WDW Experience With Friends

[ThinkTink721]

OK, we have experienced WDW alone as a family...we have experienced WDW w/ the in-laws (I thought that was a challenge)...now we have experienced WDW w/ friends & a 4 year old that has hourly meltdowns!

I truly believe the saying that you really find out how people live when you go on vacation w/ them.
I love our friends dearly, but their little girl was something else on the trip!
We have been friends for years - even before the little girl was born.

She seemed to throw tantrums about everything - not getting to meet a character right away when she saw one, not getting exactly what she wanted when she wanted it, etc.
We actually found ourselves trying to avoid them at the parks to go & do our own thing so that we wouldn't have to witness the madness.

While we were eating at Epcot, they brought her a hamburger & fries.
She looked at the hamburger & sternly said, "Mayonaise!"
They went & got her some mayonaise & spread it on the meat.
Then, she said, "I don't want it on the meat, I want it on the bun!"
When they put the bun back on the burger, she exclaimed, "I don't want a bun!"
It was something else!

They told us about an incident that happened at Epcot - she got upset about something, so she threw herself on the ground, kicking & screaming, biting & hitting her parents - this went on for about 30 minutes!
I am glad that I missed that one!

Now, she was fine as long as they were buying her things & she was getting what she wanted when she wanted it.

Unfortunately, they missed some of their table service meals due to the fact that their little girl would not behave.
They also didn't get to spend much time in the parks.
There was one day when they just stayed in their room at the resort for most of the day.

I remember taking my kids to WDW for the 1st time when they were 8, 6, & 4 - they just didn't act like that.
I really felt sorry for them.

I know that it's got to be hard to enjoy a trip when you have a child that won't behave.

I love my friends, but I don't think we will be going on vacation w/ them again anytime soon...I actually had a better experience w/ my mother-in-law! :lol: :wave:

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Like my gramma told me years ago, children will only do what they can get by with. When your friends are tired of her behavior then they'll get committed to making it stop. They have themselves to blame so don't feel bad for them. If they want her to not throw fits then they should consistently stop enforcing the behavior. That simple.

Sorry the trip was a bust.

 

[ThinkTink721]

Like my gramma told me years ago, children will only do what they can get by with. When your friends are tired of her behavior then they'll get committed to making it stop. They have themselves to blame so don't feel bad for them. If they want her to not throw fits then they should consistently stop enforcing the behavior. That simple.

Sorry the trip was a bust.

We really weren't around them that much though...I think we were unconciously trying to avoid the meltdowns.
Otherwise, the trip was great! :wave:

 

[sweetpee_1993]

We really weren't around them that much though...I think we were unconciously trying to avoid the meltdowns.
Otherwise, the trip was great! :wave:

Oh! Sorry! Well, glad her behavior only ruined their trip. Lol!

Seriously, tho, my firstborn was teeeeerrible tantrum thrower from about 16-22 months. At first we were so overwhelmed by it and afraid he'd hurt himself we'd do anything to make him stop which the first instinct is to give them what they want to make them shush. It wasn't until after his little brother was born that I reached a point where I was at my wits end with it. I was sleep deprived, didn't have the time to pour over his every whim (because I had a newborn), and I got mad. One day a switch flipped in my head and I have to admit there was even a bit of spite involved in that moment of clarity. I decided that so help me God I'd die before the screaming & kicking devil-child got what he wanted. If I had to be miserable then so did he. I sat in the middle of a mall with a child who fought his stroller with all his might. He kicked, bucked, screamed, etc. for what felt like an eternity although it was only 20 minutes or so. If he twisted around where he loosened the restraint I would straighten him back, tighten the belt again, and sit back down on a bench next to the stroller. There were moments I thought the boy would rip the entire stroller to pieces frame & all. Sweet older ladies I didn't know stopped to give me reassurance or give me an understanding touch on the shoulder & a smile. Eventually he wore himself out, stopped, told me "I done. Cookie?", and popped his pacifier into his mouth. Then we went for a cookie. That was when the tide turned. We had a few more episodes of all-out battle before he was certain the tantrums wouldn't get him anything good anymore.

Not sure what your friend's little girl is so frustrated about. For my son, in retrospect, it was the major changes within the family with his brother's birth coupled with his frustration trying to learn to talk. He knew what he wanted & would get mad if we didn't. The fits would start a quick barrage of things being offered to him to make him stop so he learned that the fit was how to get what he wanted without having to convey it with words. When we stopped giving him things, waited for him to stop, then asked him questions so he had to vocalize his wishes it got better. Then instead of a screaming violent mess we'd have our sweet little man talking to us. Crazy, I know. And it took my spiteful streak to figure that out. Lol!

 

[Master Yoda]

Sounds like a kid that has never heard the word no.

I would not stress over it too much. Just check this family of the "People I will vacation with" list.

 

[dinandmick]

Oh! Sorry! Well, glad her behavior only ruined their trip. Lol!

Seriously, tho, my firstborn was teeeeerrible tantrum thrower from about 16-22 months. At first we were so overwhelmed by it and afraid he'd hurt himself we'd do anything to make him stop which the first instinct is to give them what they want to make them shush. It wasn't until after his little brother was born that I reached a point where I was at my wits end with it. I was sleep deprived, didn't have the time to pour over his every whim (because I had a newborn), and I got mad. One day a switch flipped in my head and I have to admit there was even a bit of spite involved in that moment of clarity. I decided that so help me God I'd die before the screaming & kicking devil-child got what he wanted. If I had to be miserable then so did he. I sat in the middle of a mall with a child who fought his stroller with all his might. He kicked, bucked, screamed, etc. for what felt like an eternity although it was only 20 minutes or so. If he twisted around where he loosened the restraint I would straighten him back, tighten the belt again, and sit back down on a bench next to the stroller. There were moments I thought the boy would rip the entire stroller to pieces frame & all. Sweet older ladies I didn't know stopped to give me reassurance or give me an understanding touch on the shoulder & a smile. Eventually he wore himself out, stopped, told me "I done. Cookie?", and popped his pacifier into his mouth. Then we went for a cookie. That was when the tide turned. We had a few more episodes of all-out battle before he was certain the tantrums wouldn't get him anything good anymore.

Not sure what your friend's little girl is so frustrated about. For my son, in retrospect, it was the major changes within the family with his brother's birth coupled with his frustration trying to learn to talk. He knew what he wanted & would get mad if we didn't. The fits would start a quick barrage of things being offered to him to make him stop so he learned that the fit was how to get what he wanted without having to convey it with words. When we stopped giving him things, waited for him to stop, then asked him questions so he had to vocalize his wishes it got better. Then instead of a screaming violent mess we'd have our sweet little man talking to us. Crazy, I know. And it took my spiteful streak to figure that out. Lol!

I love all the different perspectives. As a new parent, I feel reading these posts is helping to prepare me for what lies ahead.

"Mayonaise!"?! Right now I can't see myself catering to such diva-like behavior, but I guess we'll see...

 

[Master Yoda]

I love all the different perspectives. As a new parent, I feel reading these posts is helping to prepare me for what lies ahead.

"Mayonaise!"?! Right now I can't see myself catering to such diva-like behavior, but I guess we'll see...

I can tell you first hand that being a parent is not an easy job. Just saying yes to everything is the easy path and it is very easy to fall into that trap. In the end you end up with a child like the OP described.

 

[buseegal]

we did WDW with 3 families and 6 boys 9yrs to 16 months. we spent 8 days andhad no meltdowns. the boys all knew what would happen if they missed behaved. we did not stay together all the time, did what each family wanted. ate 7 sitdown meals with all boys. all the boys are wanting to go back but it will be about 3 years.

 

[ddbowdoin]

We really weren't around them that much though...I think we were unconciously trying to avoid the meltdowns.
Otherwise, the trip was great! :wave:

I remember those days... I complained

few situation would happen

1) dad would give me that look, struck the fear of death or dismemberment in me
2) he might make the signal towards his belt, I am deep crap at this point
3) a flip flop comes at me at Bret Farve velocity

either way, I learned my lesson

kids get away with WAY too much these days

 

[bgraham34]

I remember those days... I complained

few situation would happen

1) dad would give me that look, struck the fear of death or dismemberment in me
2) he might make the signal towards his belt, I am deep crap at this point
3) a flip flop comes at me at Bret Farve velocity

either way, I learned my lesson

kids get away with WAY too much these days

Hey same with me as a kid. No flip flops involved though.

 

[CarlFredricksen]

I went with some of the same type of people once...once was enough!

 

[ThinkTink721]

Oh! Sorry! Well, glad her behavior only ruined their trip. Lol!

Seriously, tho, my firstborn was teeeeerrible tantrum thrower from about 16-22 months. At first we were so overwhelmed by it and afraid he'd hurt himself we'd do anything to make him stop which the first instinct is to give them what they want to make them shush. It wasn't until after his little brother was born that I reached a point where I was at my wits end with it. I was sleep deprived, didn't have the time to pour over his every whim (because I had a newborn), and I got mad. One day a switch flipped in my head and I have to admit there was even a bit of spite involved in that moment of clarity. I decided that so help me God I'd die before the screaming & kicking devil-child got what he wanted. If I had to be miserable then so did he. I sat in the middle of a mall with a child who fought his stroller with all his might. He kicked, bucked, screamed, etc. for what felt like an eternity although it was only 20 minutes or so. If he twisted around where he loosened the restraint I would straighten him back, tighten the belt again, and sit back down on a bench next to the stroller. There were moments I thought the boy would rip the entire stroller to pieces frame & all. Sweet older ladies I didn't know stopped to give me reassurance or give me an understanding touch on the shoulder & a smile. Eventually he wore himself out, stopped, told me "I done. Cookie?", and popped his pacifier into his mouth. Then we went for a cookie. That was when the tide turned. We had a few more episodes of all-out battle before he was certain the tantrums wouldn't get him anything good anymore.

Not sure what your friend's little girl is so frustrated about. For my son, in retrospect, it was the major changes within the family with his brother's birth coupled with his frustration trying to learn to talk. He knew what he wanted & would get mad if we didn't. The fits would start a quick barrage of things being offered to him to make him stop so he learned that the fit was how to get what he wanted without having to convey it with words. When we stopped giving him things, waited for him to stop, then asked him questions so he had to vocalize his wishes it got better. Then instead of a screaming violent mess we'd have our sweet little man talking to us. Crazy, I know. And it took my spiteful streak to figure that out. Lol!

You did good!...That must have been SO hard!

 

[ThinkTink721]

kids get away with WAY too much these days

I agree!...Sometimes I think we are too strict w/ our kids & then I see situations like this & I change my mind. :wave:

 

[bsiev1977]

Sorry this happened to you all. I don't want to disparage your friends, but from what you said this child's behavior is their fault. The child has obviously learned that tantruming is the way to get what she wants. When your friends are strong enough to stand up to her, she will stop doing it.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

While I don't know how these people discipline their child, as a parent of a meltdown prone 4 yr old, I can tell you that some of it is just the kid. I'm usually accused of being too strict and we still have mega meltdowns. Of course, there are people out there who feel we're just not spanking her enough, but they have never dealt with a meltdown prone kid and they'd be making the evening news (in the bad way, if ya know what I mean) if this were their child- i.e. that sort of action actually makes a meltdown prone kid WORSE

DD2 is nothing like DD4. I keep waiting for her to act up like her big sis, but it just never happens. We know a handful of people who have had meltdown prone kids and it's something isolated in one kid and they just seem to grow out of somewhere between ages 5 and 6. DH was supposedly like this as a kid and he eventually grew out of it.

Thankfully, DD4 is getting better. Her meltdown issues are more predictable, the meltdowns are more stomping and crying vs. all out on the floor nightmares, and I have more tricks that work on her now to keep the meltdown from happening in the first place. And thankfully, restaurants are meltdown free zones, so we booked lots of TS meals.

On a side note- DD4's don't start like your friend's kiddo and the mayo incident. i.e. there's no stern anything to us...and if she pulls anything close to that - it's immediate punishment. i.e. you don't pull attitude w/mom and dad. Mine usually whimpers and whines b/c something is freaking her out, she impatient or something (like her stupid socks) are not on just right.

That being said- I couldn't imagine anyone travling with us beyond family...and even they have a pass to go and do whatever they want if there are issues. Glad this didn't ruin your trip.

 

[smk]

I too had a child prone to meltdowns of epic proportions. We never went out of the way to accomodate her tantrum wishes and yet they happened anyway. Sometimes in predictable situations (tired, hungry, not getting candy in the grocery store check out line) and some just came out of the blue over little things. Those were very trying days, no lie. However, she is a very pleasant 23 year old now, she is really the light of our lives. If I tell someone that she was a tantrum thrower, they really think I am lying. Those days do pass!

 

[Alison1975]

While it does sound like this child is just ridiculously spoiled..I will jump on the sometimes it's the kids bandwagon. I have 4 kids..and when I was preggo with #4 I figured after doing daycare for 11 years and having 3 kids I wouldn't see anything new and different. Well my 4th is..well..,making me eat my words. He is a breed all his own. I am VERY strict and my other 3..well they just wouldn't do 99% of the things this one does.. every nasty look I gave other parents when their kids where misbehaving has come back to bite me. I am rather nervous about our trip in August with him. We will be traveling with friends who have 7 kids..2 of which are rather dramatic. They go to WDW every year so hopefully they are more seasoned travelers than mine are.