Good Parenting (no, it's true! I saw it!)

[Beaumont]

Okay, I'm breaking out of lurker mode to share a miracle: I saw some good parenting last time I was in WDW. I was behind this child and his father on RnR and after waiting for a half hour in line we were finally the next to load. The dad told his kid to watch how fast the limos took off and then asked him, "are you sure you want to ride this?"
The kid said no and I espected the typical parental meltdown. Instead Dad just said, "Okay, lets get some lunch then" and they left by the chicken door. How awesome was that? I almost applauded. Most parents drag their terrified children everywhere because, dammit, they paid for it!
The sad part was this dad only had the one kid. Common sense should be encouraged genetically. I totally should have offered to expand the gene pool with him.
So anyone else spot the rare, elusive good parent?
(crickets chirping...)

[tacoboy]

*stands up*
*applauds*
*wipes away tear*

[PapaMouse]

The dad prob didn't want to ride to begin with, but the kid made a fuss until he got to see how fast it went then changed his mind. LOL

[darph nader]

No crickets chirping here. Suprise,suprise,a parent who 'gets it'. I doff my hat and tilt a cold one to the man of the hour,may they be fruitful and multiply.

(now,if I could just get my sons to listen/believe to me) :(

[DevilDuckie]

Okay, I'm breaking out of lurker mode to share a miracle: I saw some good parenting last time I was in WDW. I was behind this child and his father on RnR and after waiting for a half hour in line we were finally the next to load. The dad told his kid to watch how fast the limos took off and then asked him, "are you sure you want to ride this?"
The kid said no and I espected the typical parental meltdown. Instead Dad just said, "Okay, lets get some lunch then" and they left by the chicken door. How awesome was that? I almost applauded. Most parents drag their terrified children everywhere because, dammit, they paid for it!
The sad part was this dad only had the one kid. Common sense should be encouraged genetically. I totally should have offered to expand the gene pool with him.
So anyone else spot the rare, elusive good parent?
(crickets chirping...)

I am 32 years old and I'm *still* pissy about my mother forcing me onto Space Mountain when I was 7. It took me decades to be willing to try it again.

[leftcoaster]

I am 32 years old and I'm *still* pissy about my mother forcing me onto Space Mountain when I was 7. It took me decades to be willing to try it again.

Just don't pee in the bushes, especially backstage. ;)

[june1st1997]

Interesting topic...

I don't get people who make their kids do things that scare them. Your child is crying and you force them to continue on. That is just sadistic.

However... As a parent I know I want my daughter to try things. She's already a daredevil at 14 months and I have a ways to go til this is a real issue for our family.

We were just at the park and rode Pan and the Carousel. The dips on Pan freaked her out. I felt horrible. So we tried the Carousel (no dips) . She was great til the horse started to move... I hopped on with her and she was fine. Then we went to the petting zoo and spent the rest of our day there.

I know with my daughter the first time she does anything she does not like it much. It needs to be on her terms, when she is ready... she has a blast.

Again... I won't make her do anything she does not want to do, but I think you need to encourage them to try new things. With mine it will be leaving her with her dad as I ride Space Mountain (dad is NOT a coaster guy, so he will be very happy to wait with her). I know when she sees how much I love it, she will want to try and that is really all I hope for her... that she try new things.

I know... a bit sappy for SGT... But I was inspired.

[Syndrome]

I don't get people who make their kids do things that scare them. Your child is crying and you force them to continue on. That is just sadistic.

This reminds me of a rant that I've shared here before...the idiot at the haunted house in IL who dragged in his terrified daughter. For some reason, he spared his wife and son, both of whom were waiting outside. But dad forced the poor, petrified little girl in, and they were in the same group as my husband and I. Oddly enough (or maybe not so oddly, considering dad's lack of sensitivity), she clung to me rather than him throughout most of house (it was one of those walk-throughs that spring up in the Midwest around Halloween). She clung to my hip, and I patted her and comforted her as best as I could. Unfortunately, dad saw what was going on and lit into her. I tried to tell him it was fine and she wasn't bothering me at all, but I might as well have been talking to a wall. God, I wish I could have adopted that poor little girl! I hope someone vasectomizes that bastard with a rusty knife.

[june1st1997]

It's sick.

I felt like the most selfish person when my daughter reached for me on Pan. I thought... "I totally forgot about those dips and if I had rememeberd would not have anticipated she would freak."

We go often and I do not repeat rides she has gotten upset on (on the same visit) . I have decided I will wait till I think she can handle it. Snow white was her 1st ride at 3 months and she was fine it. At 6 months we did Alice.. She hated it. But I think now she would be ok. At 6 months we did IASW and she hated it... tried it again at 1 year and she was fine. Now I think she would love it.

Did pirates @ 6 months and she hated it. I think I will wait til she is much older... 2 or 3 or maybe 5 to try that again. Bottomline... I have no idea when she will be ready.

When take my daughter I am going to show her the park. I know going in that I will spend alot of time at the petting zoo and looking at flowers, ducks, birds. If I want to ride... I go alone.

And when she is upset I am absolutely trying to comfort her. And I feel horrible...

[BRWombat]

I love this thread. I had the same experience back in '03, when my then-8-year-old son Brandon wanted to ride Tower of Terror. I made sure he knew it was scary, he assured me he did and wanted to ride anyway. We waited in line, getting more and more excited by the minute, got into the preshow -- and he completely freaked out, got scared and said he didn't want to ride any more! Apparently, he knew it was scary because of the elevator drop, but didn't realize that it was also creepy-scary, Twilight Zone style (which at 8 I can't blame him for).

I did briefly try to talk him into going since we had waited that long, but he was pretty set, so we took the chicken exit (which is also an elevator, albeit a normal one -- maybe not the best design choice for those not wanting to ride!). I still have never ridden ToT (dang it!), and to this day he still is not keen on riding... though that may change, since his younger brother is turning into a thrill junkie and wants to ride, and Brandon can't stand to see that little brother is braver than he is!