The Balanced Life, Huntsville Alabama

My husband, daughter and I just returned from a vacation in Florida where we hit up Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot. We had a great time and found that spending time at parks such as these with the throngs of other families and long lines is much easier with an 8 year old than a 3 year old, as was the case when we ventured to Disney for the first time. Always the observer of people, I found an amazing variety of folks to watch. And like I tend to do, I found lessons to be learned everywhere I looked. I thought these might be fun to share with you so here you are.

Patience is a virtue. We all know this but wow, it’s hard to apply sometimes.  It’s especially challenging when you’re standing in line….for a long, long time. We stood in lots of lines at Disney. But, you know what? We survived. We had fun. We talked to each other. We made friends.  It was just fine.

You can make a friend just about anywhere. My daughter got to know another 8 year old from Colorado who was vacationing with her family while we waiting to ride the 7 Dwarfs Mine Train at MK. They chattered and laughed just like old friends and as a result, we talked with her mom, too. Kids are so great at making friends just like that. We adults could do the same if we’d just open ourselves up to the experience.

Yelling at someone when they are already upset doesn’t help. I recognize this sounds like common sense but often times parents get to a certain point, they feel that yelling at their little one who’s melting down (likely, in this case, due to being completely exhausted from the magical Disney experience) to stop crying, is the thing to do. I watched a dad bend over his child who had collapsed in a heap onto the pavement in tears and bellow at the child in Italian. I don’t know what he said but it didn’t sound like he was asking him if he wanted an ice cream. When a child is struggling, they may need to be reprimanded or talked to about their behavior. In the middle of a busy walkway at Disney just isn’t the place and doing it five octaves louder than your child probably isn’t going to solve the problem.

Facing your fear can be empowering. Our daughter is a bit of a fraidy-cat at times and has to be encouraged to step out of her comfort zone on occasion. This was the case at Disney as well. While I couldn’t get her on the Tower of Terror or the AeroSmith Rockin’ Roller Coaster (just kidding…I wasn’t getting on them either!) she did ride some things that she was a little nervous about. Like Splash Mountain. It’s a log ride where you get wet and has a big drop near the end. But, you know what? With only minimal coaxing, she rode it…and loved it. She kept talking about it. It was a big move for her to see that she could do something that was a little intimidating for her.

It’s ok to slow down and get off the beaten path. At MK and Epcot, we left the crowds and thrill seekers behind to sit in on some shows and we really enjoyed it. Yes, we are THOSE parents who do boring, educational stuff with our kid. So far, she doesn’t mind and she might even like it, so we’ll keep doing it. It was nice to sit down and relax and in the process, learn something. I think it also helped with easing some of the pressure from being out in the crowds and sun and kept us all more relaxed.

Clowns really can be funny.  We went to a performance of Cirque du Soliel and loved every single minute of it. The performers are out of this world in terms of sheer strength, talent and flexibility. What surprised me, though, was how funny the two lead clowns were. All three of us laughed out loud at their antics. I love to laugh but I know I don’t laugh enough. We are finding that laughter helps to lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, and reduce stress hormones while triggering the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.My daughter laughs all the time and it’s music to my ears.

I’m sure I learned other things but those are what come to me first and foremost. Like I tell my clients, there are lessons to be gleaned from all around us. Even at Disney World.