Help! My child refuses to try the kids' club!

[mrspjotter]

We just got off a 12 nite southern carribbean on the EOS out 1st cruise and we have DS who is 8 and twin DD's who are 5 - before we went they were adament they weren't going to kids club because they didn't know anyone - so I downloaded some of the compasses from cruisinmama (thanks!) and started talking about the things they might be doing!

 

I used to read people's write-up's about their kids who rushed breakfast to get there and then couldn't wait the 2 hours from 12-2 before they could get back and thought my kids would never be like that but that is exactly how they were.

 

There were only 55 kids on the ship during the last cruise which probably helped - they pleaded us to go back in the evening after dinner which if they weren't so shattered and asleep by 8/8.30 most nights then they probably would've done. They even wanted me and DH to go off on the port days and leave them in kids club but I couldn't do that.The staff were amazing - they hated leaving on the last day and brought home a folder with all the stuff they'd done.

 

I really hope you'll have better luck this time - DH and I were a bit bored on the "not so sunny days at sea" but the kids were having fun so that was fine by us!:D

[CatherineL]

Hi, is there a creche or a day center place nearby that you could take your child to, to get him used to being away from you and playing with other kids? I did that with both my children from an early age, as I didn't have family support close by and my husband was working overseas.

 

Because they were used to it - they were quite happy to do those sorts of things on holidays. If you could get him used to it beforehand, it really would help and you would all have a more enjoyable time.

[mjmalino]

When we took our first cruise a couple years ago, my DS were 9 and 8. My 9YO didn't want to go to the kids camp. We made him a deal, go the first morning without us and after that he didn't have to go unless he wanted to go. Our thoughts were that that morning would be when friendships would really be starting to grow and I didn't want him to miss any of that if he decided to go later. Anyway, he came back that first morning and couldn't wait to go back. If it were up to him, he would have stayed in camp instead of going into port with us.

[griffy]

My Grandson is 15 and this will be his 8th cruise. He positively REFUSED to go to the kids club. We all went to the opening meeting, etc., and he was miserable at the thought of being left. He was in pre-school, but didn't consider himself a "team" player..even at 4. I'm extremely glad we decided it was his vacation too, and he was allowed to skip kids club. He went with us to the pool and on the tours and we did some adjusting but it was a family vacation and there were plenty of us on the trip. I'm so glad his Mom picked him up and said "fine. You can go with us." We tried in vain to tell him he would enjoy it. In the end, if we had left him unhappy, at the kids club, we would have been just as miserable.