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 dd refused to be fed using a spoon and insisted on feeding herself from just over 6 months' old. I'm sure it was because she watched her brother and the rest of the family feeding themselves! She is a very independent (bossy!) little girl who wants to do everything herself and join in with everything.
Ds is more responsible than independent, although at 3 years old he does think he can look after his sister and I've often heard him saying he'd "fall out with her if she did that"!

When my middle daughter saw her older brother starting to be independent by dressing himself, she was determined to do it before him and used to try and rush to put his clothes on before he could!

I religiously breastfed my daughter as it was the only thing I felt I could when she was a baby, then suddenly when she was 8 months old she wasn't interested in breastfeeding! She just turned her face away and smiled at me! I was aghast and felt quite redundant but I was due to return to work and wondered if she could sense it. I had to express my milk as I had loads of it and it was very uncomfortable. So that was her first stake for independence!

My oldest daughter when she was 18 months decided to walk everywhere ( even the mile to the shops and back) because her buggy was evil, funnily enough it was about the same time she thought dresses were evil aswell. She didn't wear another dress till she was a teenager, lol

My eldest first words were 'I can cook' my youngest was 'I can do it' They are both feistily independent and I don't have to help them with anything! # love my girls

My son decided who he wanted in the cricket team without the coaches consent and by the end of the day lots of kids were convinced they were missing a day of school the next day to play cricket whereas there were only 9 meant to be going now 20 odd

My very independent son at 18 months, decided to be a big boy and pour himself a cup of milk but forgot to stop pouring! There was a sea of milk everywhere including over him!

My daughter copying my sister by sticking her false eyelashes on... With superglue!!!!!

My three year old Bethany decided I wasn't painting her room quickly enough. She declared "I can do it better mummy." The next day I went in to find the previously beautifully painted room in array of colours ranging from my brown fake tan to purple nail varnish, she had taken the stuff from the bathroom in the middle of the night and 'decorated' her own room. Can't say I overly happy about it but it was too funny to get annoyed about and certainly very independent of her!

My son who is three told me on the nursery run last month out of the blue that he wanted to drive the car home because he ate his carrots yesterday and that makes him big. He told me that only big people drive cars '' when they get really really big'' and when I asked him does he know how to drive, he proclaimed that daddy had taught him. My husband has no knowledge of such teachings .

My daughter shouting " I'm the boss" meaning it at age four followed by "are you kiddin me" in a strange American twang when something goes wrong.

My DS loves to ask how things work or are made then when I explain looks at me like I'm a fool and replies no mummy, it's done by ..... Because I'm clever and I know EVERYTHING.

My five year old son was really keen to get breakfast for himself and his three year old sister without our help, so one Saturday morning we said that he could go downstairs and get himself and his sister some dry cereal. We thought all was well, but when we went down to check, both he and his sister were naked and covered head to toe in different coloured marker pen. They even had marker pen on their lips where they'd drawn lipstick on each other. Sheepish doesn't even cover it. It seems they got distracted from their independence-giving breakfast task when the marker pen box winked at them. We gave them a dressing down, followed by a bit of a giggle, & then a good old fashioned bath. The water was dark blue when they'd finished!

When my dd was 16 months old we had Xmas afternoon at my niece's house and put her down to sleep in a cot on the top floor. She wasn't yet walking but escaped from the cot and bumped down two flights of steep stairs on her bottom to join us, she didn't want to be left out of the fun.

My young lad wants to clean himself in the toilet but scatters water everywhere in the process. He considers himself and adult but acts non the wiser. I guess its a learning curve but he has taken the initiative.

Aged 4, the already assertive DD1 disputed something I'd said with the retort, "Mummies aren't in charge. Daddies, Father Christmas and God are in charge".

My DD, age 6, was in a cafe with my dad and proceeded to order for them both explaining to the waitress that she was doing it because her granda is from up north and doesn't get out much

My DS, at the age of 2 decided to "read" a bedtime story to me & DH - it was five a.m.! We listened patiently - not wanting to put him off his reading (!) then all fell asleep together.

My daughter has always been asserting her independence. She recently has decided she's 'becoming a mummy' as she has lots of babies (dolls) that need looking after and that she is now the boss!

My daughter's favourite phrase aged 2 was "My do it!". She liked to choose her own clothes, often looking somewhat unconventional, particularly when she decided to wear her older brother's t-shirt as a dress.

My 3 year old was delighted to welcome her little sister into the world, but was perhaps more cunning than some other tots. When Abbie would cry Rachel would often suggest that I "give Abbie a cuddle in the living room" or something similar. It really just meant she wanted to play in another room by herself. One day I wandered into the kitchen to find she had all her teddies lined up and was pretending to be a nursery school teacher. She had Olaf from Frozen (cuddly version) sat in the corner facing the wall for being naughty!

When my daughter was 4 she had overheard me saying that I needed to get her brothers hair cut (he was 18 months). A bit later on they were upstairs and all was quiet, my husband went up to see if they were ok (they were a bit too quiet!) and my son wa sitting there a still with all his hair cut by his sister, it was everywhere and it was very lucky she hadn't caused any injury to him!!

My son was a bit of a wanderer on a night - so we put a lock on the kitchen door high up to ensure his safety on a night. One morning I came down to find him sat at the kitchen table - with the padlock next to him....he's found stacks of books to gain height and a screwdriver - and unscrewed the latch to remove the padlock.

My DS (5) can be quite lazy in what he does to help himself but recently he has refused me entry to his room at night until he has got his pajamas on. Not entirely sure whether this is wholly a delay tactic at bedtime but I'm going with it as it is encouraging him to take steps to dress himself.

it was my little boy deciding that he could pop next door to his auntie's without any assistance!