Stupid Guest Tricks

I have discovered, with friends who know other characters that "Little Fill in the blank" is nervous around characters always works.

Yeah, my son (he's autistic) was scared of characters for a long time. Even now, he's 17 and still shies away from most of them. Even though he loves watching the Jedi Academy, he cringes a little when Darth Vader comes out.

I don't push him to go and talk to any of them. He did surprise me one time when we went to Mickey's and because Mickey was in his sorcerer's outfit, he gave him that sideways hug. Hey, it was pretty big considering my son doesn't usually hug ANYBODY but family, and even then.

It's so ironic how some parents let their kids get away with everything and anything, swinging chains, climbing, etc., and then some are practically overly considerate. I was waiting in line for Space Mountain, and there was a little boy in front of me with his parents. I took notice of him because he would watch over the rail even after the line moved, fascinated with the activity, before finally realizing it was time to catch up. He had a little Mickey toy and started telling me about it...that it was bobble head Mickey and that he was going to be anti-gravity and all sorts of kid stuff. Then the mom told him to leave me alone...not mean or anything, but he really wasn't bothering me. I thought he was rather cute. I was wondering if perhaps he was slightly autistic/aspie or something and she was overly cautious about his not disturbing people (I'm a counselor, and watching his actions just kind of gave me the sense he might be on the spectrum). Just so ironic that a parent corrected a child who wasn't even doing much, yet you have the others whose little darlings will mow you down with their Hellies or smack into you in the line repeatedly while the parents think it's "cute."

Syndrome wrote:It's so ironic how some parents let their kids get away with everything and anything, swinging chains, climbing, etc., and then some are practically overly considerate. I was waiting in line for Space Mountain, and there was a little boy in front of me with his parents. I took notice of him because he would watch over the rail even after the line moved, fascinated with the activity, before finally realizing it was time to catch up. He had a little Mickey toy and started telling me about it...that it was bobble head Mickey and that he was going to be anti-gravity and all sorts of kid stuff. Then the mom told him to leave me alone...not mean or anything, but he really wasn't bothering me. I thought he was rather cute. I was wondering if perhaps he was slightly autistic/aspie or something and she was overly cautious about his not disturbing people (I'm a counselor, and watching his actions just kind of gave me the sense he might be on the spectrum). Just so ironic that a parent corrected a child who wasn't even doing much, yet you have the others whose little darlings will mow you down with their Hellies or smack into you in the line repeatedly while the parents think it's "cute."

Its obvious that the mom is raising a potential future CM or polite adult! Teaching him to be respectful of others peoples space.

Syndrome, as an adult who is raising "good" kids, it's amazing how many people oh and ah over how my kids behave in public. We have had friends beg us for info on how we do it. The answer always seems to surprise them. LOL We use the word "no" and we mean it. I had one mom try to tell me that you can't teach a child manners until they are at least 4. huh?

LOL Man I just read this and I sound like a jerk! Not intended that way! I swear.

I LUV Chip wrote:Syndrome, as an adult who is raising "good" kids, it's amazing how many people oh and ah over how my kids behave in public. We have had friends beg us for info on how we do it. The answer always seems to surprise them. LOL We use the word "no" and we mean it. I had one mom try to tell me that you can't teach a child manners until they are at least 4. huh?

LOL Man I just read this and I sound like a jerk! Not intended that way! I swear.

Not at all, I raised my kids that way, And now they are raising theirs, and they are the most polite. Of course they are still kids and have their "moments" like all kids do, but they seem to have a minimum of them, and its usually when they are completely exausted.

(now as a grandparent, thats when we sneak them candy!) (hehehehehehe)

GRUMPY PIRATE wrote:Not at all, I raised my kids that way, And now they are raising theirs, and they are the most polite. Of course they are still kids and have their "moments" like all kids do, but they seem to have a minimum of them, and its usually when they are completely exausted.

(now as a grandparent, thats when we sneak them candy!) (hehehehehehe)

LOL I hear that about grandparents... And they do act up at this time of year anyway. I think it's a lot of end of the school year funk they get into. That exhausted need for a vacation. No wait...is that me who's suffering from that? LOL

Syndrome wrote:It's so ironic how some parents let their kids get away with everything and anything, swinging chains, climbing, etc., and then some are practically overly considerate. I was waiting in line for Space Mountain, and there was a little boy in front of me with his parents. I took notice of him because he would watch over the rail even after the line moved, fascinated with the activity, before finally realizing it was time to catch up. He had a little Mickey toy and started telling me about it...that it was bobble head Mickey and that he was going to be anti-gravity and all sorts of kid stuff. Then the mom told him to leave me alone...not mean or anything, but he really wasn't bothering me. I thought he was rather cute. I was wondering if perhaps he was slightly autistic/aspie or something and she was overly cautious about his not disturbing people (I'm a counselor, and watching his actions just kind of gave me the sense he might be on the spectrum). Just so ironic that a parent corrected a child who wasn't even doing much, yet you have the others whose little darlings will mow you down with their Hellies or smack into you in the line repeatedly while the parents think it's "cute."

EXACTLY, Syndrome! Really, I think A LOT of parents who have kids with disabilities are overly cautious because they want to their child to avoid being judged (again) for being different.
I was just at Walk Now for Autism at the Rose Bowl and it was just as crowded as Disneyland...but FILLED with Autistic kids and their parents. Everyone was very well behaved with only a few tears from some kids (it was SO hot on the Walk) I felt a lot of pride in our community that day.
I wish someone who had once told me that they didn't believe in autism, it is just lack of discipline on the parent's part could have been there!

I LUV Chip wrote: I had one mom try to tell me that you can't teach a child manners until they are at least 4. huh?

Sigh! By the time her kids are four they'll be walking all over her.

I remember on one Disney cruise where we were seating at a dinner table with a mom and her three year old. That little girl had better manners than most adults I've seen. She was a true little princess!

And on a flight a while back, I didn't take notice of who was behind me and didn't really think about it during the flight...there were one or two bumps of the sort where someone might be getting something out of the seat pocket or pulling down the tray, but nothing to get me to look. Towards the end of the flight, I heard a little wail and realized it was a toddler back there! That kid had been perfectly behaved, other than a bit of wailing during landing (ear pain, I'm sure). I made it a point to compliment the parents.

When people say you can't get young kids to behave, they really mean, "We just don't feel like it." It's always such a joy to see well-behaved young uns and good parents.

Syndrome wrote:That kid had been perfectly behaved, other than a bit of wailing during landing (ear pain, I'm sure).

Years ago I flew on an airline that seated babies in the smoking section. They determined less oxygen meant less screaming.