Are kids behaving worse now at WDW then in the past?

[mmartelli]

As far as the stroller goes, My family goes on (at least weekly, more if possible) 3 mile trails with our children (and dogs) on a regular basis, play without tv when inside, and play outside when possible (ICY NEW ENGLAND) and neither of them get "rides". But, in a large crowd and having two kids, it is more managable using a stroller when one gets too tired too walk. Now, if we have only been in MK for a few hours, and my daughter complains that she is "too tired to walk" I give her the choice of walking or going back to the hotel. But, it is really the parent of the child's call. Some kids just do better in strollers, and you know what, that is okay. A child can easily get overloaded with rides, crowds, and excitement while at WDW and if a stroller makes the child's experience more enjoyable, than so be it... AFter all, it IS a vacation for them too. And Remember, they are kids and today's WDW is open a lot longer, and it is alot bigger than "WDW" 20-30 years ago. AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL KEEPPPPPPP GROWING

Ok Im glad to see you arent so angry. We complaintants dont hate stroller parents, we just want people to know we are unsatisfied. Im glad to know that you are a good parent, we need more that will teach kids there is more to life than tv and playstation. I know wdw is a vacation for kids too, but we all have to remember that our fun has limits...that is when our fun starts to infinge on somone elses fun then there is a problem.

I think the biggest problem facing Americans today is that we don't understand the words and philosophies of Liberty, true liberty which came from Jefferson and the founding fathers. The notion of being able to do whatever we want, untill it affects somone else. The point here is that many people find stroller usage to be an annoyance because they take up lots of space and they hold up lines at rides.

Just remember that it is your responsibility to make sure your kids aren't infringing on somone else's good time. Thats all I am saying, so you can use a stroller if you want, just remmeber to be responsible.

 

[mmartelli]

True, and this certainly makes parenting more difficult.

A friend was at McDonald's with his 3 year old. The kid wanted to play first then eat, and my friend wanted the reverse. The kid proceeded to scream and make a scene. My friend took the kid back to his van, swatted him twice on the butt, waited for the kid to stop bawling, then returned to the restaurant. The kid ate the food quietly, then played.

That night a squad car pulled into my friend's driveway. The police were acting on an alleged child abuse report and demanded to see the 3 year old. After waking him up, the policemen checked him for signs of abuse. None existed, of course, as my friend does not abuse his children.

Someone had called the police using my friend's license plate number, based on two swats on a clothed butt. At age 3, some kids respond to time-outs, some do not. His did not.

I do not intend to start a spanking/no spanking debate. The point I am making is that parents must operate carefully as Big Brother is watching. Doing nothing is a risk-free course of action. Personally, I have spent hours and hours in time-outs in cars waiting to return to wherever we were. It's better than doing nothing, but it sure is time-consuming. Fortunately, the kids are now past that stage and will stop most all problematic behaviors if I threaten to take away their GameBoys.

Excellnt observation. We live in a police state these days, where one person calls the authoriteis to complain and the next thing you know, the Feds are knocking down your door at gunpoint demanding you surrender your child to them. Its sad how this happenes. We have lost alot of our liberties thanks to the PC liberals.

 

[mmartelli]

About strollers - I have a 5 year old, and I haven't used a stroller for her since she was about 3 - except for holidays in WDW. When we go, we usually spend the whole day there. It is tiring, we get tired, but we are adults and can cope with it. If a 5 yr old suddenly feels tired, it can be a long walk back! Do we carry a tall 5 year old, use a stroller, or let her walk, crying all the way home? I choose the stroller!

Also, 2 more things to think about. We are from the UK, and even on a lovely summer's day (yes we do get them sometimes!) humidity is never high. When we come to Florida the humidity really affects us all, we are just not used to it.

As well as that, both my children occasionally wake up with what I imagine are 'growing pains' in their legs, which are much worse when they have walked a lot that day. They walk a lot at home, but a day in disney can be really exhausting!

(btw - I don't put up with the sort of behaviour you have been describing - I either threaten to leave the park, or video them and say I'll show it to their teacher at home - that really works!):lol:

Thanks alot. Im glad to know that you wont give in to your children. I have no problem putting a 5 year old in a stroller at the end of the day. What pained me was seing 4 or 5 year olds in strollers even before the park opened at 9am. The parents would push them all day long, and consiquently the kids never got tired and would pester everyone around. One of my fondest memories of WDW was being 5 years old and beiong exhausted by a full day of exploring the magic kingdom. I fell asleep in my dad's arms as we watched the fireworks from mainstreet. I cherish that moment because I dont have a strong relationship with my dad anymore.

 

[sittle]

It is the parents...

you don't need to have children to see that this isn't just children behaving badly it's a product of poor parenting. This statment is just beating a dead horse, but something about our society has to change. We've put our children up on pedistals, and these laws that prevent public 'abuse'/spanking are complete bullflop. The same go's with the young offender acts, why are we not disciplining our children like we got disciplined??

Another thing, 12 year olds should not wear make up, nor dress like street walkers, nor should they be wearing bikini's without developed chests. It's cute on a 4 year old, but it's suggestive on a preteen.

One more thing. If your old enough and healthy enough to get on the ride, you can darn well walk to it! I've heard enough of this, "Why are our nation's children so overweight?" questioning.

Both of the above rants are clearly the parents not doing their job. Sure we are gonna hear alot of, "woe is me.. it's tough to be a parent these days"... if you heard a convicted felon saying "woe is me... it's tough to be in jail these days" would you let him off the hook?

And yes, when viewed from a distance these two seemingly different things come down to the very same point.. responsibility. You decided to be a parent, you are responsible (and should be in control) for that child's actions (and his morals) until they are legal age.

Any other thinking is just spineless hippie-touchy-feely-new-age bullflop.

 

[mmartelli]

Yes, it took a long, unplanned chunk out of my time but for a few years after that all I had to do was MENTION that if they kept misbehaving we would go to the all-night Walmart because I could shop alllllll night. People often tell me even now how well behaved my kids are in the stores now ,,, But now they are older and have a little money and LIKE shopping, so that does not work anymore...

....

I heard the cutest thing from one parent at Animal Kingdom. Her little boy was running around trying to take things off of the gift shop, so she leaned over smacked him in the head and said to him "If you don't stop I'm going to feed you to the Yeti." She then pointed to EE and the kid imidiatly behaved. He was afraid of the Yeti.

 

[Neptune]

I heard the cutest thing from one parent at Animal Kingdom. Her little boy was running around trying to take things off of the gift shop, so she leaned over smacked him in the head and said to him "If you don't stop I'm going to feed you to the Yeti." She then pointed to EE and the kid imidiatly behaved. He was afraid of the Yeti.

*passes on to friends & family* :lol:

I think it's just the ENTIRE generation that kids are living in today. The music, the video games (Not an individual one, just ALL video games), the TV and the oblivious/lack of caring from parents.

 

[mmartelli]

I've also noticed a lot of obesce individuals using them and those electric carts when they should be out walking instead....

I noticed this too. I am overweight and I do everything possible to walk and loose the wieght. It is disgusting to see people who are overweight using that as an excuse to ride aroung in electric carts. DISGUSTING!!! Do you know that this is helping fuel the stereotype that Americans are fat and lazy. All Day long I would see Bob from Apopka Florida (my generic old fat dude..picture a guy wearing a sun visor, NASCAR sunglasses, a polo shirt over his beer belly, shorts, a horribly unfashionable pack, socks and sandles...thats Bob, From Apopka FL) riding around the MK in electric carts.

Not only are people misusing the carts they are abusing the carts...what happend if somone who really needed a cart couldnt get one because Bob was using it to cart his fat behind around the park? Thoese are worse than strollers for taking up space.

What really gets me is the way people would drive thoes things into que lines, expecting to be able to ride one onto the car at EE...

 

[stankly182]

I heard the cutest thing from one parent at Animal Kingdom. Her little boy was running around trying to take things off of the gift shop, so she leaned over smacked him in the head and said to him "If you don't stop I'm going to feed you to the Yeti." She then pointed to EE and the kid imidiatly behaved. He was afraid of the Yeti.

That is the funniest thing I have heard yet :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[maggiegrace1]

I noticed this too. I am overweight and I do everything possible to walk and loose the wieght. It is disgusting to see people who are overweight using that as an excuse to ride aroung in electric carts. DISGUSTING!!! Do you know that this is helping fuel the stereotype that Americans are fat and lazy. All Day long I would see Bob from Apopka Florida (my generic old fat dude..picture a guy wearing a sun visor, NASCAR sunglasses, a polo shirt over his beer belly, shorts, a horribly unfashionable pack, socks and sandles...thats Bob, From Apopka FL) riding around the MK in electric carts.

Not only are people misusing the carts they are abusing the carts...what happend if somone who really needed a cart couldnt get one because Bob was using it to cart his fat behind around the park? Thoese are worse than strollers for taking up space.

What really gets me is the way people would drive thoes things into que lines, expecting to be able to ride one onto the car at EE...

What if "BOB" Has some medical condition that you do not know about? Whether it is caused from his weight or other.What if he can not stand for long periods of time..but can walk a little bit at a time. We do not know what is wrong with these people,granted some people may not have anything wrong and are taking advantage..but we dont know,and who are we to judge.
We are always going to have/find some reason to complain about something.We may be able to stop some things,but a lot of these things that drive us crazy are beyond our control.
Yes, parents should control their children..some do..some dont.Can we stop them..No..so why waste your time worrying about all of these things that you have no control over.

 

[speck76]

On the radio a year or so ago, they were talking about how Abercrombie and Fitch sells thong underwear in kids sizes.....for kids as young as 7.

Mothers were calling in and so thankful for this because now "their daughters would not have a noticable pantyline"

 

[nibblesandbits]

On the radio a year or so ago, they were talking about how Abercrombie and Fitch sells thong underwear in kids sizes.....for kids as young as 7.

Mothers were calling in and so thankful for this because now "their daughters would not have a noticable pantyline"

I heard about that when it happened but the mother comments make me say wow...just wow.

 

[garyhoov]

I heard the cutest thing from one parent at Animal Kingdom. Her little boy was running around trying to take things off of the gift shop, so she leaned over smacked him in the head and said to him "If you don't stop I'm going to feed you to the Yeti." She then pointed to EE and the kid imidiatly behaved. He was afraid of the Yeti.

Cute? You think violence and lies make for good parenting?

Maybe that sort of parenting is the cause, not the cure for such behavior.

 

[jesserin]

Cute? You think violence and lies make for good parenting?

Maybe that sort of parenting is the cause, not the cure for such behavior.

you are not serious are you?

 

[speck76]

Cute? You think violence and lies make for good parenting?

Maybe that sort of parenting is the cause, not the cure for such behavior.

wedgies work so much better

 

[bigbadwolf]

Has it got worse?

My 2 cousins from Italy got together with us and my Grandparents just after Christmas and took a trip down to WDW.

They were on their best behavior, extremely quiet etc. The youngest was a year and half old and the other was 4. Then on the other hand my uncle comes a bit later with his kids. His younger daughter was a brat, and was shouting for things left and right. She also demanded to see the princesses, while as my cousin from Italy rather go to Animal Kingdom and see some goats at the petting zoo. BIG DIFFERENCE.. When I was hanging out with my cousin from Italy everything seemed more calm. When I was near my cousin from the USA nearly everything was irritating.

I don't even understand this LAZINESS with some children today. This complaning, whining, and demanding I hear any time I go down to WDW. I agree it has gotten much worse, but so has the population. The number of people in this country and around the world has increased dramatically.

Now for the stroller topic-

I already was FLAMED by parents in these forums about a year ago involing the stroller topic. Really anybody born between 1985-1990 realizes this dramatic change because most don't recall sitting in a stroller at age 4 during the early 90s.

I clearly remember my sister who was 3-years-old could sit comfortably in a stroller. At 4-years-only I couldn't even sit in the stroller. So I'm not to sure if the strollers became bigger or children became smaller. :lol: Either way the stroller arguement is pointless, all kids come in different shapes and sizes. Even if I don't understand why a kid at age 5 is in a stroller I shouldn't question the parents because it's their child and not mine. If I have kids, then I just won't do the stroller thing, and probably will raise them so they won't act selfish.

Also here's an example of the worse thing I have EVER seen at WDW or experienced..

It was around Oct. during the daytime and my family and I decided to go see the Tiki Bird show. While waiting in line this family of 6 stood behind us. They had this child with them, around 3 years old and placed him on the railing bhind me. The kid's stomach was huge, poking out from it's small shirt covered in some sort of food. Then the father pulls out some disney character lollies and hand his son one. The kid sucks on it and it drips all over it's fat stomach, and then the kid begins to cry and scream. It also drops the lolly on the grond and then grabs my brother's hair who was standing next to me. My brother pulls himself away, and the parents of the child clearly see what had happened. My brother's hair was now sticky, and he just stood there trying to figure out if he should leave and find a sink or wait after the show and find a sink. My brother at age 6, who was holding his anger in whispered to me to come with him to the bathroom. Well of course I agreed but instead the parents behind me decided to start an arguement. The mother asked me what I just said about their son, which I said nothing. I told her I didn't say anything about her son, but because she brought it up I told her honestly she and her husband should not baby their son as much and over feed him. The woman became angry and the man got in my face about it. (Note that I was only 14-years-old at the time. Today I'm 20.. :lookaroun .) Then of course my father and mother got into it and asked the man to calm down. The man tells my father that I should learn to respect people older then me. Well either way I still feel that this father and mother where a bunch of selfish dingalings. The arguement got sooo out of hand that security had to come and escort the other family out of the park because we where the only ones who acted calm in the stituation and a CM saw the whole thing happen.

 

[garyhoov]

you are not serious are you?

Sure I am. Do you think lies and violence are good parenting?

Threats and intimidation are short term solutions. Teaching kids to respect the property and rights of others is the key.

I've never hit my son. I've never told him the "Boogie Man" would get him if he didn't behave. I've taught him to behave because it's the right thing to do . . . not to avoid punishment. He sees the way I act. He sees that I don't hit people when I don't like what they're doing.

He's never been sent to the principal's office, and none of his teachers have ever had anything but praise for his behavior.

 

[speck76]

I think the responses on this thread are a microcosm of everything that is wrong with society today.....mainly, AMERICAN society.

Having a child does not make a person an expert on parenting....if that was the case, there would be no need for governmental "family services".....but try to tell that to some self-righteous parent, especially when one is not a parent, and expect to get an big load of crap tossed at your face. Much as parents expect others to be tolerant of their strollers, their kids crying in the 3-D movies, their stinky diapers befouling the otherwise pleasant smell of Main Street USA, the parents need to be more respectful and tolerant of those without children. If you have a double-wide stroller, you can not move as fast or effieciently as when you do not have one....so do not try to....and don't block paths, and don't run into people legs....If your kids cries in a 3-D movie, quietly leave the theater....don't "negotiate" with the kid throughout the remainder of the film....better yet, know your kid's limits and don't force the child to exceed those limits....Know your position in life and be happy with it.

There are over 40,000 people in the Magic Kingdom on any given day....but to most people, nobody matters except for themselves. Main Street is always crowded when leaving after the fireworks...and if everyone just walked out at a standard pace, they would all get home at a decent time....yet there are always people pushing, weaving, and otherwise being jerks that "need to be first" to get out of the park....as perhaps they will get to their hotel 4 minutes before the next family.

I believe many parents take their kids to WDW when they are far too young to experience anything, keep them in the parks all day, and then do not seem to accept the fact that they are tired and cranky at 9pm. Hell, I am 30, and I am tired and cranky at 9pm....and I never go to the parks prior to 4 or 5 in the afternoon....but the parents "have to get their money's worth"...because it is the parents that are there to enjoy the park....the kid is the "additional hassle". The kid would have probably been equally as happy going to the neighborhood park and playing on the slides for an hour....but it is not about the kid, it is about the parents.

Perhaps if the parents and the non-parents would all be a bit more tolerant, less selfish, and realize that they are guest number 28,492 out of 57,224 that day at the Magic Kingdom, we could ALL enjoy ourselves a bit more.

 

[jesserin]

Sure I am. Do you think lies and violence are good parenting?

Threats and intimidation are short term solutions. Teaching kids to respect the property and rights of others is the key.

I've never hit my son. I've never told him the "Boogie Man" would get him if he didn't behave. I've taught him to behave because it's the right thing to do . . . not to avoid punishment. He sees the way I act. He sees that I don't hit people when I don't like what they're doing.

He's never been sent to the principal's office, and none of his teachers have ever had anything but praise for his behavior.

gary - i like you alot so i'm going to say this nicely - are you saying that your kids have never watched a single disney movie? b/c lord knows that would make them believe that fish talk, meremaids are real, and elephants really can fly... come one - it was a funny joke- there was no teaching violence in that statement... it was a joke - haha... you better watch out for that peter pan fellow - that movie involves a grown up getting eatin by a croc... now there's a lesson for your kids...

Trying to stay pleasant here - that was taking the yeti statement too far... no, lies and violence are not good parenting- geez... Mickey Mouse is just a figment of your imagination too Unless you are prepared to say this site is full of a bunch of people who believe in lies and you would never take you kids to wdw b/c that would only encourage those lies...

that's how silly your comment sounded.

 

[garyhoov]

would all be a bit more tolerant, less selfish,

A little more tolerance and less selfishness would not only solve this problem, but it would do wonders for 90% of the other problems we have in this world.

 

[speck76]

A little more tolerance and less selfishness would not only solve this problem, but it would do wonders for 90% of the other problems we have in this world.

you are so very wise, oh Wedgi-san