It’s just a personal bit of quirkiness…but few things break my heart more than hearing parents that think it’s a waste to take their young children to Disney World because they’re too young to remember it. While I understand that many people need to save for years to make a trip happen – if you have the means I cannot encourage you enough to take your babies to the happiest place on earth no matter how wee they still are. And here are a half dozen reasons why.
- It’s free. That’s right. It’s FREE. Kids 2 and under can walk through those park gates without your having to spend a dime to get them in. They can also eat at buffets at Walt Disney World for free – or share your plate elsewhere. So why not take advantage of that while you still can??
- It’s actually easier to take them now. When they’re wee they don’t argue. They won’t run off. You can wear them or push them or carry them or walk hand in hand. If they fall asleep, so be it. You can relax and enjoy the experience just knowing that they are along for the ride with you.
- Who cares if they remember it? I don’t remember what I had for lunch this afternoon. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. So it baffles me that we sometimes hold off on giving our kids experiences simply because they won’t remember them in a decade. Live in the moment. Watch their smiles. And know that at some deep subconcious level they will hold onto this experience forever. Not to mention that they’ll show the pictures of it to their own kids in the decades that come.
- You’ll remember it forever. Yes. You. It’s allowed to be about you, too. Maybe they won’t remember that moment that they teetered into Mickey’s arms or laughed on Dumbo or slept in Cinderella’s arms. But you will. And that’s important and wonderful too.
- You’re creating a tradition. Disney is a family tradition. A legacy. If you love this place, give them the gift of a childhood here that goes back to their earliest days. Let them bring their children one day when they’re parents too and know that they’d been here with you when they were that small. Let them tell friends when they’re grown that they’ve been coming here since before they were old enough to remember. Give them the gift of a family tradition that started while they were too young to remember it.
- The magic is real. This is the age when the magic is real. When characters and pixie dust and fairy tales are real. Don’t deny them the joy of experiencing it simply because they won’t remember it when they’re grown and don’t deny yourself the joy of seeing this wonderful place through the eyes of your children while they’re still young enough to believe without question.
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