9 year old alone on ship

[funtime238]

I have been watching a situation for a while and am curious. It seems there is an option for any child older than 9 to sign themselves out of camp if permitted by a parent. Kids not checked into the camp can also have free rein of the ship if allowed by parents. My question is for the parent who allows this. Why?

 

I am not trying to be cute, or start a huge argument, or make anyone nervous. I truly don't get it. I am older (much older), but having been in education for a few years, I am familiar with the innocence of children 9-12. It is a cute age.

 

Do the parents that allow their children this option also allow them to go to the local mall alone? Or with a friend? A cruise ship is like a huge mall to me. Except with unlimited alcohol available for adults. Both have quite a few strangers around. At least at the mall one might assume the child your child is with would be someone you knew. Not always so on a cruise.

 

So the question is, am I just too old fashion or too uneasy or not trusting enough?

[purplemusik]

Personally, I can't imagine allowing my 9 year old ( My daughter is only 8 but I can't picture me allowing it any time soon ) check herself out of the camp to find us somewhere on the ship. I can't even imagine being in one spot on the ship and telling her to go find her dad- at this exact spot- on the other side of the ship. Though, I do allow her to walk around the buffett area while I'm at the table, getting herself more food while we are at the table in the same area. I don't really think anything when I see others doing it, it's not my kid! But, I could never let mine do it. Oh and I'm not older or super young ( 30 ) and I feel this way! lol

Edited January 15, 2014 by purplemusik

[Perfect Stranger]

This middle aged mother agrees with you. I don't think kids under 12 should be wandering about a big ship alone.

[kona_wahine]

that's insane. No way I'd let a 9 year old alone to wander the ship. I'm trying to think WAY back to when my kids were that age. I think 13, 14 may be appropriate, as long as they have a good head on their shoulders. Just too many crazies in the world today.

[elliair]

I have been watching a situation for a while and am curious. It seems there is an option for any child older than 9 to sign themselves out of camp if permitted by a parent. Kids not checked into the camp can also have free rein of the ship if allowed by parents. My question is for the parent who allows this. Why?

 

I am not trying to be cute, or start a huge argument, or make anyone nervous. I truly don't get it. I am older (much older), but having been in education for a few years, I am familiar with the innocence of children 9-12. It is a cute age.

 

Do the parents that allow their children this option also allow them to go to the local mall alone? Or with a friend? A cruise ship is like a huge mall to me. Except with unlimited alcohol available for adults. Both have quite a few strangers around. At least at the mall one might assume the child your child is with would be someone you knew. Not always so on a cruise.

 

So the question is, am I just too old fashion or too uneasy or not trusting enough?

 

No, you're not old fashion, we have a new generation of adults who think that school teachers should do the parenting (it takes a village to raise a child). Fact is that parents who let their children run around unsupervised is asking for trouble. Pedophiles cruise, it's a gold mine for them. Kids getting in with the wrong group and end up drunk is another problem. IMHO a ship is a scary place to let your kid roam around unsupervised. I posted on another thread that no way would I take a kid on a cruise until they were teenagers - and even then my hand would be on their neck the whole time. Not fun at all.

Edited January 15, 2014 by elliair

[LoriSan]

My son is 9 and will be closer to 10 on our next trip, and there is no way he is allowed to wander the ship alone. I won't even leave him in the cabin alone. No way, no how.

[okgirl]

I guess I grew up in a more trusting time.

 

My siblings and I walked 3 blocks to school along with a lot of the other kids in the neighborhood starting in kindergarten. Sometimes there were 2 or 3 of us together and sometimes I was alone.

 

Starting at about age 9 or so, my Mom would send me to the grocery store which was 4 blocks away and I had to cross a busy street.

 

My point is that we knew better than to get in anyone's car or go into someone's backyard or off looking for a puppy.....and I kind of think that a 9yo on a ship would have the same sense of personal safety.

 

I've seen the kids out doing their scavenger hunts and they are usually in groups of 2 or 3. I think it's a good idea to start slowly with sign out liberties. Maybe have them sign themselves out and plan to meet you somewhere pretty close by.

 

Or like a PP said allow them to go into the buffet while you are at the pool, or back to get pizza. And expand their range as they get older.

[Phlybice]

I have been watching a situation for a while and am curious. It seems there is an option for any child older than 9 to sign themselves out of camp if permitted by a parent. Kids not checked into the camp can also have free rein of the ship if allowed by parents. My question is for the parent who allows this. Why?

 

I am not trying to be cute, or start a huge argument, or make anyone nervous. I truly don't get it. I am older (much older), but having been in education for a few years, I am familiar with the innocence of children 9-12. It is a cute age.

 

Do the parents that allow their children this option also allow them to go to the local mall alone? Or with a friend? A cruise ship is like a huge mall to me. Except with unlimited alcohol available for adults. Both have quite a few strangers around. At least at the mall one might assume the child your child is with would be someone you knew. Not always so on a cruise.

 

So the question is, am I just too old fashion or too uneasy or not trusting enough?

 

My cousin did this while we were on board. I raised my eyebrows, but it was none of my business.

[Perfect Stranger]

I guess I grew up in a more trusting time.

 

My siblings and I walked 3 blocks to school along with a lot of the other kids in the neighborhood starting in kindergarten. Sometimes there were 2 or 3 of us together and sometimes I was alone.

 

 

quote]

 

Your mother couldn't walk or drive her young children to school?

[trvlgirlmq]

I let my kids sign in/out at 9. We had rules in place and as they are good kids knew that they were to be followed or the privilege would go away. They knew to check the cabin first for a note to tell them where we would be and then they had to come report in to us. Then we would decide what activity we were going to do next together.

 

I also walked to school with my sister as young as 6. No, my mom was not able to drive us and there was no need. During summer we would ride our bikes all over town without a parent.

 

I don't think instilling fear of the the unknown is healthy. A bit of freedom every now and then will make them more independent and better able to take care of themselves in the future.

[soccersharon]

I guess I grew up in a more trusting time.

 

My siblings and I walked 3 blocks to school along with a lot of the other kids in the neighborhood starting in kindergarten. Sometimes there were 2 or 3 of us together and sometimes I was alone.

 

 

quote]

 

Your mother couldn't walk or drive her young children to school?

 

We took the city bus to elementary school. We were outside the bussing zone. My mom worked, and my father worked nights - so he needed to sleep during the day. We took the bus everywhere. My parents rarely drove us anywhere (unlike today). It was normal and taught us indepenance and responsibility.

 

Times were very different...

 

 

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Forums mobile app

[hftmrock]

I let my kids sign in/out at 9. We had rules in place and as they are good kids knew that they were to be followed or the privilege would go away. They knew to check the cabin first for a note to tell them where we would be and then they had to come report in to us. Then we would decide what activity we were going to do next together.

 

 

I am sure you trusted your children... did you trust the other thousand+ people many of whom would be pretty drunk at any time of the day?

 

IMO - 9 is way too young to be walking around on the ship unsupervised

[chunk2]

I have a 9 year old daughter who I think is mature for her age, BUT there is no way in this world that I would ever consider letting her run the ship by herself or with friends. I also grew up in the times when we walked to school unsupervised, but times have changed a lot since then.

[Carnival_Brides]

My wife and I are in our mid-20's and we're both secondary teachers. We regularly cruise with our 5yo niece and she now has a baby sister. Heck will have to have frozen over and pigs shall be airborne before we (or her parents) allow them to sign out of the kids clubs. We won't be having that discussion until they are at least in high school.

 

We know it's so they can do a "group" scavenger hunt at some point during the cruise, but they'll either just not go to CC or they'll do the alternative activity.

 

For us it's not even the issue of trusting the children we sail with--it's trusting the several thousand other strangers that we sail with. I grew up buddy walking with my sibs and our friends the 1/2 mile to school or being allowed to be out until dark with no problem. There's no way my mother would go for that now. Unfortunately, the world is a scarier place than when I was a kid.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Carnival_Brides

[PegNRay]

We allowed our children the signing out privilege because otherwise they could not participate in group activities like a scavenger hunt. They were instructed to return to the camp and always wait for us to pick them up at our predetermined time.

[HappyAboard]

I did not allow my 9 year old, but I did allow my mature 10 1/2 year old. I put lots of rules in place. She had a friend and did not wonder the ship but was allowed to go from point A to point B with permission. She also had a walkie talkie.

 

No I do not let her wander the mall alone, but if she is looking in one store, I may go into another store and leave her alone for 15 minutes to wait for me with strict instructions not to leave the tween oriented store.

 

There are dangers, but I don't want to live a paranoid life, just a cautious one.

[rrraydon]

Some of the things people are insinuating can happen out the "great big world" we live in sadly happens more in people's own homes right under their noses then it does out in the "great big scary world".

[Phlybice]

I'm unsure why this is bothering some. They won't allow the 9 year old to sign himself out unless the parent allows it.

[Isa65]

I don't think instilling fear of the the unknown is healthy. A bit of freedom every now and then will make them more independent and better able to take care of themselves in the future.

 

I agree with you 100%.

[trvlgirlmq]

I am sure you trusted your children... did you trust the other thousand+ people many of whom would be pretty drunk at any time of the day?

 

IMO - 9 is way too young to be walking around on the ship unsupervised

 

I can't be there to hold their hand every day. Kids have to learn to be independent. They were not allowed to roam willy-nilly around the ship either. The rule is when you leave kids club go directly to the cabin. Check for the note about where the grown ups are and then come meet us. They did this because they are responsible kids.

 

I am not going to argue about my ability to parent. You raise your kids how you see fit and I will do the same.

[New carnival fan]

My son was 10 (technically 10 and 3/4) on our cruise in December. When he went into camp carnival I would tell him where I was going to be if he wanted to sign out. However, if he could not find me in one or two of the locations I told him I would be at he was to return to camp carnival and sign himself back in. I too believe that a little bit of freedom/independence is important. Maybe not at 9 years old but certainly at 10.

[Salt Wind]

Sounds dangerous. A 9yo could easily get excited, stumble and fall. It's a cracked open head waiting to happen. :(

[B Russo]

I have a 9 year old daughter who I think is mature for her age, BUT there is no way in this world that I would ever consider letting her run the ship by herself or with friends. I also grew up in the times when we walked to school unsupervised, but times have changed a lot since then.

I agree with you, We also did the the things alone , As you say times have changed ( in my case it was 65 yrs ago :D LOL. Bill

[hftmrock]

I can't be there to hold their hand every day. Kids have to learn to be independent. They were not allowed to roam willy-nilly around the ship either. The rule is when you leave kids club go directly to the cabin. Check for the note about where the grown ups are and then come meet us. They did this because they are responsible kids.

 

I am not going to argue about my ability to parent. You raise your kids how you see fit and I will do the same.

 

wow... defensive much????

 

I gave my opinion. thats what a forum is for. if you dont like to hear people have other opinions, I recommend not going on forums. I was not disrespectful to you. In fact I told you that I believed that you trusted your child and I believe that 100%.

 

I was not arguing anything. you started down that path. I just provided my opinion of the situation and gave an example. please come down from your soapbox.

Edited January 15, 2014 by hftmrock

[own]

I've seen nine year old children I'd allow, and then I've seen thirteen year old children I'd never allow.

 

Age is a number that doesn't define a person.