19mo,-toys for dining room

[akysmom]

Well here goes...When my daughter was little we took her to restaurants for the time she was 6 weeks old. Once she started to sit in a highchair we NEVER let her get down. Our best friends whose daughter was a little older did let her get out of the chair and into everyones laps and walk around the table and such. Now these are educated people, not a couple of dummies! Our daughter would ask to get down and we just said no. She learned to sit, eat, people watch , entertain herself with small toys and such. It wasn't always perfect but most of the time is was uneventful.

 

My daughter now has a 17 month old who will be cruising with us next month. She has used the same approach to dining out and so far it is working. Kaylee never tries to get out of her seat and has been in many restaurants for two hours. This also worked in both cases for riding in a stroller at the mall and other places. I will admit that it doesn't work for some reason with shopping carts like at the supermarket and Walmart. I have no explaination for why.

[Luxuriate]

Oh how I wish this was an option however since my husband doesn't believe in paying babysitters on land and the ship charges less then the a local babysitter it will mean that mommy (me) will be eating in the cabin with my son alone while my husband has a great time with our friends in the dining room.

 

I know filling him up with bread, o's or the like is not an option because then he will be full by the time the real food comes and then it will be time to leave the dining room and my diner will be over as well and I didn't get to eat a bite. :(

 

I don't know about sticker books because right now all I think he will do is either tear them apart or eat them (currently 22 months).

 

Earphones on the DVD player. How old do they have to be to actually keep them on? I know my son likes to drag them on the floor not wear them.

 

I think that if I have to resort to the DVD player because the toys/books (and on one thread on a board one woman on a cruise approached a mom and said it was rude for her child to read at the table so basically no matter what you have your child do you are at risk as a parent for being chastised by somebody) aren't working as long as I go out of my way not to disturb those around me I feel like saying either the DVD player is on the table or you put up with a 26 month old having a temper tantrum your choice. In the meantime I do hope that the atmosphere and business and bustling will keep him entertained and I won't need the DVD player.

 

My husband, too, thinks that we should be able to care for our child on our own. Unfortunately, what that really means is MOMMY TAKES CARE OF CHILD WHILE DADDY RELAXES AND DOES WHATEVER HE WANTS! I wish it wasn't this way but, alas, I married a much older guy that believes that the mother takes care of the kids and the father does only a bit of discipline. Love my husband but this is very true in our situation.

 

Cheryl

[sas80]

My husband, too, thinks that we should be able to care for our child on our own. Unfortunately, what that really means is MOMMY TAKES CARE OF CHILD WHILE DADDY RELAXES AND DOES WHATEVER HE WANTS! I wish it wasn't this way but, alas, I married a much older guy that believes that the mother takes care of the kids and the father does only a bit of discipline. Love my husband but this is very true in our situation.

 

Cheryl

 

How do you both not develop underlying feelings of animosity/anger towards your husbands?

 

I would be able to appear pleasant on the surface but would seethe underneath... it definitely would not make for a good marrage or healthy relationship for me...I would feel so taken advantage of.....

[Onessa]

My husband, too, thinks that we should be able to care for our child on our own. Unfortunately, what that really means is MOMMY TAKES CARE OF CHILD WHILE DADDY RELAXES AND DOES WHATEVER HE WANTS! I wish it wasn't this way but, alas, I married a much older guy that believes that the mother takes care of the kids and the father does only a bit of discipline. Love my husband but this is very true in our situation.

 

Cheryl

 

Let's not stereotype against older guys! My DH is 10 years older than I am and we waited until I was 36 before we had our child (whose now nearly 12YO) and he has NEVER taken the attitude that parental responsibility is limited to mothers. Here's a guy who conciously stopped buying Jif peanutbutter years ago when they started their "choosy mothers choose Jif" ad campaingn because he was offended that they implied that "Dads just don't give a rip!"

 

Relationships - husband/wife, parents/child - really need to have full participation from all parties. I agree with SAS80, I could not put up with someone who treated me and my child in such a way. Even if I loved the guy, I'm not sure I could like him!

[sas80]

Let's not stereotype against older guys! My DH is 10 years older than I am and we waited until I was 36 before we had our child (whose now nearly 12YO) and he has NEVER taken the attitude that parental responsibility is limited to mothers. Here's a guy who conciously stopped buying Jif peanutbutter years ago when they started their "choosy mothers choose Jif" ad campaingn because he was offended that they implied that "Dads just don't give a rip!"

 

Relationships - husband/wife, parents/child - really need to have full participation from all parties. I agree with SAS80, I could not put up with someone who treated me and my child in such a way. Even if I loved the guy, I'm not sure I could like him!

 

I think this is where the "to each his own" and "there's somebody for everybody" sayings chime in.....

[bethany24]

We will be traveling in Oct w/ a 20 month old and would love to hear how your experiences are since they will be fresh in your mind....any tips you can pass on will be appreciated!!!