Things that parents do - my pet peeves

[Maggie'sMom]

but as a mom who did nurse a baby on Kilimanjaro Safari, Mission Space, The energy ride at Epcot, and a couple of others, I'd have to say, there are many rides that are just as peaceful and discreet as any bench.

I certainly hope it was the green side!

As far as nursing mothers go, as long as you got yourself good to go with a blanket, go for it. If it's discreet, then way to be!

There are ways to be discrete without hiding under a blanket, which would be incredibly uncomfortable in Florida heat. I had it down to an art where people wouldn't even realize I was nursing, and I wasn't covered up with a blanket. I remember one time carrying on a conversation with my BIL while nursing DD. We were at a buffet luncheon and he asked if I was going to go get something to eat. I told him I would wait until DD was done eating. He got up to go get his food and I heard him comment to my MIL "I didn't know she was nursing right now. It doesn't look like it."

It drives me bonkers when parents take their kids on a family vacation and leave the kids in glorified day care centers with fancy names like "kids club" etc. It's babysitting/daycare! Whether it be Disney, a cruise, all inclusive. Then they say "oh, my kids looovvvveeee it!!!" I've met more than a few who sure didn't love it.

I've been in a couple, and they just seem like day camp to me. IMHO, family vacation means families should spend time together..not farming the kids out to kids activities.

If you don't want to use the Kids' Clubs, then don't. But don't judge the parents that do. A family vacation also means a vacation for everyone, including the parents. Last fall when DD and I were at WDW, there were two nights when she went to the Kid's Club for a few hours. It was an 8 day vacation and every single other hour was spent together. As a single parent, and a parent to a special needs child, those few hours of downtime were needed. After the first night at the Kids' Club, DD asked to go back again. And 10 months later, there are still times she will, out of the blue, talk about the "camp" she went to on our vacation and the fun things she did there. While it may not have looked like a fun place to you, my DD was in heaven having toys to play with. With so much fun stuff to do in the parks, I couldn't believe how excited she was about playing with a plastic kitchen set.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Ok, well here's my "pet peeve"..and that's simply what it is..a pet peeve.

It drives me bonkers when parents take their kids on a family vacation and leave the kids in glorified day care centers with fancy names like "kids club" etc. It's babysitting/daycare! Whether it be Disney, a cruise, all inclusive. Then they say "oh, my kids looovvvveeee it!!!" I've met more than a few who sure didn't love it.

I've been in a couple, and they just seem like day camp to me. IMHO, family vacation means families should spend time together..not farming the kids out to kids activities.

My parents keep asking us to go on a cruise and I just can't yet...with the kids. "oh, they have tons to do for the kids! they take them all day!" No thank you! I know lots of people love it. Good for you. It just isn't for us.

Don't knock this until you try it. You are truly juding something which you have NO knowledge of whatsoever!
We've cruised non-DCL a few times before and after cruising twice on DCL so our kids have been able to make lots of comparisons. Our kids didn't even try the clubs at all until they cruised on a Disney ship cuz they assumed it was like other cruise line's. It's all about doing things that kids love to do and they get lots of character interaction too (1000x more than at WDW): do-see-do with Snow White, swashbuckling with Captn Hook, pajama party with Goofy, Q & A with the ship's captain, making Flubber, etc.
It's all laid out in a schedule like a TV guide grid so you know what time each activity starts and ends. Ds9 might just go make Flubber and not want to do the next thing so then he comes back to us. They might come and go 6x in one day. My ds12 even wanted to skip visiting Castaway Cay to stay in the tween area, Ocean Quest. People don't just dump their kids and run off for the day. Parents are given a pager and anytime they want to leave they can or after a certain age, 9 I think, parents can give their kids the option of signing themselves out.

We just cruised Royal Caribbean last month and my kids complained that so much is geared to adults and their kids club is lame. We'll be sticking with DCL.

My parents also cruise with us and honestly this is the best/fun memories my kids have with them. They are not big into Disney and I had to plead with them to spend the extra $ to try DCL and now they love it to.

If you don't wish to try it that's fine; it's your business but please don't assume that we all dump our kids for an extended time. For some activities, my kids beg to go b/c it's fun.

 

[dbmarie]

It drives me bonkers when parents take their kids on a family vacation and leave the kids in glorified day care centers with fancy names like "kids club" etc. It's babysitting/daycare! Whether it be Disney, a cruise, all inclusive. Then they say "oh, my kids looovvvveeee it!!!" I've met more than a few who sure didn't love it.

My dd's beg to go to the Neverland Club and don't want to leave once they are there. Sometimes kids want a vacation from their parents .

 

[JUJU814]

Don't knock this until you try it. You are truly juding something which you have NO knowledge of whatsoever!
We've cruised non-DCL a few times before and after cruising twice on DCL so our kids have been able to make lots of comparisons. Our kids didn't even try the clubs at all until they cruised on a Disney ship cuz they assumed it was like other cruise line's. It's all about doing things that kids love to do and they get lots of character interaction too (1000x more than at WDW): do-see-do with Snow White, swashbuckling with Captn Hook, pajama party with Goofy, Q & A with the ship's captain, making Flubber, etc.
It's all laid out in a schedule like a TV guide grid so you know what time each activity starts and ends. Ds9 might just go make Flubber and not want to do the next thing so then he comes back to us. They might come and go 6x in one day. My ds12 even wanted to skip visiting Castaway Cay to stay in the tween area, Ocean Quest. People don't just dump their kids and run off for the day. Parents are given a pager and anytime they want to leave they can or after a certain age, 9 I think, parents can give their kids the option of signing themselves out.

We just cruised Royal Caribbean last month and my kids complained that so much is geared to adults and their kids club is lame. We'll be sticking with DCL.

My parents also cruise with us and honestly this is the best/fun memories my kids have with them. They are not big into Disney and I had to plead with them to spend the extra $ to try DCL and now they love it to.

If you don't wish to try it that's fine; it's your business but please don't assume that we all dump our kids for an extended time. For some activities, my kids beg to go b/c it's fun.

We're talking about "pet peeves" here, and I was just posting mine. I know nothing about the Disney cruise line, but I've seen and been in others, including one at Disney. The one I was in at Disney, I'm sorry, but it was a daycare. I saw enough to know my kids wouldn't like it. The kids I saw were sititng there coloring pages of Disney characters. Something they can do at home. Maybe I just witnessed an "off time"??

Dh and I don't plan on having a "vacation" of our own when we go to Disney. We know it's work going there! LOL We are blessed to have parents nearby and will care for the kids if we want to go away alone together.

Everyone has a different vacation style I guess. I just don't go for that one. On the other hand, not everyone has the liberty of having someone to watch their children to go away together alone. I also have a 17 year old daughter who is unique in that she is very responsible and LOVES her young siblings and they adore her, and she actually WANTS to babysit every now and then.

Maybe I'd think differently of my other options if I didn't have these in place?

 

[maxiesmom]

I was never "good to go" with anything that covered either DD and still managed to be discreet. Frankly, I've never seen a non-discreet nursing mother.

I have! She was sitting on a Disney bus right across from me, and just put the child on her lap, and went to town. No attempt to cover her parts up or be discreet at all! And she was rather well endowed so there was a lot left not covered up.

I wouldn't have cared at all, but she was sitting straight across from me, so that is where my eyes wanted to look. I spent that bus ride talking to the people right next to me or looking at the floor.

My sister breast fed her youngest at Disney World. She had an open weave blanket that was very light. Just enough coverage so that you couldn't see her and light enough so that the baby was still comfortable.

Ok, having vented about that, my pet peeve are parents who throw their kids up on their sholders just as the fireworks are starting. Sure your child can see, but the few hundred people behind you whos view you just blocked are not happy. Saw multiple parents do this during my last trip.

 

[dvczerfs]

Re: Judging parents for "forcing their kids" on rides...

FYI, there is no "chicken exit" for Haunted Mansion. We found that out the hard way.

DD (6) was fine till the "Lobby" where they close you in. Then she freaked.

I told her I would get her off...I PROMISED her I'd get her off. Asked the CM...NOPE! You're on the ride now!

WHAT?????




So...there I am...with a freaked out 6 yr old, whose Mommy had just "lied to her" (in her eyes), crammed in a stupid hearse, with her smushing her face into my chest (my suggestion) with her ears plugged.

Guess what? We GET STUCK on the stupid ride at the be-headed bride for 20 freakin' minutes! I have a sobbing 6 yr old begging me to tell her it's over... *I* was in tears!

H-E-double-toothpicks on earth!

Thank the sweet Lord for Peter Pan afterwards!

Don't judge, people...you have NO CLUE!

wow, in case you ever go on it again, when you get out of the stretching room, theres a door. i think it says "last chance" on it. thats the chicken exit. once your on the "ride" portion, your on the ride. when we were down in may there was a poor little girl scared out of her skin. i pointed out the escape door to her dad and they went out. when our dd was about 2 for some reason didnt like car.of prog. screamed!! no cm in the room, i got up with her and just pushed the door open and walked out. theres about a 2 foot walk way around the back but we got out.

 

[tinkermom23]

I really try not to judge parents because I don't know what their day has been like or what challenges they are facing at any particular moment. I certianly don't want people judging me and my parenting skills especially on vacation.

Now, my pet peeve, which I understand can have an explaination, but I doubt it... parents who walk along while their young children & toddlers walk 10 feet behind them. The parents may look back every 5 minutes or so, and thankfully, their child is still on their trail. I think of all the terrible things that can happen in a busy place like WDW. And if they do this on vacation, how much supervision do they give their lttle ones at home??

OK, I'm stepping down off my soapbox, aka "perfect-mother pedestal" now.

 

[DVCJones]

My dd's beg to go to the Neverland Club and don't want to leave once they are there. Sometimes kids want a vacation from their parents .

My DD6 have been asking to go to a kids club for the past 2 years. I have been telling her she needs to wait until my youngest DD is 4yo. (Disney's age limit)

A few months after our trip to WDW, when we sang happy birthday at my DD 4th birthday party, my DD6 yelled "Hooray, Jessica is 4, now we can go to the kids club at Disney World."

I guess my husband and I will have a "date night" next trip.

 

[luvsJack]

As the original OP this is exactly what I meant sorry if I wasn't clear. Especially the throwing in of a few names while yelling at a child. I never meant that children wouldn't have a melt down, be noisy, or misbehave and need some discipline but it is the harsh bullying and/or belittling tactics I have a problem with. And for those who wanted to know as I think you thought I did not understand I am (step)Mom to two wonderful boys one with ADHD. Everyday is a joy and a challenge.

Bless your heart on the ADHD part. My younger son was diagnosed when he was in 7th grade. He is 25 now and a new father, so they really do grow up!

I figured that was what you meant because that was my first thought when I was picturing a child being yelled at in Disney. I HATE that. I always want to scream at the parent STOP!! LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO YOUR CHILD!! It is just so sad.


I was just thinking of our first trip with dd when she was 4. I wonder how many people that saw us at the fireworks at MK put us as one of their pet peeves. She fell asleep in the stroller while we were waiting, it was our last night and she had been obsessed with Peter Pan and Tinkerbell all week. We didn't want her to miss seeing Tinkerbell (we actually thought it would be the last time ever to see her ). So there we were trying to get this sleeping child awake (and she was beyond exhausted). Sitting her up, shaking her a little, talking to her, tapping her leg and she kept whining "I'm sleepy"--I can only imagine how we looked to others trying to get this poor tired baby to wake up!

I promise we don't usually do that at home, we let her sleep when she's tired and now on our trips we know that we WILL be back and don't let her get so exhausted!

 

[roscoepc1]

wow, in case you ever go on it again, when you get out of the stretching room, theres a door. i think it says "last chance" on it. thats the chicken exit. once your on the "ride" portion, your on the ride. when we were down in may there was a poor little girl scared out of her skin. i pointed out the escape door to her dad and they went out. when our dd was about 2 for some reason didnt like car.of prog. screamed!! no cm in the room, i got up with her and just pushed the door open and walked out. theres about a 2 foot walk way around the back but we got out.

Thank you! There weren't any CM's there....and I was busy dealing with her, so I didn't see that. I asked the first CA I saw, and that was at the bottom of the ramp....we could have walked back up if he'd told us that! I don't think the people behind us would have minded, seeing how scared she was!

 

[SLK1]

I really try not to judge parents because I don't know what their day has been like or what challenges they are facing at any particular moment. I certianly don't want people judging me and my parenting skills especially on vacation.

Now, my pet peeve, which I understand can have an explaination, but I doubt it... parents who walk along while their young children & toddlers walk 10 feet behind them. The parents may look back every 5 minutes or so, and thankfully, their child is still on their trail. I think of all the terrible things that can happen in a busy place like WDW. And if they do this on vacation, how much supervision do they give their lttle ones at home??

OK, I'm stepping down off my soapbox, aka "perfect-mother pedestal" now.

My DH used to do that! It would make me so mad, and when I would tell him how stupid that was, he'd kind of shoosh me away, like, "It's fine, it's fine"! So, one day I pretended to be hanging back at a store or whatever and came up behind one of the kids and snatched them away. He quickly learned it was NOT fine!!!

 

[lntsmom]

Now, my pet peeve, which I understand can have an explaination, but I doubt it... parents who walk along while their young children & toddlers walk 10 feet behind them. The parents may look back every 5 minutes or so, and thankfully, their child is still on their trail. I think of all the terrible things that can happen in a busy place like WDW. And if they do this on vacation, how much supervision do they give their lttle ones at home??
QUOTE]

Not sure how young you'd call young children...but my 8 year old ALWAYS lags about 10 feet behind us. Doesn't matter how slow we go. It is something in him...we stop and wait, we go slow, he is just one of those kids that, left to his own, could spend all day exploring 50 feet of the park. He feels "safe" at that distance and can gawk all he wants.

It drives my older son crazy.

I figure, who cares. I occasionally yell back to him to keep up, knowing he won't but figuring he'll at least keep an eye on us. Funny how he never does this at the mall or at the zoo...just at Disney. I feel pretty confident in the security Disney provides...I guess he does, too.

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

I am right there with you on the high chair, but I just carried Clorox wipes with me to clean the high chair when dd was a baby. And I don't think anyone should be glaring at a baby for making noises, that's just what babies do.

But, your last statement got me. I am all for supporting mother's to breastfeed and it is certainly nothing to be ashamed of; but, don't you know when its getting close enough to feeding time that you could make a stop on an out of the way bench and feed your baby in peace?

I'd much rather sit on a bench and nurse, or find a quiet place where no one is particularly interested in what I'm doing. I'm not ashamed at all, but I don't want anyone checking me out at the same time. And there have been times where I see people trying to check it out. For real? My first was a comfort nurser who just needed to nurse to fall asleep sometimes, and my second is doing the same thing. If the time strikes, I'd much rather nurse DS than poke a paci in his mouth for the duration of where ever we might be. Happy baby = happy mommy.

Not every child eats on a perfect schedule. Of the three I have, only one did. And I doubt she was talking about feeding a baby on Dumbo, but as a mom who did nurse a baby on Kilimanjaro Safari, Mission Space, The energy ride at Epcot, and a couple of others, I'd have to say, there are many rides that are just as peaceful and discreet as any bench.

I'm with you! And I figured not Mission Space, either. No, not on Dumbo! That would be a real treat for both of us.

As far as nursing mothers go, as long as you got yourself good to go with a blanket, go for it. If it's discreet, then way to be!

It's the people who nurse in public places without any discretion that get me. I know what "ta-tas" are for, but that doesn't mean I need to see yours.

If I didn't have babies who were more interested in seeing the world around them than nursing, I wouldn't need a cover. We just found an indoor place to sit and cool off.

 

[beachgirl2000]

Dh and I don't plan on having a "vacation" of our own when we go to Disney. We know it's work going there! LOL We are blessed to have parents nearby and will care for the kids if we want to go away alone together.

I totally agree with you -- WHen we go to Disney, it's about my son and my husband and I having fun -- that is why I threatened to send him to Kids Camp if he misbehaved because he would rather spend the time with us, as a family -- I am not putting down anyone that sends their kids there, it's just not something I would do. Years from now, when he no longer wants to "hang" with mommy and daddy, then we can have a vacation without him but until that time, I am going to make sure we do things together. Plus, I enjoy it!

 

[beachgirl2000]

Oh and a question for the nursing moms -- can't you pump and put the milk into bottles -- just for these type of feedings? I never nursed so I don't know much about it!

 

[kevschickee]

Oh and a question for the nursing moms -- can't you pump and put the milk into bottles -- just for these type of feedings? I never nursed so I don't know much about it!

not all nursing babies will take bottles. Plus who wants to bring a pump to disney? Also would you really be able to keep it cold like it has to be? My DD would take a bottle then all of the sudden she wouldn't and I had to throuw a ton of pumped milk out

 

[Zeebs]

Oh and a question for the nursing moms -- can't you pump and put the milk into bottles -- just for these type of feedings? I never nursed so I don't know much about it!

How about NO why should we have to just because you might feel uncomfortable because you might catch a glimpse of my breast. I do not show it all to the world, but you being uncomfortable is not my concern my concern is feeding my child. Imagine if you were told you couldn't bottle feed your child until you have walked over to the baby care station. Would you be accepting in this? I wouldn't think so.

I have fed both my boys around Disneyland and Disneyworld on just about every ride they were allowed on.


To the people who can raise their children without yelling at them. Good for you really glad you can do that, but that doesn't mean those you do yell are ruining their kids.

And to think I wasn't going to post on this thread... Want to know what peeves me?

Judgemental people!!!

 

[beachgirl2000]

How about NO why should we have to just because you might feel uncomfortable because you might catch a glimpse of my breast. I do not show it all to the world, but you being uncomfortable is not my concern my concern is feeding my child. Imagine if you were told you couldn't bottle feed your child until you have walked over to the baby care station. Would you be accepting in this? I wouldn't think so.

Wow -- I wasn't trying to be judgemental -- That is why I said I didn't know because I never breast fed -- I just thought that was the purpose of the pumps -- so you could pump your own breastmilk to feed your child in this type of situation.

I guess my peeve is people with chips on their shoulder.

 

[kpm76]

Oh and a question for the nursing moms -- can't you pump and put the milk into bottles -- just for these type of feedings? I never nursed so I don't know much about it!

To answer your question, yes, you can pump, but for me pumping was almost always a fruitless effort. I never responded well to the pump and DD never took to a bottle so nursing was what we did. In addition, I had enough milk to feed a small country and would have needed to pump in the parks if I was not going to nurse for the day, so dragging a pump along was not convenient....it was just easier for DD to nurse, which helped both of us Then there is the issue of keeping it cold and warming it up to feed....just way too much work and thought involved for me. Nursing was so convenient....the milk was there, in the right temperature etc. I nursed on every bench in WDW......I don't think anyone noticed or cared what I was doing. After all, WDW is far more interesting than me nursing my baby

 

[luvsJack]

How about NO why should we have to just because you might feel uncomfortable because you might catch a glimpse of my breast. I do not show it all to the world, but you being uncomfortable is not my concern my concern is feeding my child. Imagine if you were told you couldn't bottle feed your child until you have walked over to the baby care station. Would you be accepting in this? I wouldn't think so.

I have fed both my boys around Disneyland and Disneyworld on just about every ride they were allowed on.


To the people who can raise their children without yelling at them. Good for you really glad you can do that, but that doesn't mean those you do yell are ruining their kids.

And to think I wasn't going to post on this thread... Want to know what peeves me?

Judgemental people!!!

But, no one ever suggested that you nurse your baby in the baby care station. She asked about pumping and I thought it was a good question (answered quite nicely by the next poster). Earlier, I asked about a bench. There are all over the place, not like you have to hike to the other side of the park or something.

Why do these question always have to come to someone saying "why should I have to . . . " Nurse your baby where ever you darn well please. Don't use anything to cover up with if you don't want to. But when people walk by and stare or say something about you not being discreet--don't get up in the air about that either. I have seen mother's nurse that no one could even tell what was going on--what is so wrong with that? But, by all means do whatever you feel is appropriate for you and your baby.

As for the yelling, it really is not the greatest thing (although, you are correct you are not "ruining" your children). Children that are yelled at will begin to yell themselves. I had a employee at my child care center that had a habit of raising her voice. Her classroom was the loudest because of that. The louder she got, the louder her kids got and visa versa. I took her aside and told her that she couldn't raise her voice to the kids. I then let her observe my own classroom. She saw a definite difference in the noise level and toned it down a lot. If they don't start yelling or even if they do, they will many times stop listening any time you are not yelling. Additionally, for some children, yelling at them can hurt their self esteem (I am not talking about the "hey, stop that!" type of yelling her, but more of the "how could you have done that?" and lecturing type of yelling). That's not my opinion, its what I have observed and what I have learned in early childhood development.

Maybe people wouldn't seem so judgmental if one tried not to be so defensive.