Keeping up kids while onboard

[Jasukkie]

The answer to this depends on the kid. There are ten year olds who can navigate the NYC subway system independently. Others have been dropped off and picked up at the door of their schools their whole lives. Some ten year olds are highly responsible, others are up to trouble. 

 

If you have a capable ten year old, set rules like no exploring cabin hallways, staying in public areas, and set a time to meet. Make them lead the way from various places on the ship back to a set location, guest services would be good for example. I think it's a great opportunity to gain confidence. Before you go, watch Old Enough on Netflix together for a good laugh. If Japanese toddlers can go on errands by themselves, your ten year old can make their way around a cruise ship. 

 

 

[mjkacmom]

6 minutes ago, Jasukkie said:

The answer to this depends on the kid. There are ten year olds who can navigate the NYC subway system independently. Others have been dropped off and picked up at the door of their schools their whole lives. Some ten year olds are highly responsible, others are up to trouble. 

 

If you have a capable ten year old, set rules like no exploring cabin hallways, staying in public areas, and set a time to meet. Make them lead the way from various places on the ship back to a set location, guest services would be good for example. I think it's a great opportunity to gain confidence. Before you go, watch Old Enough on Netflix together for a good laugh. If Japanese toddlers can go on errands by themselves, your ten year old can make their way around a cruise ship. 

 

 

I agree,  my kids walked to school, went out to lunch with friends starting in 5th grade, pretty much had the run of our town at 10 (3 miles, 30,000 people, mostly all sidewalked). I am fortunate to have 5 kids close in age, so no one was alone.

[Biker19]

 

[Spunky946]

Our first royal cruise was on the navigator and my daughter was 9 and my son was 13.  We allowed my son more freedom as he was older.  We let me daughter sign herself out, but only to come straight and meet up with me.  She’d always be on time and we’d allow her to continue.  Next cruise was a year later and she had a bit more,  she made a few friends and they’d like to slide or ice skate.  One night I told her to meet me on the promenade at 10.  She came down soaking wet in her suit because she had been in the hot tub with her friend, but didn’t want to miss being late for our check in,  she asked for more time, which I happily gave.  Both kids were always good about checking in on time and spending time with us and with friends. 
 

At the younger ages, we always did short periods of time to specific places.  Going to Alaska this summer and they will be 18 and 13,  can’t wait.

[Momto3girlsintheCarolinas]

I agree that it depends on the kid.  It depends on the age of the child and whether or not that child is likely to disturb other passengers with their behavior, as well as exercise good judgment with respect to their own safety 

 

I have seen many poorly-behaved children and teens who were given too much freedom, as well as others who were perhaps given too little.  Some parents do not seem to notice at all when their children are being inconsiderate, and some children have such overbearing parents that when they get a little freedom - it gets messy.  

 

We have two adult daughters and a 15 y/o.  What I would allow with this 15 y/o is different than what I would have permitted with either of her older sisters at this age.  It depends on the child.  

 

But I agree that if you're butt is not where it's supposed to be when required, you will be tethered to me the next day.  😉

[cynt]

On 4/6/2022 at 6:11 PM, celoplyr said:

This is what I do to my parents.  "Now that we are on the boat, don't  get off the boat until I tell you to". 

 

That's what I tell my parents too!  They are worse than the kids! 

[csnarpy]

On 4/6/2022 at 5:24 PM, yancycruiser said:

Most of you are doing the right thing in monitoring your kids and we all appreciate that.  It is unfortunate that so many have not taught their children (regardless of age) to be respectful and not run up and down the the cabin decks.

 

My kids are very respectful and do as they are told. Guess who told them to run up and down the hallways right outside your cabin….🙄

 

My kids (11 & 13) have been cruising since they were in diapers and we now encourage them to get out and explore the ship on their own. Last cruise we started this, They were gone for an hour and a half and they came back with 21 cruising ducks! 
 

Overall, you need to be comfortable with it and they need to be comfortable with it. My kids now have their own phones and when we board Oasis in December they will be using the app as well.

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by csnarpy

[ginadcnj]

5 hours ago, Jasukkie said:

The answer to this depends on the kid. There are ten year olds who can navigate the NYC subway system independently. Others have been dropped off and picked up at the door of their schools their whole lives. Some ten year olds are highly responsible, others are up to trouble. 

 

If you have a capable ten year old, set rules like no exploring cabin hallways, staying in public areas, and set a time to meet. Make them lead the way from various places on the ship back to a set location, guest services would be good for example. I think it's a great opportunity to gain confidence. Before you go, watch Old Enough on Netflix together for a good laugh. If Japanese toddlers can go on errands by themselves, your ten year old can make their way around a cruise ship. 

 

 

This. We live outside NYC and our kids (almost 12, 14 and 16) have been given increasing levels of freedom to navigate by themselves, first in our bustling "suburb meets the city" town, and as they get older, in the city. My oldest has been taking the train into Manhattan on her own for acting classes, auditions and rehearsals pretty much since we came out of COVID lockdown last year. My younger two aren't at that point yet but they are quite at ease on their own in our town of 30,000-plus people. They have had it drilled into them to be respectful and polite and never disruptive, and they know quite well that if they behave inappropriately, the odds are pretty good that someone we know will see them and let us know. They keep us posted on where they are and what they're doing, and we've drilled good safety principles into their heads. They have good radar.

 

So we'll be comfortable with giving them--yes, even the almost 12yo, who TBH has probably the best head on her shoulders of the three--a fair degree of freedom on the ship, with a good set of ground rules about behaving respectfully, keeping in touch with us, and ship-specific safety principles like those mentioned above. 

[mjkacmom]

16 hours ago, ginadcnj said:

This. We live outside NYC and our kids (almost 12, 14 and 16) have been given increasing levels of freedom to navigate by themselves, first in our bustling "suburb meets the city" town, and as they get older, in the city. My oldest has been taking the train into Manhattan on her own for acting classes, auditions and rehearsals pretty much since we came out of COVID lockdown last year. My younger two aren't at that point yet but they are quite at ease on their own in our town of 30,000-plus people. They have had it drilled into them to be respectful and polite and never disruptive, and they know quite well that if they behave inappropriately, the odds are pretty good that someone we know will see them and let us know. They keep us posted on where they are and what they're doing, and we've drilled good safety principles into their heads. They have good radar.

 

So we'll be comfortable with giving them--yes, even the almost 12yo, who TBH has probably the best head on her shoulders of the three--a fair degree of freedom on the ship, with a good set of ground rules about behaving respectfully, keeping in touch with us, and ship-specific safety principles like those mentioned above. 

We must live in the same area, if my kids are up to no good, someone I know will have witnessed it, since there appears to be a 2 degree separation between residents. My kids started taking the bus or train into the city around 14 with friends.

[Jerseygirl1416]

We live in a small shore town about an hour outside the city. I wouldn’t even let my 18yr old and his girlfriend go into the city on the train over winter break. It’s not my kids behavior I’m concerned about it’s the criminals that would target them. Some chances are just not worth taking when it comes to my kids. That said we all have our comfort level and what we could live with.

[mjkacmom]

6 hours ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

We live in a small shore town about an hour outside the city. I wouldn’t even let my 18yr old and his girlfriend go into the city on the train over winter break. It’s not my kids behavior I’m concerned about it’s the criminals that would target them. Some chances are just not worth taking when it comes to my kids. That said we all have our comfort level and what we could live with.

18 year olds are adults, my daughter used to visit her boyfriend at Fordham for weekends by herself at 16/17 bus and subway, her older sister had a boyfriend in Boston at that age so took the bolt bus. She just flew by herself to Italy at 20, changing planes in Portugal, then a train ride from Rome to Florence (3 day trip, she’s nuts). Being able to navigate this world and learn situational awareness is so important. My kids and their friends would take the train down the shore themselves at 14. All 5 kids were more than prepared to go away to college at 18, learned to trust their instincts and make good decisions.

[ginadcnj]

On 4/9/2022 at 4:55 PM, mjkacmom said:

18 year olds are adults, my daughter used to visit her boyfriend at Fordham for weekends by herself at 16/17 bus and subway, her older sister had a boyfriend in Boston at that age so took the bolt bus. She just flew by herself to Italy at 20, changing planes in Portugal, then a train ride from Rome to Florence (3 day trip, she’s nuts). Being able to navigate this world and learn situational awareness is so important. My kids and their friends would take the train down the shore themselves at 14. All 5 kids were more than prepared to go away to college at 18, learned to trust their instincts and make good decisions.

 

This, so much this! I was on the phone with my 16yo a few weeks ago while she was in Penn Station waiting for her train. Suddenly I heard her say in this bright, friendly voice, "Oh my gosh, I really love your jacket? Do you mind if I ask where you got it?" and then continue on talking with someone else for about a minute. When she got back on the phone with me I asked what that was about, and she explained that she had seen a guy bothering another girl so she stepped in to deflect him and started making conversation with the girl until he went away. I was SO EVERLOVING PROUD! Not only does my girl know how to handle herself, she has the skills, savvy and compassion to stand up and help others. Since we've been going into the city with the kids since they were little I think they've absorbed some of that from our behavior and some from things we've talked with them about, but to hear her put it all into practice so smoothly and unhesitatingly did my heart good! And also leaves me feeling much more confident about her going away to two different college prep programs over the summer. 

[Lane Hog]

Treat your teenagers as adults instead of children and (shocker!) they'll eventually act like and become adults...