Am I a bad parent if I....

a little bit of both since height requirements are there for everyones safety.

The height requirements are there for your child's safety so that she doesn't slide under and out of the attraction's restraint system. They protect her from injury, and they help protect Disney from lawsuits.

That being said - Have you had her try some small platforms on (or even just sturdy sneakers) to see how she walks in them in the store? I mean, you don't want her tripping through the parks all day just so she can go on a ride. Tori had a cute little pair of "construction boots" that she would wear when she was that age that gave her a little height boost. She had a heck of a time learning to walk in them though and needed practice.

I am going to assume you measure your daughter in her bare feet. If so, she is only 1/2 inch under the required height.
If she is 41 1/2 inches w/o shoes almost any pair of shoes she puts on would make her 42 inches tall. A good pair of sneakers will add about 1/2 inch to any child. Disney's height requirements are based on your child having their shoes ON their feet. Therefore, I don't think it makes you a bad parent at all if you make sure to choose a pair of shoes that are 1/2 inch high.

If a good pair of athletic shoes brings her to 42 inches, I'd put 'em on and go ride those rides. If she'd need real platform shoes, I think it would depend on her build. If she's large for her age/height and the ride restraints keep her secure, maybe. If she'd thin for her age/height, maybe make her wait till she grows a little more.

I used to have this same exact question. How to make my kiddo a bit taller to make the rides.

But on the other hand, how to make him a bit shorter so he could eat off the child's menu and get child's movie tickets prices.

Oh, the irony.
LOL

Like Kristen said those height requirements are put in place for her safety. Also I'm friends with a cast member and they are trained to specifically look for those things and if they notice the shoes they might not let her ride it anyways

From what i know they are strict on that. If they catch you it might backfire on you.

However I think if she can handle the other rides its ok. However the park does have regulations....

Funny, I am hoping my Daughter grows a few inches to meet the 40 inch mark so she can go on Thunder Mountian etc. when we go in February, but like someone said just a good pair of sneakers will probably get her to the height requirement. My daughter is three, and just wants to do everything her big brothers do and doesn't understand why at some parks she can go on the log flume (for example) and others she can not.

Jackie

When my oldest daughter Tori was small (about 5) my Mom took her on it and the ride went around a corner and she slid across the seat and thought that she was going to fall out the door. 15 years later and she still won't go back on that ride.

That sort of thing happened to me too! I met the height requirement, but I was a skinny little thing, nearly fell out of the log on the big drop ! I had to hold on for dear life lol, it was super traumatizing as a kid. I remember crying and refusing to let go of the post in the line the next time my parents tried to make me ride it....my mom said the cast members looked sad for me. Lol, I'm still terrified of the ride, I'm 27 now. Oh, but in Japan, they had a lap bar in the log, I felt much better about that. My husband said that we don't have to ride it this go around, but I think I'll brave it....once.....probably.

My parents did this when I was just shy of the mark. Wear some nice tennis shoes, go to the bathroom and stuff some towels in the shoes for extra height. I just took it out and threw it away when we were done.

Bad parenting for that? Sheesh...trust me, I work in education and experience bad parenting each day. I think you get a pass on this one. Just sayin'. I've always been one that firmly believes in not caring what other people think anyway.