Pregnant women, kids and busses...

[taximomfor4]

DH and I always offer our seats to those who might need it more than we do but I don't expect others to give up their seat for me. I was at WDW 6 months pregnant and really didn't need to sit down. I think that I was offered a seat a few times, however. I get more annoyed with people who put packages in a seat or don't hold small children on their laps. I've even seen two adults spread out across three seats before on a packed bus.

I agree that taking up seats with bags is pretty rude. I disagree about children taking up a seat as rude though. I have found (since these threads started) public transport buses with rules that children old enough to sit unassisted MUST be in their own seats.

 

[AllyCatTapia]

"Okay, sorry it's taken me a few days to get back to this issue...I'd just like to explain to Robin and AllyCatTapia that our family's "respect" policies (and yes, those do include extending an extra measure of consideration to women) are rooted in our personal beliefs, and backed up by research findings, found here:
http://familyfacts.org/findingdetail.cfm?finding=6940
and summarized througout this website:
http://familyfacts.org/index.cfm
We're all free to debate and disagree as to which values and attitudes are most important to nurture in our children. These are the foundational principles we emphasize with our own children, though, in the hopes that they will, in turn, build their own happy families someday."


Well, I attempted to access your dogmatic sites, but fail to see any connection between it and the fact that your son DISrespected a woman who scoffed at his chauvanistic gesture. The would be DISrespect- both his chauvinisitc gesture and his later comment. Apparently you need to read your site through a little harder...oh wait...I'm sure they probably read to you at church.

Oh, and, I'm sorry, but since I'm not a Christian, your website holds no water with me. I highly doubt it includes anything but what specifically supports your particular belief system.

 

[leighe]

It's a big thing around here starting in 6th grade, and IMO is awesome for the kids. On top of learning basic things like phone etiquette, invitations and thank-you notes, etc., they also learn table manners, and ballroom dance.

At the end of each season they get to "practice" at a 5 course dinner, and then they have a huge spring formal where they get to show all the parents what they've learned.

We did this as part of Cotillion where I'm from - although we started in 7th grade, I think. I loved it and would be thrilled to have DD participate in something like it.

I don't see anything wrong with a gentleman treating a lady with courtesy and respect. My DH certainly does and I rule our house so it's not like he thinks I'm a weak, incapable female.

When I was in college my roomates and I had a saying, "Why on earth should I ever do anything a boy can do for me?" Before anybody flips out - we were just kidding - sorta.

 

[rainy~daze]

POSTED by AlleyCatTapia-'Well, I attempted to access your dogmatic sites, but fail to see any connection between it and the fact that your son DISrespected a woman who scoffed at his chauvanistic gesture. The would be DISrespect- both his chauvinisitc gesture and his later comment.'


It is disrespect! Don't use a play on words with the DIS name to try to rally efforts on your bizarre claim that that boy has no right to try to be polite to people. Not all members on this thread agree with you, I most definitely do NOT! THAT is disrespect to everyone on these boards and everything it stands for!

 

[Brier Rose]

We did this as part of Cotillion where I'm from - although we started in 7th grade, I think. I loved it and would be thrilled to have DD participate in something like it.

It's part of Cotillion here as well. The Manners and Etiquette classes (Perfectly Social, is what they call it), takes place primarily in the 6th grade, and then the focus on dance (Social) starts in 7th grade, so it sounds pretty much the same.

They have a Spring Formal every year which is the graduating classes Cotillion, where the girls get "presented" (debutantes). They look sooo pretty in their white gowns!

I know this is off topic..so call me a thread killer...just thought I'd share some pics!

[/IMG]

 

[Going Broke]

Don't forget that sometimes there are things that you can not see. My healthy looking teen age son has some balance issues from being premature that makes standing on the bus not only hard but not very safe. He does it sometimes anyway but it is hard. My DH has back trouble and sometimes after walking all over the parks he just can not stand up any longer. If there are no seats on a bus, we sometimes wait for the next one. If we take the first bus that comes, any of us if able will give our seat to anyone that apeers to need it worse than us. If however we are willing to wait for another bus because some of us need a seat, we do not always do that but someone on the bus may not understand the whole story. It is hard not to judge and sometimes hard to judge fairly.

Jordan's mom

I agree with this poster...sometimes there are things that are not always evident. My husband is in very good shape but has issues standing on the bus, often gets very nauseous. I will try to give up my seat before he does and sometimes people give him very odd looks! My DD's 5&6, on the other hand, LOVE standing. It's like being on another ride for them!

 

[cdrn1]

When we were there in May, our pregnant DD and 2.5 DGD were always offered a seat. Most of the time there were plenty of seats, but every single time we were in a SRO bus she was seated. Of course, when the rest of us were the lucky ones with seats we did the same for others who appeared to need them worse. Karma, you know. (And because our mothers taught us well.)

 

[Suzanne74]

this is my biggest pet peeve at Disney. DH is such a kind man he ALWAYS gives up his seat to anyone with kids, prenant or heck, even a healthy looking woman. That is the way it should be. There was a time when DH literally goes to the front of a crowded bus to tell a mom with a very young child standing up (the bus already started on its way) to sit in his seat towards the back (that I plopped dd on quickly before some 20yr old looking man jumped in it.) The people around her (who didn't get off their rumps) didn't even look ashamed when she said oh, how nice of you and went towards the back with him. Oh, it makes me flaming mad how selfish people are I will keep my seat to hold my dd4 on my lap but if anyone looks to need it more (elderly, younger child, pregnant) I give it up. My DH always takes a seat and then finds someone who needs it more and gives it up. He is dreamy LOL!!

My other HUGE pet peeve is when families DON'T put their kids under the age of 5 or so, on their laps to free up another space for someone else. Don't get me started on that one!

 

[Dina]

I have given up my seat a few times to pregnant women (on our trips without kids)-- I have to admit I was a little surprised that alot of the guys on the bus didn't seem to care-- noone else offered her a seat.Even my own husband didn't think to get up (not that he wouldnt', but he didn't think about it).

Last time we were there (we didn't think of waiting for the next bus) we were standing holding a very wiggly/heavy 2.5yo, and my autistic 4yo had to stand on his own-- he has balance issues and that was hard for him (my husband was holding our double stroller)-- luckily a nice lady sitting where we were standing put her arm around him to help him out. I have to admit, I was surprised that noone offered a seat to someone holding a 2yo or to a 4yo. I wouldn't say I was expecting it-- but of course I got off the bus yapping to my husband that I'm never offering my seat to anyone else-- yada yada. Of course I will-- took me a moment to get over my surprise, and for my arms to stop hurting from holding my son who was wrestling to get down the whole time.

Maybe I sound selfish that I'm surprised that noone would offer us a seat, but before I had kids, I would never have stayed in my seat while someone with an infant/todder or pregnant was standing-- that can be dangerous. Once the kids are old enough to sit on their own, I'll go back to offering my seat to those that need it more

That was our first night (this was our second trip with the kids, the first was in September, and we honestly never had crowded busses), by the second night it hit us to wait for the next bus,and we did that every night from that point on (even if it meant waiting a half hour-- which we did). I don't really mind waiting, and I'd actually rather wait then get on a bus expecting to take someone else's seat-- I feel bad to take another's seat, but that first night we didnt' think about it until we were standing there, and realized how hard it is to stand with little ones (especially mine that hate to be held). I understand that some people have "invisible" illnesses-- I have an aunt with severe arthritis and my mom has fybromyalga-- so I know alot of people need to sit, I was still just a little surprised that noone wanted to help out someone with kids. I think I was more taken back that there were people sitting with 3 or 4 year olds laying across their laps taking up two seats-- while people holding toddlers (or 4year olds themselves) are standing. Really I wouldn't have even given a second thought to putting my toddler/preschooler on my lap so someone else can sit down-- there were a few people with toddlers sitting in their own seat while people are standing. I'd even put my 6yo on my lap. I was definitely more taken back that these families wouldn't put the toddler on their lap so a 4yo could sit down, than being surprised that people wouldn't give up their seat (I'm not wording this well, I know-- I hope you know what I mean)-- that bothered me more than the people who didn't want to stand so we could sit-- really who could blame them, everyone's tired. But, come on-- have a heart and put the toddler on your lap. You would think those people would, because they know how hard it is with kids. Oh well-- its not really an issue for us now that we realized we can just wait for the next bus-- it takes us a while sometimes to catch on hehe.