Camp Carnival / popcorn / toddler question

[Angela61280]

I know I'm probably being a nutty overprotective momma... But I'm worried about the movie and popcorn group babysitting... I have a 2 y/o and plan on having some adult time on our upcoming cruise... But now I'm afraid of the movie night with popcorn. It's apparently 'group sitting' or whatever.. Which to me means that he will be with older kids that have popcorn. Popcorn isn't allowed until like 4 y/o bc it's a choking hazard - has anyone run into this? Thoughts/comments? :confused:

[megessey]

I don't know anything about Carnival, but I'm assuming you will get a special kid's cruise everyday and will show you what times they scheduled movie time, and you can opt to not have him there at that time.

[6rugrats]

I know I'm probably being a nutty overprotective momma...

 

This is the first time I've seen this concern here. Usually it's about car seats, getting whole milk, falling off the balcony, etc.

[jules1121]

Popcorn isn't allowed until like 4 y/o bc it's a choking hazard - has anyone run into this? Thoughts/comments?

 

 

Unless your child has a special health issue I don't think this is an issue. I actually hadn't heard of the age four before. To be honest I have never had an issue with my 3 yr old eating popcorn (even when she was two). Popcorn is a choking hazard in basically the same way as many other foods (grapes, hotdogs, peanuts, marshmellows, etc) are, which means eat under supervision IMHO.

 

You will get a schedule at the beginning of the cruise and you can choose when to leave and when to pick up your child so if there is a time they are serving popcorn then you can keep your child with you at that time.

[arom729]

I must be overprotective, too. I wouldn't want my young toddler eating popcorn in a group setting, either. I'd just make sure to check the times and unless there is a movie + popcorn every night, I'd just avoid taking your child there on movie nights. If there is a movie each night, I'd have discussions (each night you leave the child there) with all the staff informing them your child is not to have popcorn. Just like any parent-restriction, they should have no problem abiding your request. If they do, then there is a larger problem IMO.

[mikesteg]

which means eat under supervision IMHO.

 

Right, but (IMHO) that means sitting with the child and coaching them to eat one piece at a time until they get the hang of it. Then, a few pieces at a time until they are much older. In the camp setting, they'll have a few counselors watching a large group... possibly not watching all that well, and likely being distracted frequently. At the same time, the child will be exposed to older kids stuff their mouths and will be inclined to do the same... they are kids after all.

 

To be fair, it is not Camp's job to teach a child how to eat new foods properly or to supervise at that level. Nor should they restrict a social norm to accommodate. This is where the parents need to parent, as the OP is doing.

 

OP, an alternative to skipping it outright is to teach your child to eat popcorn slowly... and then spy on them for awhile. :D I would not trust Camp 100% to keep it away from them, even if they were to agree.

[Angela61280]

I'm slightly shocked that this question basically received a 'you're crazy' response. I agree, when I looked at the boards, there were A LOT of questions about car seats and falling off of balconies... too many IMHO, that it made me think - parents are willing to allow their tots to ride in cars without car seats (just to what... be more comfortable in their tiny room - you're a parent - protect your child - either use a carseat and deal with the big uncomfortable car seat, don't get in a vehicle and do stuff around port, or get a bigger room)?!?! parents are afraid of their lo gaining access to a balcony when they aren't around?? I don't allow my child to roam around unsupervised and definitely abide by safety regulations to a T... (lock the door, supervise your kid, and duct tape goes a long way... I'm also of the opinion that if you haven't heard what the major choking hazards are, and when certain foods are acceptable (and youre a parent) perhaps its time to get off of cruise critic researching cruises, and time to get on child rearing website to start learning about your kid (or at the very least run to the library and grab a book).

 

Anyway, I was merely looking for information regarding how carnival handles this, and what other parents have doen in this situation... seeing as how group babysitting doesn't have a downward age restriction and reaches up to age 11, so children from 0-4 (that's a little more than 1/3 of the group) shouldn't be anywhere near popcorn. To me, that's not a 'social norm' when the AAP says it's dangerous and can be fatal to to more than 1/3 of the group. That's just an unnecessary risk. I don't trust carnival to stand over my kid, to make sure he doesn't chock on something he shouldn't be having in the first place.... truthfully, he shouldn't have to be around it, if carnival opens their doors to children of this age group...

 

thank you all for your help!

[Kerry's Girls]

Do we know that popcorn is served? I don't remember seeing it - and what a mess it would make with the kids all running around. At 2 years old my kids would have been asleep during the after-10:00pm childcare, so I just may not have noticed. But since the topic hasn't come up in the six years I've been on this board, I'm thinking it may not be a issue. If they are serving it, unfortunately, it sounds like adult-time will have to end at 10:00, but hopefully that won't be the case.

 

Best,

Mia

[celle]

I know I'm probably being a nutty overprotective momma... But I'm worried about the movie and popcorn group babysitting... I have a 2 y/o and plan on having some adult time on our upcoming cruise... But now I'm afraid of the movie night with popcorn. It's apparently 'group sitting' or whatever.. Which to me means that he will be with older kids that have popcorn. Popcorn isn't allowed until like 4 y/o bc it's a choking hazard - has anyone run into this? Thoughts/comments? :confused:

 

Angela, he's your child. Do what you want to, to keep him safe.

 

Myself, I feel that, regardless of the popcorn situation, a 2-year old is too young to be left in a large group situation with older children.

 

I looked at that AAP's list of choking hazards - my goodness! All 3 of my children ate all those things well before they were 4, and so do both my grand-daughters, who are 3 and 1 years old. You can't keep them on purees and soft foods for 4 years. BUT, they were (and are) closely supervised by their parents while eating. Like you, I would not be happy with them eating those things in a group situation.

 

As an aside (and totally off-topic, for which I apologise), the statistics on child death by choking in the USA (73 in one year) pale into insignificance when compared with the all-age deaths by shooting - over 900 Americans have died by shooting since the pre-Christmas school massacre.

[MichelleChell]

I have not seen them serve popcorn to the little ones before.

[Julienatul]

They have never served popcorn to my kids during movie time that I know of and my dd has been on 11 Carnival cruises.

I don't think they do that. They do offer popcorn on the lido deck during movies but its not a camp activity with camp carnival.