Unruly Kids

Several years ago we got onto an elevator with another adult couple, and along came 3 little girls, about 10 years old or so. The one little girl pushed all of the buttons on the elevator and at each stop when the doors opened she would get out then come right back in. I said something to the little girl pushing the buttons and her friends got off at the next stop and wouldn't get back on, told the button-pushing-little-girl to come on. They were clearly embarrassed by her behavior. On her way out she turned to me, tossing her head and said in a syrupy-sweet little voice, "don't you like it when we push all the buttons?" I said "no, we don't, you little monster." She just laughed, tossed her head and went with her friends. I was so hoping to be on an elevator again with her, AND her parents so I could smile at her and syrupy-sweetly say "don't you want to push all the buttons this time like you did before?" Never happened though, darn it. And this was back before everyone had cell phones. If this same thing happened today I would definitely take a photo of the little brat. Maybe post it on here and ask "is this your little darling?" :)

 

I can understand "kids being kids" as we had two of our own, and maybe pushing all the buttons in the elevator when no one else is on would be one thing, but to inconvenience other people on the elevator goes a bit over the line in my opinion. And the kids that run down the halls late at night knocking on people's doors really ought to be punished. If people are sleeping and rudely awakened by some kid knocking on their door they have every right to complain about them to guest services. But I don't suppose guest services would do anything about it. Maybe that's one of the main reasons kids get away with so much, they know that no one will do anything about it.

 

I've never understood people who just let their young children (under 13) roam the ship all day, every day, and into the night. No curfew, no structure, no parenting. Just because you're on a cruise ship doesn't mean they don't need supervision.

Any suggestions for punishing the adults that come back to their room all hours of the night talking loudly and slamming the doors?

The best I got is slam my door at 6 am when we go for coffee....but my guess is those insensitive people wouldn't get it anyway...

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P.S. Based on the behavior in Parliament in Ottawa and Congress in Washington, I think bad behavior by children is not a new phenomenon.

The misbehaving kids may even pale in comparison. LOL

Several years ago we got onto an elevator with another adult couple, and along came 3 little girls, about 10 years old or so. The one little girl pushed all of the buttons on the elevator and at each stop when the doors opened she would get out then come right back in. I said something to the little girl pushing the buttons and her friends got off at the next stop and wouldn't get back on, told the button-pushing-little-girl to come on. They were clearly embarrassed by her behavior. On her way out she turned to me, tossing her head and said in a syrupy-sweet little voice, "don't you like it when we push all the buttons?" I said "no, we don't, you little monster." She just laughed, tossed her head and went with her friends. I was so hoping to be on an elevator again with her, AND her parents so I could smile at her and syrupy-sweetly say "don't you want to push all the buttons this time like you did before?" Never happened though, darn it. And this was back before everyone had cell phones. If this same thing happened today I would definitely take a photo of the little brat. Maybe post it on here and ask "is this your little darling?" :)

 

I can understand "kids being kids" as we had two of our own, and maybe pushing all the buttons in the elevator when no one else is on would be one thing, but to inconvenience other people on the elevator goes a bit over the line in my opinion. And the kids that run down the halls late at night knocking on people's doors really ought to be punished. If people are sleeping and rudely awakened by some kid knocking on their door they have every right to complain about them to guest services. But I don't suppose guest services would do anything about it. Maybe that's one of the main reasons kids get away with so much, they know that no one will do anything about it.

 

I've never understood people who just let their young children (under 13) roam the ship all day, every day, and into the night. No curfew, no structure, no parenting. Just because you're on a cruise ship doesn't mean they don't need supervision.

I somewhat agree on things that you wrote. But I think the reason these kids are brats is that society has taken rights away from the parents to discipline their kids are not afraid of their parents because they know that if the parents touch them they tell the school nurse and DCF is called. Besides I think kids that come from a one parent family, usually the mom, some have no respect for themselves or others and unfortunately it is only going to worse.

Gary

Any suggestions for punishing the adults that come back to their room all hours of the night talking loudly and slamming the doors?

 

The best I got is slam my door at 6 am when we go for coffee....but my guess is those insensitive people wouldn't get it anyway...

 

 

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Adults can be just as annoying, I agree! :) I never hear hallway noise during the night because I am a very light sleeper so everything would wake me up, so I wear earplugs.

I somewhat agree on things that you wrote. But I think the reason these kids are brats is that society has taken rights away from the parents to discipline their kids are not afraid of their parents because they know that if the parents touch them they tell the school nurse and DCF is called. Besides I think kids that come from a one parent family, usually the mom, some have no respect for themselves or others and unfortunately it is only going to worse.

 

Gary

There are other ways of disciplining besides spanking (although we did spank when we were raising our kids, there is a difference between spanking and abusing but that's a whole other subject for discussion isn't it?). Unruly kids should be kept with their parents, not be allowed to run amok through the ship at all hours of the day/night. If children won't behave hit 'em where it hurts, you take their electronics away. No more video games, No more cell phones. Behave and you get them back. Simple.

The only thing I got from reading this entire thread is to quit screwing around and buy my own island and check out from society.

According the the Atlantic magazine 80% of the population of the US has an IQ lower than 90 points. If you question this statistic you may want to take a cruise in the summer and experience it first hand. Personally, I see the way these people act and wonder how they get through life. Unfortunately, kids mimic their parents. When they see Mom and Dad totally out of control because they have been drinking non-stop since 8:00AM they think this is acceptable behavior for a vacation. Sadly, the rest of us reap the results.

My bad......didn't know that I was griping. Guess it's perfectly acceptable to gripe about someone griping.

If I had your email address I'd gripe directly to you, about your griping but since I don't I posted here. You have Carnival's email address.

The misbehaving kids may even pale in comparison. LOL

May?:confused:

:D

The only thing I got from reading this entire thread is to quit screwing around and buy my own island and check out from society.

 

According the the Atlantic magazine 80% of the population of the US has an IQ lower than 90 points. If you question this statistic you may want to take a cruise in the summer and experience it first hand. Personally, I see the way these people act and wonder how they get through life. Unfortunately, kids mimic their parents. When they see Mom and Dad totally out of control because they have been drinking non-stop since 8:00AM they think this is acceptable behavior for a vacation. Sadly, the rest of us reap the results.

Well, if it's in the Atlantic, then it MUST be true😉 The main stream media would NEVER publish anything that was false....

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Unfortunately I've also seen a drunk barely teen trying to order from a bar. It made me wonder how he got so drunk in the first place. Someone had to give the kid the alcohol.

When I was 21, I looked 13. I was constantly being questioned in bars, casinos, liquor stores, etc. They wouldn't even bother checking my ID most of the time, they would just kick me out. If I ordered a drink at a restaurant, the servers would laugh thinking I was joking. Even on Carnival, I had problems ordering drinks. They would accuse me of using someone else's S&S because there was no way I could be 22 and married (S&S said Mrs.). I was even asked to sign up for the teen club when I was 23!

When I was 21, I looked 13. I was constantly being questioned in bars, casinos, liquor stores, etc. They wouldn't even bother checking my ID most of the time, they would just kick me out. If I ordered a drink at a restaurant, the servers would laugh thinking I was joking. Even on Carnival, I had problems ordering drinks. They would accuse me of using someone else's S&S because there was no way I could be 22 and married (S&S said Mrs.). I was even asked to sign up for the teen club when I was 23!

He was definitely a kid. After the bartender took his card I thought she was going to serve him but instead she called security and made the kid a shirley temple. I watched and I know there was no alcohol in it. Not sure what happened with security as we were waiting for our dinner table and our pager lit up at that time.

My friend called me the old lady on the block when we were trying to take an afternoon nap (too much sun) and I kept hearing the really loud snapping noise from the hallway. I was frustrated b/c it kept hitting right as I was falling asleep. I told her if I heard it one more time I was throwing my robe on and going out there. Sure enough, "pow." I jumped up, threw my robe on (like a ninja) and opened the door. I didn't have my glasses on, so all I saw were two blurry figures standing to my left with something that looked like a belt. I looked at them and said, "I'm sorry, but my friend and I got burnt today and are trying to rest, can you stop." They just looked at me and high tailed it up the hallway. TBH, I thought my tone and the way I asked were very nice considering. But when I returned to the room, my friend looked at me and said, "And stay off my grass!" while shaking her fist. I think I was 29 at the time. lol.

I try to give kids and young adults the benefit of the doubt. I was their age once and I know that even though my parents raised a respectful child, I was still only a child and did stupid things. I usually will only speak up if myself or someone else will be hurt. Although my cruise friend did this in Kroger once and it was not a great result. A young 13 year old was bouncing and running up and down the aisle, his mother was there. My friend ignored it until he bounced right into her and knocked her into a shelf. She is a 6'2 amazon woman, so he had to have hit her pretty hard to knock her. She turned to him and in a stern voice said, "You need to stop bouncing around, you are going to hurt someone." The mother decided that's when she wanted to pay attention and came up and started yelling at my friend. My friend decided just to walk away to avoid anymore confrontation and the woman came up behind her and slapped her in the head. The store manager had heard the commotion by then and came over and told my friend that he had it on camera if she wanted to press charges. The woman grabbed her kid and left. It's that modeled behavior that kids see and then recreate. But I really think most people are good parents and (knock on wood) I haven't seen any real issues with kids on cruise ships.

When I was 21, I looked 13. I was constantly being questioned in bars, casinos, liquor stores, etc. They wouldn't even bother checking my ID most of the time, they would just kick me out. If I ordered a drink at a restaurant, the servers would laugh thinking I was joking. Even on Carnival, I had problems ordering drinks. They would accuse me of using someone else's S&S because there was no way I could be 22 and married (S&S said Mrs.). I was even asked to sign up for the teen club when I was 23!

And when you're 60+, you'll remember those times fondly...

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As a "helicopter parent" I think half of you are either out of touch of just plain obnoxious! I, first of all, am a SINGLE MOM....I take great offense at the poster that said that children of single "moms" have no respect. You obviously do not respect the AWESOME job I am doing. And while my child has a few advantages, if you ask anyone how delightful and well behaved she is, IN SPITE OF the cell phone she has had since she was 8 because I AM a single mother and need her to call me if the baby sitter etc is or has a problem while I am working...they will tell you that she is NOT unruly or a "brat". She doesn't run around a ship either because old people are perverts. How is THAT for generalization? Personally....I think that if you choose a family cruiseline you need to deal with families. If you don't like my kids....go elsewhere. You wont see mine in an elevator unattended. Unsafe. But I will see you after too many drinks fall and break your leg!

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As a "helicopter parent" I think half of you are either out of touch of just plain obnoxious! I, first of all, am a SINGLE MOM....I take great offense at the poster that said that children of single "moms" have no respect. You obviously do not respect the AWESOME job I am doing. And while my child has a few advantages, if you ask anyone how delightful and well behaved she is, IN SPITE OF the cell phone she has had since she was 8 because I AM a single mother and need her to call me if the baby sitter etc is or has a problem while I am working...they will tell you that she is NOT unruly or a "brat". She doesn't run around a ship either because old people are perverts. How is THAT for generalization? Personally....I think that if you choose a family cruiseline you need to deal with families. If you don't like my kids....go elsewhere. You wont see mine in an elevator unattended. Unsafe. But I will see you after too many drinks fall and break your leg!

 

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Hey girl just want to say your doing an amazing job and I know how hard it is because I was also a single mom for several years. Don't let the ignorant idiots who think all single moms are uneducated trash bother you.

To all those snobs on here, yeah I called you snobs, who think it's ok to generalize and insult single and working mothers, you have no idea how hard of a job it is. And no the kids of a single or working mom are not more likely to be rude or obnoxious. In fact they are probably most likely to be the opposite. Show some respect and until you have worked a successful career while raising kids on your own, you can keep your mouth shut on what single moms (or dads) do and don't do.

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As a "helicopter parent" I think half of you are either out of touch of just plain obnoxious! I, first of all, am a SINGLE MOM....I take great offense at the poster that said that children of single "moms" have no respect. You obviously do not respect the AWESOME job I am doing. And while my child has a few advantages, if you ask anyone how delightful and well behaved she is, IN SPITE OF the cell phone she has had since she was 8 because I AM a single mother and need her to call me if the baby sitter etc is or has a problem while I am working...they will tell you that she is NOT unruly or a "brat". She doesn't run around a ship either because old people are perverts. How is THAT for generalization? Personally....I think that if you choose a family cruiseline you need to deal with families. If you don't like my kids....go elsewhere. You wont see mine in an elevator unattended. Unsafe. But I will see you after too many drinks fall and break your leg!

 

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My husband and I turn 60 this year so maybe you consider that old, but we are not perverts. :) But I do understand where you are coming from and I commend you for not letting your 8-year-old daughter take an elevator alone, that is good common sense. I think some parents (some, not all, and single/duo parents too) think when they get on the ship it's like Disneyland and nothing bad can/will happen to their kids. I wouldn't allow my 8-year-old to ride in an elevator in a hotel alone, so I certainly wouldn't allow it on a cruise ship either. If more parents were like you and watched their children better, there wouldn't be a discussion about unruly kids on here. I can't even imagine being a single parent, and the difficulties that entails, but you sound like a great, caring single mom. It's too bad that poster here made such a generalization about single parents, he/she should have said "some" are that way, but ALL are most certainly not that way.

The last time I got on an elevator with a couple of kids who'd already pushed all of the buttons, I hit the one that wasn't illuminated and said to them, "You missed one."

 

 

 

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Love this. I consider that fairly harmless behavior. I remember doing that when we were kids and my parents did an awesome job with the 4 of use considering how young they were, IMHO. I've seen kids do much worse.

As a "helicopter parent" I think half of you are either out of touch of just plain obnoxious! I, first of all, am a SINGLE MOM....I take great offense at the poster that said that children of single "moms" have no respect. You obviously do not respect the AWESOME job I am doing. And while my child has a few advantages, if you ask anyone how delightful and well behaved she is, IN SPITE OF the cell phone she has had since she was 8 because I AM a single mother and need her to call me if the baby sitter etc is or has a problem while I am working...they will tell you that she is NOT unruly or a "brat". She doesn't run around a ship either because old people are perverts. How is THAT for generalization? Personally....I think that if you choose a family cruiseline you need to deal with families. If you don't like my kids....go elsewhere. You wont see mine in an elevator unattended. Unsafe. But I will see you after too many drinks fall and break your leg!

 

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As a non-pervert 60+ non-drinker, thanks for being just as bad as the other people who "generalize". Nice job...

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Bingo....

 

I always thought that moms who took the kids on cruises were "working moms"....and being with the kids was a novelty.

 

The "stay at home moms" would know that taking a child on a trip won't be a vacation.

 

After a trip with my "then 3 year old"....we didn't make any major trips until he was 12.

I was a "working Mom" and a "dance Mom" and a "soccer/basketball Mom" and yes taking my children on trips was a novelty....after that I have to respectfully disagree with you. They were also a vacation. We always took our kids on at least 1 week long trip a year from the time they were born, some by land and some by sea. They were excellent travelers and trips became a family priority for us to get some real quality family time together...and we did spend it together. My kids preferred hanging out and doing activities with us than gong to the kids clubs. We started cruising with them when they were 4 and 7. They are now 20 and 23 and have been on 10 cruises with us and countless land vacations. Each and every one of those trips were a fun filled vacation for all of us. Please don't judge a "parents" ability to parent based on whether they were "working parent". Working or not has nothing to do with the discipline a child received and the behaviors they were taught.

I have been cruising with my boys since they were 5 and 7. Our fist one was on Conquest out of New Orleans. The boys loved watching Emeril on TV so we decided to eat at one of his restaurants for Brunch in the morning before we got on the ship. It was one downtown that was an old Victorian style house and it was pretty fancy. Food was great. Not once did you hear an inappropriate peep out of them as they have been raised with manners and respect from the time they were little. After we were done eating, an elderly gentleman came up and thanked us for them being so well behaved.

They have been taught the right way to act for their whole lives. I can honestly say not once has either of them had a toddler temper tantrum meltdown in a store, acted wild and crazy running around on a ship or elsewhere, and when they meet someone for the first time they call them Mr or Ms. In fact, when I introduced them to Bob (who isn't their dad), they called him Mr Bob. And still do to this day even though they are young adults.

While a 2 parent home is ideal, I have seen plenty of kids that act wild even when this is the case. My boys have lived both with their father for some years and with me for others. The fact is that we get along (better actually now that we're not married) and are still friends. Even him and Bob talk and go do things and he stays here at the house when he visits. We have always stood a united front in making sure they had a proper upbringing and grew up to be productive, respectful members of society. There is no place for pettiness or bickering or some of the hateful things that can go on when divorce happens. You may think you're getting back and punishing the opposite party, but all you are really doing is teaching your children that it's OK to be a nasty person to someone you don't get along with anymore. They pick up on that stuff and it does affect them. I am grateful that we chose not to go that route.

So IMHO it's not so much about the quantity of people they live with, but rather the quality of people that are doing the raising. Their dad is a retired Air Force Captain, Bob is in the Fire Dept obviously, and I have always worked. Just because people work doesn't mean they can't take the time to teach them right from wrong. And just because someone stays home with the kids doesn't mean they are any better. It all starts with the attitude and beliefs of the parent(s). I think you will find that the unruly ones are offspring of the lazy parent. They themselves have no respect for rules or people and so just let them run willy nilly. They are also the ones that have a problem with you saying something to their precious little angel when you witness them misbehaving. The child is only mimicking what they have seen growing up. And that is what is wrong with society. Laziness.

The last time I got on an elevator with a couple of kids who'd already pushed all of the buttons, I hit the one that wasn't illuminated and said to them, "You missed one."

 

 

 

SaveSave

Here here! I always find these kid bashing threads so unreasonable. I don't know why people get so worked up about petty stuff such as the elevator buttons. Chances are good that the elevator is going to stop at every floor anyway. Geesh.

And the bashing of parents against other parents and the stereotyping is just sad. How snippy and judgemental can people be. :(

I have been cruising with my boys since they were 5 and 7. Our fist one was on Conquest out of New Orleans. The boys loved watching Emeril on TV so we decided to eat at one of his restaurants for Brunch in the morning before we got on the ship. It was one downtown that was an old Victorian style house and it was pretty fancy. Food was great. Not once did you hear an inappropriate peep out of them as they have been raised with manners and respect from the time they were little. After we were done eating, an elderly gentleman came up and thanked us for them being so well behaved.

 

They have been taught the right way to act for their whole lives. I can honestly say not once has either of them had a toddler temper tantrum meltdown in a store, acted wild and crazy running around on a ship or elsewhere, and when they meet someone for the first time they call them Mr or Ms. In fact, when I introduced them to Bob (who isn't their dad), they called him Mr Bob. And still do to this day even though they are young adults.

 

While a 2 parent home is ideal, I have seen plenty of kids that act wild even when this is the case. My boys have lived both with their father for some years and with me for others. The fact is that we get along (better actually now that we're not married) and are still friends. Even him and Bob talk and go do things and he stays here at the house when he visits. We have always stood a united front in making sure they had a proper upbringing and grew up to be productive, respectful members of society. There is no place for pettiness or bickering or some of the hateful things that can go on when divorce happens. You may think you're getting back and punishing the opposite party, but all you are really doing is teaching your children that it's OK to be a nasty person to someone you don't get along with anymore. They pick up on that stuff and it does affect them. I am grateful that we chose not to go that route.

 

So IMHO it's not so much about the quantity of people they live with, but rather the quality of people that are doing the raising. Their dad is a retired Air Force Captain, Bob is in the Fire Dept obviously, and I have always worked. Just because people work doesn't mean they can't take the time to teach them right from wrong. And just because someone stays home with the kids doesn't mean they are any better. It all starts with the attitude and beliefs of the parent(s). I think you will find that the unruly ones are offspring of the lazy parent. They themselves have no respect for rules or people and so just let them run willy nilly. They are also the ones that have a problem with you saying something to their precious little angel when you witness them misbehaving. The child is only mimicking what they have seen growing up. And that is what is wrong with society. Laziness.

You said about the same thing I did but better. Thanks for that!

You said about the same thing I did but better. Thanks for that!

Well thank you and you're welcome :D

I don't know if we're lucky but we haven't had any serious problems with kids on cruises but since we're empty nesters now I prefer cruises when most of the kids are in school. Our last one was over-run with the little tykes (a June cruise). The main pool was a zoo filled with kids having fun. Not a big deal...I just found a quieter spot toward the back of the ship. Kids (teens) liked to hang out on the stairs but they quickly moved when anyone had to use them. We've never experienced kids running down the halls pounding on doors or just generally being a pain in the butt.

I have been cruising with my boys since they were 5 and 7. Our fist one was on Conquest out of New Orleans. The boys loved watching Emeril on TV so we decided to eat at one of his restaurants for Brunch in the morning before we got on the ship. It was one downtown that was an old Victorian style house and it was pretty fancy. Food was great. Not once did you hear an inappropriate peep out of them as they have been raised with manners and respect from the time they were little. After we were done eating, an elderly gentleman came up and thanked us for them being so well behaved.

 

They have been taught the right way to act for their whole lives. I can honestly say not once has either of them had a toddler temper tantrum meltdown in a store, acted wild and crazy running around on a ship or elsewhere, and when they meet someone for the first time they call them Mr or Ms. In fact, when I introduced them to Bob (who isn't their dad), they called him Mr Bob. And still do to this day even though they are young adults.

 

While a 2 parent home is ideal, I have seen plenty of kids that act wild even when this is the case. My boys have lived both with their father for some years and with me for others. The fact is that we get along (better actually now that we're not married) and are still friends. Even him and Bob talk and go do things and he stays here at the house when he visits. We have always stood a united front in making sure they had a proper upbringing and grew up to be productive, respectful members of society. There is no place for pettiness or bickering or some of the hateful things that can go on when divorce happens. You may think you're getting back and punishing the opposite party, but all you are really doing is teaching your children that it's OK to be a nasty person to someone you don't get along with anymore. They pick up on that stuff and it does affect them. I am grateful that we chose not to go that route.

 

So IMHO it's not so much about the quantity of people they live with, but rather the quality of people that are doing the raising. Their dad is a retired Air Force Captain, Bob is in the Fire Dept obviously, and I have always worked. Just because people work doesn't mean they can't take the time to teach them right from wrong. And just because someone stays home with the kids doesn't mean they are any better. It all starts with the attitude and beliefs of the parent(s). I think you will find that the unruly ones are offspring of the lazy parent. They themselves have no respect for rules or people and so just let them run willy nilly. They are also the ones that have a problem with you saying something to their precious little angel when you witness them misbehaving. The child is only mimicking what they have seen growing up. And that is what is wrong with society. Laziness.

BRAVO! Well said. I've seen wonderful kids raised in all kind of homes. As well as holly terrors.

Attention adults: open your mouth and say something, if the kids are doing something wrong speak up

Thank you! I would!

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