Kids can see right through you. If you haven't learned that
yet, let me tell you. I have been working hard on my 7 year old daughter to try
and get her to loosen up. Enjoy life. Live for the moment. She has a tendency
to want things perfect and if they aren't she will clam up and get grumpy. A
great example is whenever we come across an outdoor fountain with kids
splashing around and having a great time. If she isn't in a bathing suit she is
not going near the water. We had a major breakthrough; outside the Museum of Natural History
in New York
she fought us for about 30 minutes as our two year old happily soaked herself.
And then after a long discussion, she gave in, completely. She just let go,
jumped in and had an amazing time.
A week later, I was confronted with an almost identical
situation, only this time it was me without the bathing suit in a lake near our
house. My daughters and mother were happily swimming, prompting me to come in
with just shorts and a t-shirt. I wanted to go, but it went against every
obsessive compulsive bone in my body. My daughter said, "Mom, you made me
do it!" And she was right. She saw right through me. I let go and went for
it and had a wonderful swim as well an important life lesson, it's ok to enjoy
yourself.
So how does this tie in to a trip to Disney? It's probably
obvious, this is the time to let go, to let your kids see the kid side of you,
to enjoy. I recently saw some photos of my friends' ex-husband in Disney almost
25 years ago. In every picture he could have easily been mistaken for Grumpy
from the seven dwarfs. She said that he was miserable. I started to wonder how
many parents go to Disney because it seems like some item on their checklist,
things they have to do with their kids before they graduate from high school.
How many parents think of it as a responsibility, like vaccinations, not a
family vacation?
To me, Disney is not a prison sentence but a true family
vacation. It's a place where we find something for everyone, that we take time
to share in each others joy.
So here are a few things to think about before your trip.
1) It
will not be perfect, but the way you react to imperfection will make it
enjoyable and memorable. Easiest example, rain. If you run back to your hotel
annoyed, so will your children. If you decide to throw on a poncho and take
advantage of short lines and splashing in puddles, I'm fairly sure your kids
will always remember that moment.
2) If
you are worried about embarrassing yourself, spare me. This is Disney. We all
look like big kids. Hug a character, participate in the banter at 50s Primetime
Café, volunteer to be a character in Snow White's story- your toddler will look
at you in awe, your kids will find you heroic and your teens will cover their
faces and laugh.
3) Wear
a little Disney? I make it a rule not to wear Disney clothes. I'll admit it-I'm
a clothes snob. But when my daughter's bought me a Minnie Mouse t-shirt with
"Sassy" written on the back, how could I resist? I love it.
4) Plan.
Even if you are just a few days out, get together as a family to plan your
trips to the parks, activities at your resort and other special excursions. Let
everyone have a say. While you are there, step back and share their experience.
If it's something they do alone, ask questions, look at pictures, buy them something
special to remember their excursion. If it's something that is not your cup of
tea, give it a try. Let yourself go. If it's a ride on the Tower of Terror
with your teenager. Do it. Even I can bare almost every ride at Disney.
5) No
whining. We have a rule in our family, when ever a kid whines we stop, all sit
down and work on "changing our voice". This pretty much means take
the whine out of what you are saying. What's the issue? Hunger, need a nap,
heat? Take the time to find the root of the problem and then make sure you take
care of it, even if it means leaving the park early, it will make everyone
happy in the end.
6) Do
something different. Try the Segway tour, rent a boat to see the Fireworks at
Epcot, pick something that you never imagined doing.
7) Do
something you love. Last year we took the "Behind the Seeds" tour for
our 7 year old who loves gardening, we planned an hour to play in the new
Winnie the Pooh play area for our 2 year old, we sent my husband off for 18
holes of golf and I enjoyed my favorite place, The Adventurer's Club, while the
kids had babysitter.
Maya Angelou once said, "I've learned
that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three
things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights." Our
children learn too, so stop before you react, let go and enjoy!
