February 6, 2012

To Surprise or Not Surprise

You know those commercials where the parents surprise their kids on Christmas morning with a trip to Disney World?  They're so fun to watch.  All the clever and creative ways people come up with to let the cat out of the bag.  And the kids' reactions are sometimes almost as surprising as the news they receive.

I have one child who wants to be surprised like that.  Part of it is the surprise itself, but the real reason he wants to wake up and be told, "We're going today!  Pack your bags," is that he doesn't want to have to endure the anticipation.

When I was young, I felt the same way.

But that presents a problem.  A big part of a vacation is all the stuff that leads up to it.  Like I said before, we do a little something every day, whether it's checking EMH's, watching YouTube videos, browsing the Disney website, reading the Unofficial Guide, making lists, checking the Moms' Panel, ordering our free Vacation Planning DVD, watching our free Vacation planning DVD - whew! - I can't imagine not being able to do all of that or having to do it in secret.

Besides, they'd miss out on so many things they enjoy.  Would they really want to miss curling up on the couch at lunch time and watching one of the DVDs from our 6-disc set of Disney Parks: The Secrets, Stories, and Magic Behind the Scenes?

Not being able to handle the anticipation, not having the patience and self-control to wait, is something he'll outgrow.  After all, it is my job to help him develop self-control.

Is it terrible that I might not ever surprise my kids like that?

Like Rapunzel's mother, Gothel, said, "Mother knows best!"

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