When we are kids, our parents do so much for us and we don’t even realize it because they are quite good at hiding their pain from us. As we grow up, we realize the silent sacrifices they made for us, and sometimes it makes us wish we had treated them better.
In the end, we are kids and don’t know any better, just like the original poster’s (OP) kids who had a meltdown in Disneyland. Their mom is so heartbroken because the couple had planned hard for the trip even when money was tight and it turned out to be a disaster!
More info: Mumsnet
Sometimes, we don't even realize what our parents do to ensure that we get the things that we want
Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The poster and her husband are not too well-to-do financially, but they planned a trip to Disneyland Paris as both their kids love all things Disney
Image credits: Cheepcheepcheep
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The night before, both their kids were up late due to excitement, but the next day they both had a screaming meltdown at Disneyland
Image credits: Cheepcheepcheep
Image credits: Bo shou / Pexels (not the actual photo)
They tried to pacify their kids, but after 30 minutes, they gave up and went back to their Airbnb, and the poster was very disappointed
Image credits: Cheepcheepcheep
Image credits: alekskhelphoto / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Even though costs are very tight for the couple, they still spent money on the trip for the kids, and now they are also snappy at each other
Image credits: Cheepcheepcheep
The poster vented about the whole scenario online and expressed how she is feeling disappointed about the trip and her kids
Today’s story takes us to Disneyland Paris but it’s not the usual cheerful kind about the place, but rather the opposite. The poster and her husband have two kids who are 2 and 4 years old, respectively. Now, the couple is not really well off financially, but since their children love everything about Disney, they booked a trip to Disneyland.
The kids were probably super excited about the trip as they kept talking about it all the time, but the trip didn’t go as the family had expected. They arrived by ferry, which the children really enjoyed, and when they got to their Airbnb, there were some logistical issues, so it took them some time to get in.
It was already late, but the kids didn’t go to sleep because they were so excited about everything. However, when they went there the next morning, the 2-year-old had a meltdown—which was usual, as per OP—and then even the 4-year-old had one—which was unusual.
The couple did their best to pacify the kids by leveraging everything at Disneyland, from the Castle to meeting Mickey and Minnie, but to no avail. After about 30 minutes of the screaming meltdowns, the parents gave up and headed back to their Airbnb. The poster is very disappointed about how the trip is going and she and her husband are also snappy at each other.
After all, they did spend on this even when money was tight, so tempers flying is only natural. She mentions that the 4-year-old was apologetic and the 2-year-old realized he needed to be kinder. Well, OP vented online about their trip and how upset she was by it all.
Image credits: Travel with Lenses / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Many folks sympathized with the poster and said that they would be miserable too if they did so much for their kids and it didn't work out well. Many also pointed out that she had high expectations when they were just little children.
It has been observed that overexcitement occurs when a child has a good, even great, time but eventually becomes overwhelmed or overstimulated and this can result in a meltdown. Since they love Disney so much, the kids might have been overexcited to visit the place but probably weren’t able to handle this emotional overload.
Another factor could be the disturbance in their routine, as many folks highlighted. Research states, “Children thrive on routine and predictability, so any disruption—big or small—to their routine can be unsettling. Changes to a child’s environment may leave them feeling like they’ve lost a sense of familiarity and security, which can naturally trigger anxiety and stress.”
It seems as though traveling to a different country, not getting proper sleep, and being overexcited all culminated in a meltdown for the children. Many people advised OP that this was all part of them growing up and that she shouldn’t be put off by it, but give it another chance when the kids have slept properly and are less tired.
Some even pointed out that her kids were too young and it would be wise for them to grow up a little bit before exploring big things like Disneyland. However, they did say that she had their best interests at heart and she should try to work things out rather than stress over it.
What do you think? If you were in her shoes, what would you do? Let us know in the comments!
Folks online sympathized with her but pointed out that her kids were only 2 and 4 years old, so all this excitement was too much for them to handle
