This is what I love about DVC

[dgaston]

A few comments. I wish my daughter and her friends were going to WDW for their Spring Break. They have decided to do Study Abroad and go to Japan (much more expensive!!!).

I work in a college counseling center, and teach one/two psych courses a semester. National studies indicate that students drink more alcohol before they turn 21 than after they are of legal age. And many college students have the expectation that when they drink alcohol, they should get drunk. However not all colleges turn a blind eye to this issue. We participate in an online education program for all incoming freshmen, alcoholedu, and residential students are routinely referred for judicial action should the college become aware of substance use. I know many students who do not fit the Spring Break model of behavior.

When in WDW last April my own 25 year old son was carded in my presence each time he ordered a beer.

Regina: I'm jealous! Maybe I can send one of refillable Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach mugs. Those would be perfect for the frozen daquiri or margaritas.

 

[Doctor P]

dgaston,

Excellent points. I want to stress that alcohol is not the only form of misbehaving or dangerous behavior. Just as a matter of facts, the latest national studies indicate that as many as one-third of college students are alcoholic, 50% BINGE drink on a regular basis, another 30% regularly use alcohol and drink to excess occasionally, and only 15% do not regularly use alcohol. While it is dangerous to stereotype, when a person belongs to a group that the chances are better than 80% that they have a pattern of abusing alcohol and over 50% that they abuse it regularly, those are sobering statistics. And as long as it has been raised, the chances of alcohol abuse for a college student go up with family income and are higher at both Catholic high schools and Catholic colleges (much to the chagrine of my fellow Catholics). We live in a society today where people tend to be self-centered and not willing to be accountable, and this has rubbed off on our young people who are often not mature enough to deviate from the norms that they see around them. Fortunately, it sounds like there ARE a lot of people who inhabit these boards who have a good sense of responsibility and are raising good kids who will be responsible even in independent situations. I applaud those efforts and am heartened to hear so many people come to the defense of their kids and today's youth (and do it with well-reasoned and factual statements grounded in experience as opposed to just knee jerk defenses). I will not step back from imploring parents to impress upon their kids the importance of accountability, responsibility, and civil behavior. I would also implore parents to take an interest in their kids and to assume that they need every bit of help we can give in helping them meet the ugly challenges that are out there. On another note, even adults create problems at DVC resorts, but if parents who send their kids on independent trips impress upon them the responsibilities of being a timeshare owner and the importance of respect for others that will not only better ensure a good time for everybody, but it will also help turn around the cynicism of people like me who know the statistics and fear them. Just because the deck is stacked, that doesn't mean the game can't be won and the statistics turned around. Most schools are being aggressive as dgaston has pointed out, but the parents help is needed (especially BEFORE the kids get to college). Good luck! There is nothing I would like better than to see a great trip report from Regina's daughter next year about the good, clean fun that was had by all at WDW. I will also apologize for the tone of some of the previous posts on this thread, but note that I have found that parents need to be beaten over the head about a lot of these issues to really appreciate the pervasive pressures and behavior challenges faced by these young people. For example, you would be shocked by the things the police tell us about parents who refuse to believe their child is involved in gang activity even when presented with videotaped evidence. Same thing for drinking and sexual behavior that is documented via (legally) hidden cameras.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thank you for your last post, Doctor P. I do agree with everything you said there, and we tried to instill a value system in our kids that has followed them into adulthood. Our "kids" are now 30 and 36. Neither of them drink because we have never had alcohol in our home. Sure, they both tried a drink or two when they turned 21, but neither of them liked it, so it didn't become a part of their adult lives just as it was not a part of their home life. They also do not do drugs, smoke or have dangerous sexual encounters or even drive dangerously. I think the point here is that children learn what they grow up with. Encouraging parents to be involved in their childrens lives is the key.

 

[Regina]

Okay DoctorP, I've done my best to ignore your insinuations, but you keep upping the ante and I'm getting annoyed.

Since you chose not to reply to my response to your PM, let's get this settled where you seem intent to hash this out, on my "fluff" thread. That's all it was, just a little thread to share my excitement.

I noticed that your most recent "lecture" includes a part about going to Catholic High School to your "statistics." Guess that came as a result of my PM since I don't see it mentioned anywhere else.

In addition to drinking, you're now implying that my daughter will engage in "sexual behavior." Quite frankly, I find your comments repugnant and insulting.

I am far from out of touch with this age group. My other two college grads are 24 and 23 years old. I don't need your statistics, I live with this demographic.

Let me make this abundantly clear, I am beyond fed up with your implying that my daughter is now some drunken slut simply because she's a college student. She's going to WDW for her Spring Break. I don't need or ask for your approval.

To the rest of you, I apologize for losing my temper.

 

[nestlejean]

Being the parent of 2 college age kids, i can attest tot eh fact that there are many kids engaging in these behaviors. They may come from "good" families and they may not. Some parents are aware of what their kids do but many are not. I know this through various means. I will not say exactly how. I have many friends with "good" kids. Many have done some or all of the mentioned "no no's". Of my 2, the oldest does anything we don't want her too (or tries to). When we went to WDW last year, she went off on her own (she was 19) and we went to the park. She came back to the room drunk. See, it happened even when we were with! She was not let out alone after that! If you can't trust them then they are treated like a child. Not the adult they are SUPPOSED to be. She would never be allowed to go to WDW alone without us. It's hard enough keeping her in line WITH us there. I would allow a mature, trustworthy college age student to go there without me. I would rather they go there than to some of the other typical spring break places. I think, as many have said, most kids wanting to go there are not going for the party scene. My oldest would not choose WDW for spring break. She would choose a party place though. That is her idea of fun, not WDW. Sometimes you wonder where a child comes from even though you are sure no one mixed her up at birth! I think it will not be a "hot" spot for college kids looking to party for spring break because:
it's too expensive
there are parks to see, not wet t'shirts, etc.
it's more of a family type of vacation
it's not the party scene the college age crowd would like as in "girls gone wild"
there are not enough college age kids to make it fun for the partiers to go to.
I am sure if there is a problem with kids as with adults) Disney would take care of it. We actually saw quite a few drunks in WDW (Epcot) when we were there last. They were all adults. Every one has his own point of view and reasons for such. Until there is a problem with the college age kids at spring break, we shouldn't assume everyone going there are going for the "wrong" reasons. Some just want to go to a magical place to enjoy what Disney offers which is not parties and lots of college age crowds.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Glad to hear they are good about carding. Do they confirm the validity of the ID also? This is a new thing in a lot of hot spots in our area.

I can attest to that! I'm, well, well over 21 and I didn't have ID with me. The bouncer would not let me in!!!!

 

[Doctor P]

Regina,

I'm sorry that you took any of the comments personally as none of them were intended to be personal and I don't believe that I have made any comment that was directed at any of your children or your dear daughter in particular. In fact, it sounds like you are a pretty great mom and have some darn good and successful kids. In fact, the positive comments that I made in my last post were to a great extent aimed at you. You seem like a dedicated and caring parent who goes out of her way to love her kids and stay in their lives. The comments about Catholic high schools were much more motivated by the fact that I am Catholic (and proud of it), have a DSD that goes to Catholic schools, taught at a prestige Catholic college for 6 years (including having responsibility for counseling over 50 students who stayed with me as their academic advisor from the time that they were freshman till the time that they were seniors). Unfortunately, many people are under the mistaken impression that kids at such schools are better behaved or better managed as a simple virtue of going to school there. I'm here to tell people that isn't necessarily true, and in fact may be the opposite (though I am not in any way saying that going to Catholic schools CAUSES these problems, LOL).