Share how your child staked their claim for independence with Royal Caribbean - you could win a 4 day trip for your family on Independence of the Seas! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

To help celebrate both Independence Day and the news that Royal Caribbean's cruise ship, "Independence of the Seas" will be sailing from Southampton again next year, the team there would love to hear your stories of toddlers and children staking claims of independence.

Royal Caribbean say "we know that once they've mastered a few key words, your little ones are keen to do things their way! From Great Cot Escapes to Fashion Showstoppers, we want to hear about these mini adventures and, in return, one lucky Mumsnetter will win a family holiday on board our luxurious and innovative ship, Independence of the Seas (the UK’s favourite cruise ship), in 2016." This is worth approx £2,200!

"Independence of the Seas will be sailing on a selection of voyages from Southampton to Europe and the Mediterranean and is packed with great on-board experiences to keep every member of your family entertained. From the FlowRider® surf simulator, a rock climbing wall and ice-skating rink to cantilevered whirlpools and complimentary Broadway-style entertainment – there’s something for everyone.

The beautiful ship also offers a complimentary Adventure Ocean® Youth Program, Royal Babies® and Royal Tots® programme, Teen lounge areas and disco and H20 Zone™ kids’ waterpark. Itineraries include an exciting selection of three to 14 nights sailings from Southampton- including three and four night mini breaks to Paris and Bruges, seven night cruise itineraries to France and Spain, and a number of 14 night breaks from Southampton to the Mediterranean with its wonderful beaches, historic cities and idyllic coastal towns".

So, please post on this thread the most memorable stake for independence claimed by one of your children - everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter - picked at random - will win a family holiday on board Independence of the Seas in 2016. Subject to MN Insight T&Cs as well as the additional T&Cs from Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean sails to over 260 amazing destinations around the world. From Barcelona to Barbados, Australia to Alaska – via their fleet of 23 ships - for further information about Royal Caribbean’s award-winning holiday experiences, please visit www.royalcaribbean.co.uk, or visit them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

My little one's favourite saying at 2 was "my do it by my own" for everything from getting dressed to making tea, it took us forever to do anything

When my 18 month old became potty trained : )

Ashamed as I am to admit it, I once lost both my children in Waitrose as I waited behind a panel to get my free coffee. Imagining themselves abandoned, my 6 and 9 year old braved streets and cars to get back to Granny's house. They managed it - and since then have realised that they can do much more for themselves than they imagined.

My little man wanting to walk on his own without any help!

My ten month old went off on an adventure through the cat flap one day when I turned my back for a minute

My daughter has always been very independent from a young age she would do everything herself. Although sometimes the clothes were mismatched and the hair every shape but she got there in the end

Most memorable moment was when at one bedtime i gave him night time kiss on his cheeks and foreheadhe cleaned it with his hand and in serious voice told me: Mummy stop licking me.I am not ice cream. I am boy! :)))

As soon as she could walk mine walked everywher we went as a matter of pride

My dd, on deciding she was old enough to need total privacy when she went to the toilet (she was 9 at the time), managed to lock herself in the bathroom upstairs and was unable to let herself out

30 minutes of rattling the door and issuing instructions to her followed to no avail. Not being in possession of a long ladder, I called my dentist who lives a few doors away and borrowed his ladder Unfortunately once I had climbed to the top of the ladder (yes, the men stood at the bottom looking concerned), I could see there was no way in as the window was locked.

Dd was sobbing loudly by now so having tried the cheaper alternatives, we called an emergency locksmith. £80 and a broken door later, dd was finally liberated.

My DS never lets us place a napkin on his lap or in his collar..."I'll do it myself"! As a result we have a lot of food stained clothes!

Yesterday my six year old son announced (on being told to watch the road) "mum, I know you worry about me and want to keep me safe but I'm six years old now and I can look after myself" I really didn't know how to reply!

Ds was much older than the children mentioned here when he staked his claim to independence. He was 19, and after having 1 to 1 support from three years old as well three years in a specialist school where he was taught valuable life skills, he started at a mainstream college 30 miles away.
He traveled independently by public transport having always been escorted in a taxi, he had no TA at his side only support behind the scenes if needed and he had friends to make and breaks to fill.
But he did it and he didn't just cope he thrived and today he's signed up for year two of his level 3 course with plans for university next year.

My nine month old climbed out of her baby bath and sat, naked, on the floor next to it with a look that said "i'm not going back in, get a plan B, mum"

On my daughters first day at primary school my husband and I awoke at 6.45 finding her already dressed and eating cereal at the kitchen table telling us it was "time to leave" and saying "mummy and daddy need to get dressed quickly" for the 15 minute journey , unfortunately that habit didn't last for long, and she quickly learnt to tell the time.

When my four year old managed to undress and dress himself at school. He came out with his trousers back to front, t-shirt inside out and was missing his socks. "Mummy, I can now get dressed all by myself" he said - as I was walking down the road with him pulling his trousers up. "I can teach my baby brother Ronnie!"

My 6yo is extremely independent but possibly his most memorable bid for freedoms occurred at Camp Bestival three years ago when he did a vanishing trick while we were engrossed in putting up the tent. After forty terrifying minutes hunting around the campsite he was finally located at the entrance to the festival site trying to sweet talk the security into letting him inside so he could start having some fun because, apparently, we were being 'boring'.

I will get dd's clothes out and leave them on her bed for her to put on, she will go upstairs and come down in completely different clothes.

I was in Edinburgh for the day with my mother and my two children aged 5 and 3. We enjoyed a long day eating, visiting the castle and shopping. We took advantage of the many sale signs on offer and everyone including my 3year old son was laden with parcels. On noticing the adults' favourite store, M &S, my mum exclaimed, 'O look, let's go in here too! '
My son had had enough! He yelled 'Not the crack-up shop!' , dropped his parcels and wrapped arms and legs around the nearest lamppost in protest! It made us laugh so much that we could not free him and amused many passers by who had experienced similar protests! M&S has been known by that name in the family ever since!

My eldest little girl who is almost 2 has always been very independent from a young age, she insists on feeding herself before she was even one. Now she thinks she is too old for nappies and keeps taking her nappy off. She refuses to sit in the double pram because she says its for babies and she likes doesn't like holding mummy or daddies hands when walking cos she thinks she's grown up now. She tries to dress herself after bath time and because she hasn't figured out how to do up zips and buttons yet, it takes her ages to until she gives up and allows me to do this for her.

We were in a rather pricey farmshop and my daughter who is almost 2 decided she wanted a tea loaf....and how do you claim a cake when you are a toddler? Run away with it and take a massive bite out of it so daddy has to buy it! Of course she didn't want to actually eat it once it was bought and daddy doesn't like sultanas so we are now the proud owners of a tea loaf that only mummy will eat...oh well

The moment we were no longer needed in hotels by my the 2.5 year old who packs his own toy bag pulls it along remembers which room we are in and uses the key card to open the door. Or maybe skyping grandma by himself at around the age of 2 and suddenly hearing my mums voice in the house!

Ds1 refused to get in a pushchair as soon as he could walk at 10 months old. By the time he was 1 he'd do the plank trick as soon as I tried to get him in - rigid legs and body. I'd have to wait until he was almost asleep on the floor before I could put him in a pushchair.

On his first day at school my brother was duly handed over to the reception teacher by my mother. After taking in his new environment for a few minutes he decided that it wasn't the place for him and quietly slipped out. After an embarrassed phone call from the school my mother went straight to the beach where she found him happily chatting to the fishermen about fish. He was much more interested in independent learning!

The first time Ds went to the dentist he had not been at all keen on the whole idea. I was wondering which way things would go when he bravely clambered up into the big seat by himself, looked the dentist squarely in the eye and asked "So, do you know anything about dinosaurs, they had HUGE teeth you know" .

She is only two but my little one always insists in carrying her own bag everywhere we go, she know what she wants!!!!

DC2 has been trying ot keep up with her big brother since birth, crawling early, walking early, then being able to run within a week of her 1st birthday (and fast!). She was scooting before 2 the 0.7 miles to pick DC1 up from school, mastered the balance bike within a week of her 2nd birthday.

On her her first real sentances was "go away Mummy!" shortly followed by "me do it!"