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

[ktulu]

My daughter, Abby, was 1 when we took her to Disneyland. She rode everything she could and didn't have any problems, although she did sleep on Buzz Lightyear. Now that she is getting older (she'll be 2 on her next trip to Disneyland in July, and her first trip to WDW in Sept.) I'm thinking she may not be too keen on rides like Haunted Mansion, but I hope she still likes pirates :) She did NOT like the characters last time, and she was scared of the Easter Bunny, but she watches lots of Mickey Mouse clubhouse, so maybe she'll be okay with those characters.

[Dramamama07]

I like to see parents who are sensitive to their children...but more often you notice the ones who are total jerks instead. For example: I was waiting in line for Haunted Mansion when I hear the sobs of a young child saying "mommy I don't wanna go on the scary ride mama.....I don't wanna!!!". The mother proceeds to tell her child that "this isn't a scary ride, it's a funny ride!" (the kid is all but 4 mind you...also I have a soft spot for this ride because i didn't get the nerve to ride it until I was 13 and even then I didn't open my eyes!) The kid does not believe the mother and continues to beg not to be taken on the ride. (I can't say I would believe her either, the mansion is pretty creepy looking.) Suddenly the river boat comes by tooting it's horn and the child points excitedly "Mommy I want to go on the boat." Suddenly the mother's face lights up "But that IS what we're going on! This is the line for the boat!". The child was then satisfied. How wrong is that? I don't even want to think about the problems that kid is going have!

[Syndrome]

Uh oh, I'm afraid that Aramgeddon must be coming...I saw good parenting today, too! Well, not a direct example, but from the child's behavior, I had to give Mom and Dad a compliment because they must be doing something right.

I was flying on SW in the exit row and didn't pay too much attention to who was behind me. During the flight, I didn't hear anything other than occasional chatting. I felt a couple slight bumps on my seatback, but nothing more than you'd feel if the person is putting their tray table down or up or whatever. All in all, it was very peaceful (I was thanking my lucky stars we hadn't sat near the shrieker a few aisles across and up from us).

At the very end of the flight, I hear some fussing and crying (the normal stuff when a kid's ears are popping during descent). I glanced back, and there was a little toddler strapped into a car seat behind me. I was shocked! Other than the understandable (and actually quite brief) whimpering on the descent, she had been quiet and hadn't kicked or grabbed my seat or done any of those other things that too many parents seem to think are so "cute." She was a little angel! I made it a point to tell Mom and Dad what a sweet, well-behaved kid she was and what a pleasure it had been to sit in front of them. I've had some pretty hellish flights due to "sugar kids" behind me, so it was a welcome relief to have the opposite.

[futureimagineer]

I hate it when parents force there kids to go on rides when they don't want to. I was at a small park by me today and a parent was bribing her kid to go on the Double Shot (launch tower ride) with toys.

[Beaumont]

After seeing that dad on RnR, I turned "good parenting" into my new "hidden mickey" and dammit, it's a lot harder. Although I did see a mom tell her kid she could have the crackers in her purse if she was truly hungry, but she wasn't getting an ice cream sandwich because she didn't eat much lunch. Awesome. Wasting food and getting rewarded for it later is a pet peeve of mine, but with crackers she avoided that low-blood-sugar meltdown that hits kids.
And I saw a mom tell her little girl she could have a balloon at the end of the day if she didn't tease her brother all day. Awesome twofold. She learns good behavior gets rewarded and now her mom doesn't have to deal with a balloon all day. Where to put it while they're on a ride, etc. I have a feeling the "not dealing with the balloon" was more important than the teasing the little brother, but she still gets parenting points. Plus she picked something the little girl had control over instead of the general and confusing "be good."

[Panther007]

I hate it when parents force there kids to go on rides when they don't want to. I was at a small park by me today and a parent was bribing her kid to go on the Double Shot (launch tower ride) with toys.

Yea... but i got alot of T-shirts from my mom doing it to me (i was 14 and 15 at the time, and a big chicken)

I can accucally thank her now because i am now 16 and my fav ride is The Rock N Rollercoster Starring AEROSMITH

and can you take a guess on how i got on the ride?

by Mom, she bribed me with a T-shirt (go on rnrc and i got a Rnrc T-shirt)

it was good for me because i didnt have to pay for it myself :-P (rode a ride and got $20) and i got a Favorite ride and broke out of my fear of the "big rides"

[disneyprincess1988]

I have to agree with what futureimagineer said in regards to parents forcing their kids to go on rides they are scared of. I was that scared child when I was 9 years old. It was 1994 and Tower of Terror had just opened at MGM Studios. Guess who got dragged on kicking and screaming by her mom and dad? *raises hand.

I was so traumatized I refused to do the ride again until I was 18.

[SWTexasBelle]

Because Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride, I made sure to prepare all four of my children before their first ride on it. We watched the Disney Sing-A-Long "Disneyland Fun" and learned the words to "Grim Grinning Ghosts". We listened to the HM cd - and read a book. While in line, we would read the tombstones and look for Leota's eyes to open. I let them know that is a funny scary ride - Mickey would never let them be hurt. It seemed to work with them, thank God!

[crystal_crtr]

Because Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride, I made sure to prepare all four of my children before their first ride on it. We watched the Disney Sing-A-Long "Disneyland Fun" and learned the words to "Grim Grinning Ghosts". We listened to the HM cd - and read a book. While in line, we would read the tombstones and look for Leota's eyes to open. I let them know that is a funny scary ride - Mickey would never let them be hurt. It seemed to work with them, thank God!

That's what I did. My daughter watched the Haunted Mansion movie and I explained to her that the ride isn't as scary as the movie. I also showed her the specials that they have had on TV explaining how the "monsters" and ghosts work for the different rides. The movie didn't bother her just so you don't think that I'm a bad mom for making her watch it.

[SueOKW]

I have a very great good parenting story - and yeah - it's about ME! (it's always about me) woo hoo!!!

It was just my daughters and me, and we got to MK at opening, they rode Space, I had coffee (and didn't dump it into anyone's backpack), and then we all rode Buzz...

What to do next??? Let's work our way over to Splash etc... oh wait - - Houston we have a problem. My oldest won't sit alone and my youngest won't sit alone, and they won't sit with each other.

ummmmmmmm. ok, we'll do those rides when we have more people! How about Haunted Mansion?! We were the first people in line (must have been early opening or something?) anyway - - we are waiting and my youngest is nervous.... The butler SLAMS the door open and she about JUMPS out of her skin!!! "can't go... no Mom... not now.. please no mom"

Ok, i'm thinking, we walked all the way there and here and there and have done nothing.. she's quaking, and I'm like - no prob, let's take the train to Toontown - ok?

We have about 15 minutes before it opens, and are just kicking back enjoying the scenery and the quiet... Alice and the Mad Hatter come out and pick my kids to open up Toontown. They were thrilled. Totally.

A much better ending than arguing about rides!!!! I've often thought that good things happen when you least expect it.