I want to apologize to all RCCL lovers

[stbmom]

Thanks for the support everyone!! Part of my post was in jest, but honestly - I have been a member of the "other side" for almost 10 cruises. When you go from being DINKS (double income, no kids) who loved being jet setters, thinking about nothing but getting some rest and having a good time with no cares in the world - it can be hard to deal with behavior you have never experienced or understand.

We won't be cruising until Dec. of 06 - after the little guy has had the majority of his immunizations. We will be on the Jewel - which we have cruised before.

I'm excited!!!

[babyjmomma]

I hate to admit this, but I haven't taken my DD on a cruise yet...she will be 4 this year and we are booking her innaugral cruise on the enchantment next summer. (I know she will love it, but I still wanna try just a weekend w/her)

ESTJ nailed it on the head...children don't know better, but their parents should. We take our DD everywhere, except cruises, and I know she is better off due to it. One of the few 3 year olds I know that asks the waitress at the Japanese restaurant for chopsticks to eat with. I will admit that before I had a kid, that outlandish behavior from children used to bother me. But now being a mom, I realize that kids act how its tolerated in their household...

[stbmom]

:) My dh cruised with his family when he was young - he and his sister, so we know how important it is to share the world with kids. And my son will have plenty of experience with Japenese resturants as well - my favorite food!!

But - I also want to make sure we are good citizens to others while exposing him to new and exciting things. I know we have a lot to learn about being parents, but we do know what we don't like;) . Have been around enough of that to last a life time!!

[peekskillny]

The attitudes that people on this board have towards children has really turned me off. I haven't said much because I realize that people are entitled to their own opinion. Maybe some of the cruise lines should offer "adult only" cruises so that all of the "kid haters" could cruise without being disturbed by our terrible little creatures. When I went on my cruise in August it was the adults that were the rudest. They hogged chairs and cut in front at the buffet line. They pushed and shoved when it came time to get off at the ports. I say take the kids and leave the nasty "kid haters" home.

[LeslieRN72]

I understand the being DINKS all too well! We liked being DINKS and din't want to have children. Oops. That didn't work out! He is the best mistake we ever made! Whatever you do don't stop doing the things you love "just because you have a baby". Fit the child into your life (rather than trying to fit into his) and you will be just fine!

 

Pleeaase expose your child to everything and anything as soon as possible! We took our son out for sushi and he loves it! We took our son camping and boating at 4 weeks and never stopped. He'll stay on the boat for 6-8 hours and not complain a bit! Because we got him out early he adapts to change easily.

 

My sister on the other hand...They didn't take their child many places or expose him to many things. It was always, "we can't, we have a baby." Their son is 4 years old and will only eat 4 things (although he seems to eat candy real well). He doesn't adapt to change easily. My BIL told my sister the other day that he's thinking of bringing special food for my nephew on the cruise because he's afraid the foods he likes won't be there. Give me a break! I would let him starve! He'll eat when he gets hungry! We looked at everything they did-and did the complete opposite!

 

Everyone will try to make you feel guilty and stupid (I live my life that way). Get really used to it. Just ignore them. Parenting is not a contest. Just go with your instincts and do whatever works for you and not necessarily everyone else.

 

As long as you don't make the child the center of your world and abandon everything else for him, you will be just fine. It's not difficult, unless you decide it will be. You sound like you're going to do great!:D

 

 

Les

[babyjmomma]

Amen to that sister Leslie! My best friend is like your sister with her kid...my best friends son is 1 month younger than my DD and he doesn't like hardly anything...we went to dinner a few months back and she brought him pb&j, a fruit cup and cheese to eat for dinner cause she didnt think he would try chinese food!? Are we giving them a choice to try it? Unthinkable...but he is just like that..and my friend can't believe that my daughter does do so much. She is an only child so far, so she likes to be w/the adults.

I do agree with the adults only cruise too...for those who would like to vaca w/out children...I wouldn't have minded that 2 weeks ago when someones screaming 5 year old kicked over my brand new bloody mary at the pool :mad: on the Sovereign... but his mom quickly replaced it, which was very appreciated!

[stbmom]

Thanks ladies!!

I will definitely take the advice of getting back in the swing of things early!! We already have a trip (domestic) planned when he is six months. That will start the "have baby, will travel" phase!!

I think that kids that grow up traveling are much better prepared than those that get their first taste at 9 or 10. I can't imagine a better education than seeing the world (not just the big pretty ship, but the cab ride through the country as well). We are so ready to bring books to life - read about a place then go see it.

Not to mention taking in our local places as well!

I will try not to forget what it was like as a DINK and just wanting a quiet eveing alone - then having others kind of put a damper on our experience. But, I really don't think it's the kids, usually the adults.

I am feeling lots better though!

[AmandaNS]

Our other hobby is camping, and I belong to a board that has a section on camping with kids. There are parents who have taken their kids camping at 3 or 4 WEEKS old. They grow up loving it, and as mentioned above, adapt well and are much more contented in general. DH and I don't have kids yet, but our hope is to not raise him / her in a bubble. Safety is important, but locking them in the house until they go to school doesn't help anyone. It also takes parents who are willing to roll with it, too. Doing stuff with small kids takes patience sometimes, and a realization of energy levels, sleep requirements, and all that stuff. Flexible, relaxed parents raise flexible, relaxed kids.

 

That being said, time without kids around is important for parents, too!! Never put your kids before your marriage / relationship with your partner, or everyone is unhappy.

 

All this from someone who doesn't have any kids... so it's only theory!!! But it's based on people I know.

[limbogirl]

I think the problem many people have with "kids" on a cruise are the kids who run and scream and play with the elevators even late at night! I have seen 11 and 12 year olds up at 11 or 12 without any supervision! I've seen them running through the halls playing hide and seek and creating a disturbance basically! I can walk the other way which I do and I can sleep through just about anything. But I can understand where all the complaints come from "about kids"! I have no ploblem with screaming babies and and indiganant 2 year olds. l've been there,done that!!! Some things you can't control! I do feel concerned for the safety about pre-teens and up on cruises because there has been rapes, murders and molestations on cruise ships! These ships are small cities without a lot of law behind them. If there is a problem on a cruise ship you will rarely hear about it. This is not the USA!! You have to be careful of your middle age kids and watch out for their safety! By the way,I am the mom of 2 boys. They are 18 and 21 but when they were little if there was mischief anywhere, they found it! I had to keep my eyes out! Just because someone is on a cruise does not mean they don't have to watch their kids!:)

[Disneycruisers]

Too bad you're not on the same cruise as our family. Our soon-to-be 11 year-old DD is crazy about babies/toddlers and would have loved to have stayed close to you so she could play with him!

[Nliedel]

I think the problem many people have with "kids" on a cruise are the kids who run and scream and play with the elevators even late at night!

 

You know the very few kids acting like unsupervised animals just wreck it for everyone else. I just hate that.

[alw1977]

As a current DINK (dual income, no kids) person, I can honestly say that I was not bothered by any "little ones" on our cruise in August. There were a few obnoxious 15-17 year olds, and a few bratty 7-9 years old, but overall the kids were fine. And I was NEVER bothered by a really little child - from infant to about 5. Really, most of the kids were surprisingly well-behaved. Now the adults, that might be a different story... Don't worry - take your child and have a great time. If you go on a cruise, one cannot expect solitude unless you're on your own balcony.

[Nliedel]

I have found annoying and rude people cross all age groups. For the most part just don't let anyone's behavior wreck your vacation. It's hard to know the whole story and that rude person next to you just might be under more stress than they can handle. No, they should not be taking it out on the rest of us but they just might not be in a position to know how they come off. If a kid is in the elevator alone being a jerk I would report him/her. Honestly tho I have rarely seen kids out of control. Drunken adults? Yep.

[ckrobyn]

I have found annoying and rude people cross all age groups. For the most part just don't let anyone's behavior wreck your vacation. It's hard to know the whole story and that rude person next to you just might be under more stress than they can handle. No, they should not be taking it out on the rest of us but they just might not be in a position to know how they come off. If a kid is in the elevator alone being a jerk I would report him/her. Honestly tho I have rarely seen kids out of control. Drunken adults? Yep.

 

Nancy -

I have just read your blog. WOW - you express yourself very well.

I was looking for an email address I can write to you.....would that be okay? I'm also on a personal weight loss journey (23 down, 27 to go!)

You can reach me at ckrobyn@hotmail.com :)

[Nliedel]

Nancy -

 

I have just read your blog. WOW - you express yourself very well.

 

I was looking for an email address I can write to you.....would that be okay? I'm also on a personal weight loss journey (23 down, 27 to go!)

 

You can reach me at ckrobyn@hotmail.com :)

\

 

Thank you so very much! I love your Avatar btw. I love that character.

 

Yes you may e-mail me anytime. nancy@liedel.org I am very open to hearing from people. I am going to be bad about answering for the next few weeks till after the cruise tho.

[jetskier]

Most kids reflect the tolerance of their parents (or lack of). The worse is the parents who do not discipline their children or that their kids are always correct. While fault can be placed on the child for misbehaving, the responsibility solely rests on the parent. Of course in our societies current mindset, it is everyones elses fault.

 

For the other poster, my 10 dd was bouncing off the walls in excitement about going on a cruise. To keep from being constantly asked how many more days, I made her a calendar so that she could mark off the days. She loved Camp Carnival so much, that we had a hard time getting her to leave. We did stipulate that she could not check herself out so we didnt have to worry about her roaming the halls. I dont know how much we embarrassed her when we did the Newlywed/not so Newlywed game, but the sight of her daddy in a pair of boxers and a boa will probably scar her for life.

 

So yes bring your child and enjoy every moment. They grow up so quickly. My wife doesnt work so that she could be with the children as they grow up. It is a sacrifice we decided to make as it means I have to work harder to support us.

Dave

[Nliedel]

Yep we have the calendar too. Each day after school another day is crossed off. It has become some sort of odd ritual with the boys. They have worked out a turn system and a colored pen system too. It involves the moving of the stool, the holding of the stool, the climbing of the stool and the count at the end to see how many more "sleeps" will have to be endured before the magical day arrives. I really think this is a good idea. Since they started doing this they never ask me the date for their homework anymore.

[Onessa]

You know the very few kids acting like unsupervised animals just wreck it for everyone else. I just hate that.

Amen, I hate to see all kids painted with the same broad brush. Just because some kids are poorly behaved, all kids are bad?

 

It would be as though I would assume that ANY pax travelling without kids was going to be rude to me and my child.

 

I don't assume all smokers are going to smoke in smoke-free areas, I don't assume all sun-worshippers are chair hogs, I don't assume that everyone going to the bingo game is so single-minded that they will trample me (ok, NOT making that last assumption could prove to be fatal - I HAVE discovered not to get between a bingo player and the door to the room where bingo is being held! :D )