Toddlers in the mdr

[gerif]

Bingo - we were the same.... and because one child is ready doesn't mean another is as well. They're all little individuals and even within the same family with the same "raisin" there can be variations.

 

ITA - one of our grandsons could be taken anywhere at any age and would amuse himself and sit quietly through anything. Since his mother worked, he was cared for by his other grandmother who came from a third world country and had 14 grandchildren - no tantrums tolerated from her. Our granddaughter, OTOH, you could maybe take to McDonald's and expect to not get a tantrum - but that's a big maybe. Couldn't take her to a restaurant until she was in kindergarten and to this day (age 17) always had to have a video game in her hands. Her mother saw nothing wrong with this. As a mother-in-law, I keep my mouth shut.

[bearette]

To answer your question I have toddler twins (2 yr) and have done three cruises with them already as well as several land vacations. My kids are scheduled with eating ( as most twin mom kids mom learn when they are young feed them together or no sleep for you) so early dinner works for us but I have done MTD as well.

 

A coloring book or iPad etc... works wonders to entertain kids when dinner runs long. I almost never had them cry or fuss at the table when I came prepared with entertainment. Just like anywhere else they just want to be entertained. Depending on their age it may have been a spoon that entertained them but you should be fine in the dinning room. The only issue we ever had was around dessert. If you spend too much time deciding or getting served you may need to take it to go ( my daughter would get fussy around the 1.5 hrs mark.) So far I've made dessert at every MDR dinner!

 

I found cruises a great time to try different foods for my kids! It's how I discovered my daughter loves mushrooms and my son watermelon.

 

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[Loves_Dogs]

Admit it. You all knew this was going to happen.

 

HAHAHhahahaha...and yet we are still following along :eek: .

[summersigh]

ITA - one of our grandsons could be taken anywhere at any age and would amuse himself and sit quietly through anything. Since his mother worked, he was cared for by his other grandmother who came from a third world country and had 14 grandchildren - no tantrums tolerated from her. Our granddaughter, OTOH, you could maybe take to McDonald's and expect to not get a tantrum - but that's a big maybe. Couldn't take her to a restaurant until she was in kindergarten and to this day (age 17) always had to have a video game in her hands. Her mother saw nothing wrong with this. As a mother-in-law, I keep my mouth shut.

 

Gotcha :)

[torcruise]

On my last cruise I brought my 3 year old. The first night we went to the MDR the wait staff were really good with getting her food out fast, however after about 15min my daughter proclaimed that she was done! She continued to loudly say "I'm done!" though out the whole meal. So for the rest of the cruise I took her to the buffet before dropping her off at the camp so I could go enjoy my slow meal. I only brought her back to the MDR on 1 elegant night and I asked for a table by ourselves and I ask for the meal to come out fast. We are going on a cruise again in one week, I will see how she does but I don't have high hopes! her new favorite saying is "waiting is hard"

[bournemouth air]

We took our 20 month old daughter on a two week cruise. At the time she was often sick after eating for no reason at all.

 

 

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[gerif]

We took our 20 month old daughter on a two week cruise. At the time she was often sick after eating for no reason at all.

 

 

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And your point is?

[bournemouth air]

The point is the ipad ran out

[bournemouth air]

We took our 20 month old daughter on a two week cruise. At the time she was often sick after eating for no reason at all. When we booked we asked th TA if we could reserve a table of 4. They told us as soon as embarking the ship to see the resturant manager to reuest it. It happened that we where given it anyhow but was worth checking as they showed us where the table was. It was a when baby fell asleep and needed to get her buggy in.

 

Just thought it maybe worth a mention

[bluemarlin1]

I've encountered MANY more rude and obnoxious adults on cruises than I have screaming toddlers. The elderly curmudgeon who ran over my 13-year-old's feet with his motorized scooter, turned around and gave him a dirty look and kept driving without even an "Excuse me", the fat cow who shoved my 10-year-old to daughter to get in front of her in the Windjammer, and on and on and on. Screaming toddlers are the least of my cruise worries. I'll take a crying baby ANY DAY over someone who should know better.

[scoob2010]

I've encountered MANY more rude and obnoxious adults on cruises than I have screaming toddlers. The elderly curmudgeon who ran over my 13-year-old's feet with his motorized scooter, turned around and gave him a dirty look and kept driving without even an "Excuse me", the fat cow who shoved my 10-year-old to daughter to get in front of her in the Windjammer, and on and on and on. Screaming toddlers are the least of my cruise worries. I'll take a crying baby ANY DAY over someone who should know better.

 

Agreed:D

[firestopr]

I've encountered MANY more rude and obnoxious adults on cruises than I have screaming toddlers. The elderly curmudgeon who ran over my 13-year-old's feet with his motorized scooter, turned around and gave him a dirty look and kept driving without even an "Excuse me", the fat cow who shoved my 10-year-old to daughter to get in front of her in the Windjammer, and on and on and on. Screaming toddlers are the least of my cruise worries. I'll take a crying baby ANY DAY over someone who should know better.

 

 

My kids are no angels but they know how to behave when it is called for.

 

I can say with no reservations that if someone where to do those things to any of my kids they would find themselves to be having a very bad day.

 

***Also as a soon to be cruiser with a toddler. thank you to everyone who has given such great advice so far.

[clemsongal]

We just got back from a cruise on the Oasis the week before Easter. There was a toddler with her parents and grandparents at the table next to us. Most of the time she was well behaved, but some nights it was obvious that she was just tired and cranky, as children sometimes are. The only problem was when she decided to pitch a fit, the parents wouldn't take her out right away; they would try to divert her attention to something else. One night she dropped and broke an empty glass.

[newparents]

Agreed:D

 

I also agree!!!

[newparents]

that first shriek is physically PAINFUL for my husband due to some prior ear surgeries. as in makes him nauseous.

 

This comment I am about to make is made with no disrespect but if the noise of child hurts your husband so much then you should probably look to book adult only cruises.

If you choose to book a cruise ship aimed at families, ie has kids clubs etc then you have chosen to accept that the shreiking of children is a possibility.

[newparents]

For me, I love going to the mdr with my kids, as a parent I reckon we can usually tell when our kid may be heading for a meltdown and I personally remove the wee one immediately, go out of the restaurant altogether until he or she calms down, a family only section would actually be a good, I personally would quite like that

[Panda3]

Planning on cruise in in 2016 Baby will be just over 2 years by then. Do you have any stories, pro or con about young children eating in the dining room

 

2 years is still a ways away. I would see the temperment of your child and make that decision closer to your sail date.