Is that how I look?

[Ladyfair]

I gotta tell you, I might have accidentally looked like that once!

My youngest was a really cute bubbly blonde toddler, with long curly pony tails, and a penchant for getting really excited at Disney and running when she saw anything to do with Tigger. Well, one day she saw Tigger far off in the distance - well, little did I know it was only a Tigger t-shirt in the store outside the ride. She dropped my hand and took off like the hounds of Hades were at her heels! First I grabbed for the hand, but the grab went to the elbow, then the shoulder..... and before I knew it, I had latched on to nothing but her pony tail and was lucky to have a hold of that as her feet were still moving as fast as they could toward who knew where?

I know I looked like some kind of monster mom, hanging on to the pony tail of this angelic looking child screaming for 'tooger' while her sister was jumping up and down wanting me to let her sister go so they could go find him.

And yes, DH has the whole thing on film... he was laughing too hard to help me, so we now have footage of me glaring at him, while looking like Mommy Dearest while half the population of Disney is glaring back at me. Sigh...

The t-shirt did NOT become a family member that day!

[delsdad]

I'm sure DH and I seem like ogres, given how much we do NOT let the kids get away with, but I'm not going to have my child be an obnoxious little beast. Kids are kids, I realize, but that doesn't mean that parents shouldn't try to teach them to be polite and civilized. I think DH and I do a pretty good job of helping the kids be independent AND decent human beings at the same time.

As I understand it kids NEED rules. They get a comfort from knowing what the boundaries are. Sure, they will test them from time to time, but they are actually happier to have those rules. We are pretty strict with my daughter about the rules we set down. We learned early on that by setting out the rules and our expectations early on, she knew exactly where she stood and was easily able to follow the rules. People always remark to us about how well behaved and polite she is. It really upsets her when her classmates don't have the same standards of behavior.

And in the parks, she is often appalled at the behavior of other kids. She always wants to bring it to our attention "That little boy is swinging on the chain, why is his mommy letting him?" - teaching her to be discrete in pointing it out was a challenge. When she would blurt things like that out at 4 years old, a few parents seemed to take some displeasure in hearing that !

[luckylady]

As I understand it kids NEED rules. They get a comfort from knowing what the boundaries are.

I so agree with this and if they go beyond them they have to know the consequence of going beyond them. A little swat the rear won't break them.If you don't have them under control by time they are about 6 or hang it up for when they are teens. Gotta love mine have never had any problems with them as they grew up and at 30,23 and 21 they are wonderful adults. less all the CMs who have to put up with parents like that I couldn't do it.

[turkeyham]

Mapo- you made my day better. Thank-you. :)

[lady ulrike]

And in the parks, she is often appalled at the behavior of other kids. She always wants to bring it to our attention "That little boy is swinging on the chain, why is his mommy letting him?" - teaching her to be discrete in pointing it out was a challenge. When she would blurt things like that out at 4 years old, a few parents seemed to take some displeasure in hearing that !

This is probably going to be my daughter. I can just see it now, she already tells on the adults in her life, soon it'll be strangers.

Although, a semi-related story. We were in line for a ride and the kids in front of us kept climbing the railings, swing on the ropes, going under the ropes and just generally playing with all of the things that are there to guide you in the correct direction to walk, so my daughter, being 2, followed suit. I kept telling her to stop, pulling her off, etc. Finally, I got down to her level and said discreetly, just because other kids are doing it doesn't mean you should. I expected nothing of it, but I kid you not, the rest of the time in line (which wasn't much, there wasn't much of a line to begin with) she didn't play with any of the ropes or railings.

[mapo]

Aren't you a manager? I guess that would make it take forever to get your manager.

Picture the look on their face when you say should take an hour..have a seat.

Yeah, I love my job. :D:

MAPO

[disneydreamer21]

As I understand it kids NEED rules. They get a comfort from knowing what the boundaries are. Sure, they will test them from time to time, but they are actually happier to have those rules. We are pretty strict with my daughter about the rules we set down. We learned early on that by setting out the rules and our expectations early on, she knew exactly where she stood and was easily able to follow the rules. People always remark to us about how well behaved and polite she is. It really upsets her when her classmates don't have the same standards of behavior.

And in the parks, she is often appalled at the behavior of other kids. She always wants to bring it to our attention "That little boy is swinging on the chain, why is his mommy letting him?" - teaching her to be discrete in pointing it out was a challenge. When she would blurt things like that out at 4 years old, a few parents seemed to take some displeasure in hearing that !

See I was the same way, my parents put down a lot of rules for me and of course like every kid I hated them back then, but in the long run and now, they made me the person who I am today...by giving me those rules made me realize that they weren't necessarily teaching me those rules just then but for later in life :)

[Goofyernmost]

See I was the same way, my parents put down a lot of rules for me and of course like every kid I hated them back then, but in the long run and now, they made me the person who I am today...by giving me those rules made me realize that they weren't necessarily teaching me those rules just then but for later in life :)

Having raised two children to adulthood, I can truthfully say that I wasn't thinking directly about what I was teaching them for the future. I was thinking about how I wanted them to act right now. They were my standards of behavior and I felt that they were important enough to, sometimes unwillingly, have the same standards. By nature, what they were taught at an early age carries through to adulthood.

I think they turned out to be really good, productive, happy and valued by family and friends. I never attempted to be their friend until they were older and I still find myself being "DAD" every once and awhile. When I realize it, I just back down and let them be who they are just like I insisted on when I was raising them.

[NCDisneyMom]

And I will admit, there are times I can feel myself getting frustrated and overheated. When that comes, I ask my hubby to take the kids to a store or a ride (not a meet & greet - I want to be there for those) and I find a seat in the shade and just meditate for a few mintues.

The mentality of bullying your children is just horrible. Sorry you guys are exposed to it.

And you know what? There's nothing wrong with us Mom's giving ourselves a time-out, either. I once had to do that at Animal Kingdom. My kids were younger, and it was just becoming one of "those" days. I could feel myself losing control, and it wasn't going to be pretty if I did. lol DH smokes, and I only do when I am stressed. So, I walked up to him and asked him for a cigarette. He took one look at me and got the message real quick. He handed me a cigarette and took the kids to look at something. I bought a Diet Coke, found myself the nearest smoking area, and had myself a 10-minute time-out. And that's all I needed...10 minutes to calm down and collect myself. I went back to my family, and while the kids were still acting up, I was much better equipped to deal with it.

[DragonFox98]

And you know what? There's nothing wrong with us Mom's giving ourselves a time-out, either. I once had to do that at Animal Kingdom. My kids were younger, and it was just becoming one of "those" days. I could feel myself losing control, and it wasn't going to be pretty if I did. lol DH smokes, and I only do when I am stressed. So, I walked up to him and asked him for a cigarette. He took one look at me and got the message real quick. He handed me a cigarette and took the kids to look at something. I bought a Diet Coke, found myself the nearest smoking area, and had myself a 10-minute time-out. And that's all I needed...10 minutes to calm down and collect myself. I went back to my family, and while the kids were still acting up, I was much better equipped to deal with it.

I actually did give myself a time out on our 2007 trip...I was preggers and tires and hot and everything had just gotten to me. I found this great little spot behind the bar in Animal Kingdom. So quiet. I sat there, let the tears flow and then called my hubby on the cell to catch up with him. By the time I rejoined my family, I was in a much better mood and ready to continue on with our day. The kids got to explore with hubby and I relaxed for a couple of minutes. PLUS...I didn't wig out on my kids for something minor! (I DO get a pat on the back for that, right? LOL)