I am not saying she is spoiled

[imsulin]

I was an Army brat, and we also travelled frequently. However, it was usually by car or train, and by USS ships to Germany and back in the early 1950's. Cannot remember any luxury travel back then. Can remember moving from CO to FL in 1957 in a '55 Chevy towing a teardrop trailer. Middle of summer, no A/C. Slept in that awful teardrop on the side of the road until we got to our house in Ft. Pierce. Hot, no A/C, no window screens, lots of big mosquitoes! That was just the way it was back then. Army orders..the only life we knew. I got "spoiled" one weekend when the folks splurged and booked a cheap motel in West Palm Beach..one room and a ..gasp..pool! We were in heaven! Also got "spoiled" when we took a ferry to Nassau (under British rule at the time) and had to exchange dollars for BP. I didn't understand it at the time, and we spent the day at a pretty beach, but ate PB&J sandwiches we brought with us. Those were good days, and we were definitely not "spoiled"!!

 

Dad retired as a Lt. Col. in 1961, after spending four years as a POW in the Phillipines during WWII. We were not at all spoiled, and had to work for our degrees. Same thing with my own kids.

 

Why would anyone allow a 5-6-7 year old to dictate the terms of a future cruise,,,,or anything else? Being "spoiled" is just not cute, and neither are the adults who promote that behavior.

 

My own kids weren't that cute or smart, and had to work their own way.

 

Ready for attacks.....I think!

 

Happy cruising!

[imsulin]

Tuxedo Man...thanks! I will list them as far as I can remember:

 

1977 and 1978...Pacific Princess (The Love Boat) Mexican Riviera. First cruise/s. Thought the itty bitty pool was wonderful. Can't believe I wore skirts and heels onshore! These were cruises paid for by Hubby's company.

1984 Carnival Mardi Gras to St. Thomas and ?? Big ship, out of Miami?? Really can't remember. BIG cabin!

1986 Viking Serenade (?) to Mexico...7 days. Left from LA. Was RCCL at the time.

1988 NCL Seaward Western Caribbean 7-day.

1989 NCL Norway Easten Caribbean.

8-9 cruises on the NCL Norway 1989 to 2003.

1990 Celebrity Zenith Southern Caribbean

1991 Celebrity Horizon Eastern Caribbean

1992 to 1997 12 cruises on the Sir Francis Drake..tall ship out of St. Thoms and Antigua.

12-01 Carnival Inspiration from NO..Western Caribbean.

12/2000 HAL Zandaam from Port Canaveral 7-day Western

4/2002 HAL Zuiderdam Eastern

8/2003 HAL Zuiderdam Eastern

8/1995 RCCL Viking Serenade from LA to Catlina and Ensenada. Worst cruise ever!

4/006 RCI 8-day Jewel Eastern

 

Counting them up....over 30

[Liltx31]

She is six so asking for a balcony is no different than asking for McDonald's for lunch, or a new Barbie, or to go to Disneyland. At that age the concept of money is still very limited. You can still explain these things to her but it won't make too much sense until she is a bit older. Did you see Dr. Phil when he had older kids tell how much they though various bills were? They were all way off.

 

Now, if you go ahead and get the balcony just because she wants it then, yes I would say she is spoiled. I think spoiling is more about giving in to every whim than your child asking for things. What they ask for is just a matter of how many life experiences they have had. My kiddos are 4 and 6 and they still don't ask for toys etc. in stores because I have never bought things like that when they are with me. Now in the gorcery store they will ask for many things because I have bought them items in the past. I don't buy everything they ask for but I do let them pick out a few healthy snacks. All about experiences.

 

Monica

[Liltx31]

I was an Army brat, and we also travelled frequently. However, it was usually by car or train, and by USS ships to Germany and back in the early 1950's. Cannot remember any luxury travel back then. Can remember moving from CO to FL in 1957 in a '55 Chevy towing a teardrop trailer. Middle of summer, no A/C. Slept in that awful teardrop on the side of the road until we got to our house in Ft. Pierce. Hot, no A/C, no window screens, lots of big mosquitoes! That was just the way it was back then. Army orders..the only life we knew. I got "spoiled" one weekend when the folks splurged and booked a cheap motel in West Palm Beach..one room and a ..gasp..pool! We were in heaven! Also got "spoiled" when we took a ferry to Nassau (under British rule at the time) and had to exchange dollars for BP. I didn't understand it at the time, and we spent the day at a pretty beach, but ate PB&J sandwiches we brought with us. Those were good days, and we were definitely not "spoiled"!!

 

Dad retired as a Lt. Col. in 1961, after spending four years as a POW in the Phillipines during WWII. We were not at all spoiled, and had to work for our degrees. Same thing with my own kids.

 

Why would anyone allow a 5-6-7 year old to dictate the terms of a future cruise,,,,or anything else? Being "spoiled" is just not cute, and neither are the adults who promote that behavior.

 

My own kids weren't that cute or smart, and had to work their own way.

 

Ready for attacks.....I think!

 

Happy cruising!

 

I have taught very disadvantaged children in school who would say you were spoiled. Now I teach at a school where most cars cost more than I make in a year and a half. It's all relative and there are no perfect parents or children. I think it's great that you are proud of how you were raised and how you raised you kiddos. I think everyone should feel that way.

[luckyprincess]

Geez!! When my kids were young, they thought that the following things were too cool to be true: Having a zip line between two green ash trees in the back yard. Going to McDonald's once a month. Riding in the Suburban w/dog to Yellowstone, and camping out. Getting a pair of Vans or Air Jordan Nikes for Christmas. Learning to drive in Dodge Dart stick shift. Slip & Slide. Seeing Jurassic Park with smuggled popcorn and warm Cokes. When my kids were young, they thought the following things were a drag: Cleaning their rooms and doing their own laundry. Taking out trash, shovelling snow, loading/emptying the dishwasher, feeding doggie. Having to do homework and get part-time jobs. Not enough money for full four-year college/university, so had to work and pay back loans to get their degrees.

 

The only "balcony" they knew was being able to spit or throw water balloons on an unsuspecting sibling in the back yard from their second-floor bedroom window.

 

Where did I go wrong??

No where! This sounds like the perfect childhood to me!!

This makes me recall when I worked at a private golf club. I was chaperoning the 'junior golfer's' that were about 9 or 10 years old. It was just fall and they were talking about their summer vacations. I remember them asking each other what they did and this one little boy (so cute! Looked like Oliver from the Brady Bunch) said he went to Scotland and went to museums and history tours and what not. It was pretty quiet. Then this other boy (also very sweet) said 'we went to Six Flags and I rode the new ********* coaster!' and all the kids (including Oliver) got excited and asked for allll the details!

Lol!:p With kids sometimes we forget that the things that fascinate US are boring to them! Of course you can't go wrong with a cruise though - so much for kids to do!!

 

Disclaimer!! I didn't write some foul mouth name or swear word for the coaster!! It was a guy in tights and a cape that was faster than a speeding bullet.....

[red4u2]

i dont even know where to start...

[pcur]

I am now "spoiling" my grown sons.

 

The oldest is closing escrow tomorrow on his first home, a condo, that we loaned him the down payment, closing costs, and upgrades money. He would never had bought a place in the next 10 years if we didn't help, and it was my idea to do so. We will do the same for our youngest when he's ready, too. It's tough coming up with all that money when even now the cheapest condo is $300k + in No. CA.

 

We're happy to do it (not just because he's paying us a decent interest rate, either), because none of our parents could be bothered to help us out. I can remember when both my husband and I were unemployed in the early 1990's and asking my Mom to help pay my youngest son's guitar lessons he was passionate about. She refused. He's got his Audio Engineering degree now and manages a recording and rehearsal building at a major U.S. college. Sometimes giving things to children to pursue their passions leads to good stuff.

 

We are also taking them on an 8 night Caribbean cruise this December. Happy to do that, too.

 

You see, I believe that you don't spoil them with too much when they are young so they learn to appreciate things. Then, spoil them and give a helping hand when they are grown.

[Bell Ringer]

I am now "spoiling" my grown sons.

 

You see, I believe that you don't spoil them with too much when they are young so they learn to appreciate things. Then, spoil them and give a helping hand when they are grown.

Your statement is so true, and well thought out!

It is very much like we have treated our two DD. In this economy, they have needed the helping hands. Fortunately,not too often. We did take the daughters and sons in law on a cruise, BC, but will have to wait for awhile to take everyone till the grands get older.