3 yr old DS doesn't want to go!

[lisadam]

ACK! a week ago I told my 3 year old DS that we were going to Florida to visit his grandma.... and he automatically assumed that we were also going to Disney World (we did that last year - grandma's house - then Disney). I guess he associates the two things as "Florida" in his head. DH and I explained that we are visiting grandma, and if he is a good boy we MAY go visit Mickey.

Last night as I was getting him in bed he started crying saying "I don't want to go see Mickey - I don't want to go to on rides" Really heartwrenching crying.

OK - I've got ressies for WL 11/19 - 11/23 - any suggestions - I was going to whip out the Disney vacation planning video, and the 5 minutes of tape we shot while we were there (don't ask we're really bad at filming things)... what else can I do to make him excited

We leave tomorrow for Grandma's in Tampa.... I'll be without a computer (YIKES) after that.

 

[mryder]

Sometimes my son can get like that, he is 2 1/2. When we go places he says he doesn't want to go. He is fine once we are there, it is getting there that is the problem I am sure he will be fine once he is there. Enjoy your trip.

Watch the videos that you have. Check out some of the Disney web sites online with pictures. There are also some videos online with the monrail and some of the rides. My son enjoys them.

hope this helps

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Did you ask him why he doesn't want to go? My thought would be something totally unrelated to WDW. Whenever something happens like this with my kids, I am always surprized at the "real" reason for the fear. Perhaps he is afraid of flying after Sept. 11? I know he young, but they hear and see things we don't think they can understand. Maybe it is something to do with Grandma or staying away from home. Just keep talking to him until you can understand a bit more. Then I would reassure him about his fears "MOmmy will always keep you safe and close by", and really emphasize the fun parts of the trip - swimming in the pool (which is huge for my kids since we will be coming from fridgid NH), watching a parade, eating yummy snacks, ect. Reassure him you would never ask him to do something (a ride, a visit with a character), if he didn't want to. Hope this helps - let us know how everything works out. Tonia

 

[travelitis]

Kids at this age are fickle. One day they can't wait to do something, and the next they absolutely don't want to. I don't take it too seriously when it's something I know they enjoy. I just agree and tell them we don't have to go. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Sometimes the harder you try to convince them, the harder they refuse. It's a game, and they don't really know what they're refusing. I'd drop it and see if he doesn't tell you he wants to go to WDW without you even mentioning it. If you really can't leave it alone, try talking about something (maybe a character) he likes. When my 4 yo dd pulls this I just tell her that's fine, she doesn't have to go. We'll miss her while we do whatever and she's at home with a babysitter. When she quickly figures out that she's not in control of what the rest of us do, she changes her tune. It's a game.

My dd recently did this with princess dresses. She'd fallen in love with the pink Aurora dress, and I bought it in secret. I decided to take it out before our upcoming trip knowing that grandma is meeting us at WDW with a Cinderella dress. My dd saw her new dress and vehemently proclaimed she didn't want it several times. In her ranting she divulged it should be blue. I told her that just because she got a pink dress doesn't mean she'll never get a blue dress. (notice I did not tell her she would get a blue dress) That made all the difference. The next 3 days I couldn't get her out of it. She wore it to WalMart and wanted to wear it to church and to bed, but that's where I drew the line. It's now her favorite even over the Belle dress... yeah, right...whatever!

 

[crisi]

I go through the same thing every week with swimming lessons and my four year old. Every week "I don't want to go." I tell him we have to go (his sister is also in lessons), but he doesn't have to put on a suit if he doesn't want to. The minute he sees the pool, he is in his suit.

If he has character anxiety or ride anxiety, don't push it. Don't push him to see Mickey. Book any character meal late. Take him to MK and if he wants to go on rides, fine, but don't push them. I'm willing to bet that there will be no problems once he is there - but if there are any problems, pushing will only increase his anxiety.

 

[Magic2000]

My DD does the same. Although I don't think she remembers much of the visit to DW when she was 18 months old, she does remember when she was three. Our first day there, the first ride we went on was Snow White. Not good. I'm sure all of MK heard her crying. It took three days before she finally relaxed on the rides - for every ride she would ask "Is it dark in there?" In fact, on that first day, she even cried on Its A Small World.

Last summer, she finally decided to try Splash Mountain. Thankfully, that was on our last day. It wasn't pretty. She couldn't wait to get off of that ride! And anytime we talk about our upcoming trip, she lets me know she is NOT riding Splash Mountain. And I always promise that she doesn't have to ride any ride she doesn't want to. I never force her to ride any thing - she still hasn't tried Goofy's Barnstormer.

We usually play a game in the weeks before our trip - we each take a turn saying which ride we want to go on first. Its a lot of fun, and it sets her mind at ease that she gets to choose too.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

He is a normal three year old. He has no idea what he wants. The whole idea of going to WDW might just be too much for that little brain to process. The knowledge that he "might" be going to WDW may make it worse as he is unsure as to get excited over the idea or not. It might be his way of dealing with the possibilty that you might not go.He might just be thinking that he won't have to be good if he is not going to WDW. LOL. Kids are smart and do not think like adults. I have taught preschool for too many years!!!

I suggest telling him that you have decided that you will indeed be going to WDW and not attach it to his behavior. Then see how he reacts. If he still seems negative, try talking "around him". Tell you DH all about the things that you plan to do. Tell him about the resort and remind DH of all the fun things that you did last trip.You know DS will be taking it all in. BY the time you go, bet he won't be able to contain the excitment.Three year olds are so great and so funny. Don't take him too seriously.

Jordan's mom