Spoil the Child

Yesterday I received an email from Disney, one that they send to all the people who are annual passholders. I love all things Disney, although I wouldn't consider myself a complete fanatic. For instance, some of the people that do the pin trading? They can be a little scary.

We are probably going to go to Disneyland tomorrow, as it is a nice all-day activity to get the heck away from the house of hammering. And suddenly the thought hit me, am I spoiling the crap out of my kid?

I mean, think about it. Going to Disneyland/Disneyworld is something that a lot of kids dream about, something that their parents hold over their heads in order to elicit good behavior. It's a vacation that many families must save up for, as it involves air travel for most people. Not to mention the fairly steep entry prices. And the price of food. And the price of souvenirs. And...

But Mr. Personality? Heck, he goes to Disneyland a minimum of twice a month. It is literally about fifteen minutes away from my house. The only times we don't go are in the summer, partly because we have the no-frills pass that bars us from mid-June until the end of August, and partly because it is so crowded during those months that I would rather not go anyway. Why stand hours in line for everything in the heat of August when I can walk right on practically any ride while enjoying the cool February breezes?

But I digress. If Disneyland is a "normal" thing for him growing up, am I raising a child who will not be thrilled by anything less later in life? One that will be blase about anything that doesn't involve things that whirl and twirl and have fancy design and lighting? Am I creating a monster?

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