now used this tactic twice, both taking times taking away a family function. The rest of the family (adults) are aware of it and we are a bit steamed. Anyway think this is a good thing to do? I don't, but DSL doesn't listen to us.

Suz

 

[LilGMom]

We did and now all we have to say to our oldest (now 6) is "Do you want us to cut this trip short because you know that we will".

The trip that we cut short didn't really affect any other children because our youngest was only 10 months old. The oldest was 4.5 yrs. old and we were all miserable. Everything we said, anytime we tried to eat anywhere, just getting out of the resort in the morning was an ordeal. We put up with it for two days and on that third day dh and I had had enough so we packed, loaded the car and drove home. We only live six hours away and go a few times a year so it wasn't like we were really 'missing' anything that we hadn't seen or wouldn't be seeing in a few months (although we did wait almost twelve months before going back after that trip, lol).

Our oldest knows that when we tell him that we'll pack up and leave or that I'll take the youngest to the parks while he stays in the room with dh that is exactly what we'll do. His behavior isn't perfect and we still (all of us) have our moments/meltdowns but he knows that we will follow through.

 

[Trentmom]

We did and now all we have to say to our oldest (now 6) is "Do you want us to cut this trip short because you know that we will".

The trip that we cut short didn't really affect any other children because our youngest was only 10 months old. The oldest was 4.5 yrs. old and we were all miserable. Everything we said, anytime we tried to eat anywhere, just getting out of the resort in the morning was an ordeal. We put up with it for two days and on that third day dh and I had had enough so we packed, loaded the car and drove home. We only live six hours away and go a few times a year so it wasn't like we were really 'missing' anything that we hadn't seen or wouldn't be seeing in a few months (although we did wait almost twelve months before going back after that trip, lol).

Our oldest knows that when we tell him that we'll pack up and leave or that I'll take the youngest to the parks while he stays in the room with dh that is exactly what we'll do. His behavior isn't perfect and we still (all of us) have our moments/meltdowns but he knows that we will follow through.

You Go Girl!!! Your kids know for sure that you mean busines.....

 

[va32h]

We haven't left the entire state - takes too long to drive there! But I have taken misbehaving children back to the hotel and kept them there for as long as necessary.

 

[hollyb]

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

He was waiting in line for 45 minutes how the heck was he suppose to behave? I think you overracted, ever think he had had enough yet you still pushed him to the breaking point?

We were at our hotel pool when a dad was telling his child "your ruining my vacation that I paid alot of money for" the child was having fun in the pool and dear old dad wanted to go eat dinner, he was a complete moron. DD said "mommy that dad is being mean" I said yes your right. I know he heard us oh well.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

It is inevitable that on a week long vacation your child will break down at least once. Having a parenting plan ready to enforce for such an occasion is a neccesity we should all add to our packing list.

I figure that since we are going in August the possibility that my children will act up because they are either be thirsty, hot, tired and or overwhelmed is a given. I will need to be on the alert with water, shade, afternoon pool/nap breaks, days off touring, and a daily family meeting about what is on our agenda each day.

 

[design_mom]

Once again great parenting at its best. Your DD was hot and tired yet you pushed and she misbehaved. Imagine that!!! At Epcot a poor little girl was on the ground her very hot scratchy Belle just crying, I saw her parents watching her cry her eyes out. DD said "oh that little girl lost her mommy" the lady said "no I am right here waiting for her fit to end" I said try taking off the stupid dress she maybe happy" "NO I paid to much money for it she is wearing it" Good Lord what is wrong with you people?

Holly,

I'm not sure where you're going with your comment? (The quote didn't come with the reply: This is your response to the woman who took her child out of line for Dumbo when the girl had an "incident" with another child.) Yes, the child reached her breaking-point. But when the child became overwhelmed, the poster removed her child from the situation and gave her a drink in the shade and a nap. That sounds like excellent parenting to me.

Sure, it would have been great if the parents had been able to foresee that the Dumbo line would be the straw that broke the camel's back, but sometimes that isn't possible. I think they handled it well.

As for the woman with the little girl in the princess dress. If she was forcing her daughter to wear the dress, that's ridiculous. But I could just as easily see the little girl throwing a fit because she didn't want to take off the dress, even if the dress was making her miserable and the mom had nice cool clothes waiting. My son has worn his winter coat around in the middle of August (he likes it). He'll have sweat pouring down his face, but will refuse multiple suggestions to remove the coat. You've got to pick your battles -- clothes have a very natural consequences, so that's not one I choose.

 

[Parla]

Once again great parenting at its best. Your DD was hot and tired yet you pushed and she misbehaved. Imagine that!!! At Epcot a poor little girl was on the ground her very hot scratchy Belle just crying, I saw her parents watching her cry her eyes out. DD said "oh that little girl lost her mommy" the lady said "no I am right here waiting for her fit to end" I said try taking off the stupid dress she maybe happy" "NO I paid to much money for it she is wearing it" Good Lord what is wrong with you people?

That's so mean. I always keep a change of clothes for DD in our bag for when she's ready to take the dress off. I couldn't imagine walking through the parks all day in a hot scratchy outfit like that.