Concerns about safety of 18 month old....

[TravelBel]

Hello fellow cruisers! My husband and I have cruised many times, pre-baby! We're taking Ben on a family cruise next May and my brother will be getting married onboard. We have several family members (including myself) who are just going out of their minds worried about the two little ones (they will be 2 and 3) when we go.

 

I'm going to take my own life-presever, thought of getting one of those "harnesses" (I know, someone is going to comment that my kid is not a dog)..... But, I could use a little peace of mind from some of the parents who have taken little ones before.

[merela]

Hello fellow cruisers! My husband and I have cruised many times, pre-baby! We're taking Ben on a family cruise next May and my brother will be getting married onboard. We have several family members (including myself) who are just going out of their minds worried about the two little ones (they will be 2 and 3) when we go.

 

I'm going to take my own life-presever, thought of getting one of those "harnesses" (I know, someone is going to comment that my kid is not a dog)..... But, I could use a little peace of mind from some of the parents who have taken little ones before.

 

Which cruise ship are you considering? Big ships are like floating cities....the chance of it going down like the Titanic is unlikely. Having said that, being the mother of 2 small children and auntie to 2 even smaller children (who incidentally have cruised more than I have), safety is the last thing we worried about when we plan for our cruise.

 

All cruiseships before they disembark, they make passengers go through muster drills with our life-jackets on. They have smaller ones for younger kids. For our first cruise, when the kids are (4YO, 2YO, 1YO), the cruiseline provided life jackets their sizes in our rooms.

 

If you are worried about them falling overboard, just don't book balcony rooms and don't take them outside on decks. Family members can take turns watching them if you need to go outside to see the view.

 

There are plenty to do on a ship. I worry more about them catching a cold or falling down the stairs than accidents involving water. Kids will be kids, just bring lots of bandaids, topical antibiotics, and kids' Tylenol and you should be able to enjoy your cruise trip.

 

My 20M old DS fell off his chair in the dining room (he was playing peekaboo with DH) and landed on his face. He had a bleeding nose when we picked him up. 3 hours of ice pack (on his forehead) and a good nap, he was good as new.

 

We didn't take a harness, but we did take strollers. The kids just ran in front of us down the corridor, but when we are near the elevator or staircase, I excise my right as a parent and told them to stay put. Also, no screaming and loud talking anywhere on the ship. Even if we enjoy having our kids on board, others may not like that, so I try to keep my kids' noises to a minimum.

 

The 3YO can always go to kids' club and let the professionals watch them. So you only have the 2YO to worry about.

 

I can't stress how important naps and routine is to a 2YO and a 3YO. So adults need to sacrifice a little and not plan offshore excursions as not to disrupt the children's regular naps. Sleepiness and lack of naps are the major cause of accidents in small children, besides they get so cranky when they are tired. So don't deviate too much from your child's routine even if you are on a ship.

 

Treat your cruise trip like a hotel stay. Don't worry and enjoy your trip.

[PattyW]

I agree with the previus poster that you don't have to worry about the general safety of the ship for children any more than for adults (life jackets, etc), simply be aware of your surroundings and look for any potential hazards for toddlers and either remedy them or be watchful.

 

For example, I stayed at a hotel last week with my 21 month old and noticed two things: first - she could reach the door handle (can't at home) and second, she was very interested in the stick that held the window open (the hotel was built in the 1800's). So, I knew that I had to watch her closely so that she didn't remove the stick and potentially have her hand smashed by a falling window and that she didn't try to escape from the room and find herself locked out. Neither of those are issues at home, but they were issues for her environment for a couple of days.

 

Same thing for a cruise ship. Just keep you eye out for mini hazards - can she reach the door? Is she a climber and you have a balcony? - then move or remove the furniture so she can't stand on the table. Does she like to pull on table cloths? If you eat dinner in the dining room, pull the high chair away from the table except when you're eating, so that everyone's food doesn't end up on the child's lap. Keep a close eye on her on the pool decks, so she (a) doesn't slip and fall because of standing water and (b) doesn't jump in the pool if she's inclined to do so. And if it makes you feel better to use a harness (especially if your child is a stroller-phobe) then use one. Not that I think a child will find her way overboard, but if she's the type that thinks it's fun to run away from you, she may bolt into a crowd and you may lose her for a minute or two. You know your child and it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

It's just like home, yet different. There are no cars, but there are waiters carrying trays of drinks to look out for - no garbage on the ground, but there are still things she shouldn't touch. If you are aware, then even potential problems are minimized.

 

I know this is all common sense, so I hope I haven't offended the op by my comments.

[TravelBel]

Thanks for the helpful information (and no offense taken!).... I went out last night and bought our own life jacket and the tips above are very helpful (esp. those about naps!!!)....

 

I feel a little more relaxed now! This is our first big trip with our son who's 18 months and I suppose it's natural to be scared!

 

Thanks again!

[joto]

A walking harness is a great idea. It does help to have one if your child is the type to run away from you when he could smack into something and hurt himself, it does stop that worry. Or during the wedding ceremony it could help restrain him from running down the aisle and disrupting the ceremony as some toddlers are prone to do. I used one for my kids, and it saved them from tripping over too many times. When I saw they were on the verge of falling over, I just hauled them up on the harness. Sounds hard, but it saved them from many skinned knees and faces. Have a great cruise and I'm sure your son will enjoy it too.

[kfleming]

 

I feel a little more relaxed now! This is our first big trip with our son who's 18 months and I suppose it's natural to be scared!

 

Thanks again!

 

 

 

I know the feeling! We are gearing up for our first big trip next month with our 1 year old and the closer it gets the more of a wreck I get! DH keeps telling me this is supposed to be fun not scary or nerve-racking but I can't help it, I'm worried about it all.

[serene56]

my youngest son is now 19 years old. When he was a toddler we used the harness type thing--the one that goes around the chest--not the wrist one. _I dont like those at all- his little wrist could have got broke many times the way he ran around. The harness kept him safe and gave me piece of mind. and funny thing is--who cared what others thought.. I knew where my son was. and he still had somewhat of a free reign to roam.