How can something like this happen

[webgal318]

I posted a thread and found out there was already one started here so I am watching from this forum.

 

Praying for the family and their little one. We can't jump to a conclusion on how or why this happened until we know more.

[RuthlessBoss]

On RCCL site, people are saying it was a family of 4. The child was in the care of the father. The child has a head concussion.

[Jasonmom]

The next time some of you see a kid on a "leash" remember this story.

 

Thoughts and prayers to this family

[webgal318]

The next time some of you see a kid on a "leash" remember this story.

 

Thoughts and prayers to this family

 

Amen!

Because of this unfortunate incident, a whole ship of people had to go back to Port Canaveral. (At least according to the local news. )

[johneeo]

This is making me sort of terrified to take my crazy 2 year old on cruise.

 

Crazy children are not the problem ..... crazy parents are.:eek:

[kokoko]

Amen!

Because of this unfortunate incident, a whole ship of people had to go back to Port Canaveral. (At least according to the local news. )

I used one on my Grandchildren all the time Loved it at Disney. This would definatly put a damper on a cruise for me. Not the going back to the port but the sadness of it. People need to learn you can never be to careful with little ones. Prayers for this little one.

[loubetti]

Well, yes, perhaps parenting could certainly be an issue, however, when I was.... uh, I forget how old, but I was still in a crib, with high sides, and my mother was in the kitchen, I decided to get out and see her!

 

I took a pillow and put my teddy bear on top of it, and climbed up and out of the sides of the crib, and crawled down the stairs to the kitchen to see "mommy".

 

She was shocked, and asked me how I did it, and I showed her!

 

Despite my age, a regular bed was quickly forthcoming!!

[RuthlessBoss]

On the other thread, at 3 today, the CD posted the child will be released from Arnold Palmer in the next 24 hours:D

[trev71]

of coures it can happen its when a parent isnt watching their child. I read that on a crusie directors faceb00k account last night.

[celle]

I highly doubt that this poor child just 'suddenly' became agile and mobile during the 30 minutes or so he was on this cruise. The parents must have known full well that they had an active child, and should have been hands on him every moment. I cannot foresee any senario where bad parenting choices were not the cause of this horrible event. But unfortunately some lawyer will probably decide that it was RCI's fault and encourage the family to sue.

 

I pray for that little child and hope that he makes a full recovery.

 

The child was left in the care of his Dad, while Mum was with the other child.

 

My guess is that Dad, who possibly could have spent less time than Mum with his toddler during their everyday life, did not realise how quickly toddlers can move. His attention was diverted for a short while and the child fell. Not necessarily bad parenting - just inexperience in having the sole responsibility.

 

I've had toddlers who were lighting-quick at getting into trouble. You have to watch them every second.

 

Glad to hear that this child is much improved!

[ccruisequeen]

From a Columbus OH news report.

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/apexchange/2012/12/22/us--cruise-child-injured.html

[Texaslady22]

Three years ago I would have called this poor parenting. I would have said, "MY child would never do that. I'm an excellent parent." I could take my toddler to the symphony and he'd sit still.

 

THEN I had a new baby who was "that" child. The one who I found on top of the fridge. The one who made us install very high locks on every door in our house because he can defeat any other lock. It's not parenting, it's just who he is.

 

Would I book a balcony knowing I have "that" child? No. However, please know that not all children are the same. If you haven't had "that" child you can't understand.

[celle]

Three years ago I would have called this poor parenting. I would have said, "MY child would never do that. I'm an excellent parent." I could take my toddler to the symphony and he'd sit still.

 

THEN I had a new baby who was "that" child. The one who I found on top of the fridge. The one who made us install very high locks on every door in our house because he can defeat any other lock. It's not parenting, it's just who he is.

 

Would I book a balcony knowing I have "that" child? No. However, please know that not all children are the same. If you haven't had "that" child you can't understand.

 

I understand. I had two sons who were "that" child. Fearless climbers and into trouble in a micro-second. They climbed onto or out of everything. We survived the toddler years relatively sane, but I lost my cool the day I found a 3- and a 4-year old up on our house roof. They had scaled an 8-foot concrete wall, walked along the top of an equally high gate and then boosted each other up from the gate onto the roof. Who would have anticipated that?

 

That poor family! What a price to pay for a moment's inattention. I'm sure nobody can blame the father as much as he is blaming himself.

[NoobCruise]

I have never been on the Monarch but it seems odd that if the child fell from a balcony on one deck, how did they land on the one below and not in the water? Aren't the balconies all lined up? On Carnival ships, if you were to fall off a balcony, you'd wind up in the water, not the balcony below you. I guess it would be possible in an aft balcony though.

 

I don't know about the Monarch, but the aft balconies on the Westerdam are stepped. We were on the 8th deck and if someone were to fall from the back of that balcony, they would land on the balcony one deck below. They would not be able to fall in to the water, unless it was a side balcony.

 

014 Our Balcony by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

[Krazy Kruizers]

So sorry to hear this.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On the other thread, at 3 today, the CD posted the child will be released from Arnold Palmer in the next 24 hours:D

 

Thank you for the update.

That is good news.

[luddite]

It happens because people who aren't smart enough to make a decision on what to have for lunch are making babies.

[Karysa]

My question is..Did the parents purchase an alcohol package?

 

A cruiseship + a toddler + unlimited alcohol = a bad outcome!

 

If the answer is yes there could be more interesting reading on cruiselawnews.com:eek:

 

I have not read of a similar incident before main stream cruiselines became affordable to families and began offering unlimited alcohol packages for purchase. Irregardless, such a package will negatively effect children and adults alike going forward IMHO.

 

Little ones are fast and if this was just an awful moment in otherwise stellar parenting my heart just breaks for them. Get well fast little one!

[lemstar]

Wow you guys. How many of you that declared this poor parenting are parents themselves? I have raised two kids, and let me tell you--this stuff happens when you are right there. I am a helicopter parent, and my kids have had their share of accidents. An accident is just that: an accident.

It is possible that supervision was lacking; it is also just as possible that this happened in a fraction of a second, and nothing short of being physically attached to the child could have stopped it.

Don't rush to judgement so fast, lest you be judged....

[webgal318]

Wow you guys. How many of you that declared this poor parenting are parents themselves? I have raised two kids, and let me tell you--this stuff happens when you are right there. I am a helicopter parent, and my kids have had their share of accidents. An accident is just that: an accident.

It is possible that supervision was lacking; it is also just as possible that this happened in a fraction of a second, and nothing short of being physically attached to the child could have stopped it.

Don't rush to judgement so fast, lest you be judged....

Amen! Lemstar, you said it all!

[Sea Hag]

A 1 yr old climbed up on a chair and over a balcony? Impossible. A 1 yr old can barely walk, much less climb up on a balcony railing.

 

Most 1 year olds can barely walk - maybe. But one of my children could not only walk at 9 months but could run and climb just about anything, anywhere, anytime. She could also get herself out of any car seat that was manufactured at that time. She pulled out drawers to use them as stairs. All it would have taken for her to climb a balcony railing would have been getting out of my eyesight for a minute or two.

[fleckle]

Any parent who has had a child who was a climber can very easily understand how something like that can happen.

 

 

It is so easy to assign blame, but the reality is that none of us are perfect parents and it is impossible to watch a child every second of the day and night.

 

These people at least made a good decision in booking a cabin with a recessed balcony where the balcony below them extended out further.

[fleckle]

P.S. Now I am seeing statements that the child did not fall from the balcony but elsewhere on the ship.

 

However, the location where this particular incident occurred makes no difference because accidents can happen anywhere. Small children can move very quickly.

 

There are some who look with scorn and derision on parents who use those dog-type harnesses with leashes on small children.

But other parents who have had children who are climbers, or the ones who quickly take off and disappear in a crowd if you look the other way for an instant, understand very well why they are used.

[celle]

(Snipped)

 

These people at least made a good decision in booking a cabin with a recessed balcony where the balcony below them extended out further.

 

The child did not fall from a balcony, but from the pool deck.

[mickym]

Wow you guys. How many of you that declared this poor parenting are parents themselves? I have raised two kids, and let me tell you--this stuff happens when you are right there. I am a helicopter parent, and my kids have had their share of accidents. An accident is just that: an accident.

It is possible that supervision was lacking; it is also just as possible that this happened in a fraction of a second, and nothing short of being physically attached to the child could have stopped it.

Don't rush to judgement so fast, lest you be judged....

Thank You!! Well said and very true!