Baby Sitting Delima

[nutsforgolf]

my wife and I would like to go out twice over our 11 night trip...we are staying at CSR. One night we are thinking of a quick night out at Cafe Rix which is at our hotel and the second one at Jelly Rolls (a little longer).

The issue is that my Daugher who will be 11 a week after our trip does not want a baby sitter but also does not want to stay in the hotel alone with just her and our son, who is almost 8.

Two issues....not sure if it is safe/wise to leave kids that age alone and my daughter refuses a baby sitter. The only time we ever had alone time on vacation was 2 years ago when we stayed at AKL, the kids went to their kids club for 2 hours why my wife and I went to Jiko for dinner.

Please help

 

[mjkacmom]

You are taking your kids on a nice long vacation - my kids would have 2 choices, the clubs or a sitter. I would leave an 11 year old and an 8 year old home alone for short periods (dd13 starting staying alone at home at this age), but for your piece of mind on vacation, I'd tell her to suck it up for a couple of hours. JMHO.

 

[Crystal824]

They would probably be fine alone in the room as long as they didn't leave or let anyone in, but to play it safe, I would probably take them to a Kids Club or get a babysitter.

 

[tjmw2727]

How about one of the kids clubs? My dd's LOVED them and always enjoyed their stays there.

IIRC there is one at the BC/YC which would be very close to Jellyrolls.

My dd's favorite clubs were the one at the Polynesian with the Dolphin and the Animal kingdom tied for 2nd.

Otherwise I would do a sitter, there are a few that will even take the kids out to the arcade and will bring age appropriate games and activities. IIRC the only thing they won't do is take the kids swimming.

Things to consider with regard to leaving them alone, fire alarm, knock on the wrong door, leaving the room @ forgeting the key..... Some kids may be ready but I know mine were not at 8 and 11.

I have to agree with a pp - its your vacation too and if it were my 11yo she would be making a compromise

FWIW having lost my dh last year unexpectedly I don't regret one minute of our "alone time". I am thankful that we took the time for each other in addition to making sure our kids were happy/healthy and well taken care of.

allears has a great section on all the childcare options at WDW.

 

[auralia]

i guess my only question is why is your 11 year old telling you what is going to happen in your hotel room... if you want them to have a sitter i'm pretty cerious as to why she would have any control over that... i believe the law states that she has to be 13 to be alone with another child for any length of time... i wouldn't bend that law if it were me because it just isn't worth the what if's

 

[frtchr]

Get the sitter. The sitter can entertain your son and keep an eye out for your daughter. Your daughter can read, watch TV, or do whatever while the sitter is in the room, right? She doesn't HAVE to interact with the sitter, though she should be polite and respectful.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I would not leave them alone at the resort, however I would also not let my DD "refuse" to do something. We do not do sitters at WDW but if you are comfortable with it, I would give the kids the choice of a sitter or the kids clubs if you guys want to go out.

 

[wdw_girl_18]

i guess my only question is why is your 11 year old telling you what is going to happen in your hotel room... if you want them to have a sitter i'm pretty curious as to why she would have any control over that... i believe the law states that she has to be 13 to be alone with another child for any length of time... i wouldn't bend that law if it were me because it just isn't worth the what if's

I second this.

OP- Kids cannot be kept happy all the time. If you want a babysitter in the room...don't give her a choice on whether she wants a babysitter or not. Just tell her one will be coming to the room while you guys go out to eat for a few hours. Its not the end of the world!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I guess I have a different train of thought here. Now I do agree that parents make the rules but I think you need to take a child's feelings into consideration sometimes. Clearly your child is not comfortable with a strange person coming to babysit her and her sibling on vacation. As a child I would not have been comfortable with that either. She also doesn't want to stay alone. So either way makes her anxious.
Going out to dinner is not something you have to do. While I know you may enjoy it I would save it for when you are home and have someone familiar to watch the kids in familiar surroundings. Is it really that important to go out alone on vacation? Especially if your child is uncomfortable with childcare arrangements? I'm not against you having time alone etc. and if using the childcare services is something you are comfortable with then that is great. I just think that you are putting your child in a situation that they are really not comfortable with for a reason that I don't think warrants it. JMHO.
Good luck in your decision.

 

[daisy2jae]

They would probably be fine alone in the room as long as they didn't leave or let anyone in, but to play it safe, I would probably take them to a Kids Club or get a babysitter.

I would feel the same way.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Just something to think about. Last December when DS was 11 and DD 6 we put the kids in the Neverland Club while DH and I went to the ESPN club to watch a football game.

DS and DD have been before on other WDW trips and both enjoyed it. Last year when we picked them up, DS asked that we don't put him in the kids clubs again. He said it was boring and he was by far the oldest one there. The 6 yo had a great time.

So either this year, he'll come to the ESPN club with us or we won't go. I wouldn't do the in room babysitter thing. I know its me but that just doesn't sit well with me.

 

[mjkacmom]

I guess I have a different train of thought here. Now I do agree that parents make the rules but I think you need to take a child's feelings into consideration sometimes. Clearly your child is not comfortable with a strange person coming to babysit her and her sibling on vacation. As a child I would not have been comfortable with that either. She also doesn't want to stay alone. So either way makes her anxious.
Going out to dinner is not something you have to do. While I know you may enjoy it I would save it for when you are home and have someone familiar to watch the kids in familiar surroundings. Is it really that important to go out alone on vacation? Especially if your child is uncomfortable with childcare arrangements? I'm not against you having time alone etc. and if using the childcare services is something you are comfortable with then that is great. I just think that you are putting your child in a situation that they are really not comfortable with for a reason that I don't think warrants it. JMHO.
Good luck in your decision.

I believe the reason the 11 year old doesn't want a sitter is because she thinks she's too old for one (this coming from a parent of an 11 year old and 13 year old). I love my children. I've been a SAHM for 14 years (I stayed home even before dd13 was born to get my MA in education). It's a 10 day vacation, and mom and dad want about 4 hours without the kids. I'd spring for the kids club, and if my 11 year old was bored, he or she would cope. Four hours out of 10 days is nothing.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I'd spring for the kids club, and if my 11 year old was bored, he or she would cope. Four hours out of 10 days is nothing.

Sorry but my oldest who is now 11 will never go to the kids club again. Yea I know its mom and dad's vacation too but I could never have a good time knowing my child was miserable.

When my son was at the Neverland Club he said the child closest to his age was 8 and other than playing video games there was nothing for him to do. Even my 6 yo DD verified this. She was actually the one who told me her brother looked miserable the whole time he was there.

I think those clubs are geared toward the low end of the age range.

And its not that he is not receptive to the clubs because when we cruised on DCL we couldn't get him to leave that club.

 

[jodifla]

Sorry but my oldest who is now 11 will never go to the kids club again. Yea I know its mom and dad's vacation too but I could never have a good time knowing my child was miserable.

When my son was at the Neverland Club he said the child closest to his age was 8 and other than playing video games there was nothing for him to do. Even my 6 yo DD verified this. She was actually the one who told me her brother looked miserable the whole time he was there.

I think those clubs are geared toward the low end of the age range.

And its not that he is not receptive to the clubs because when we cruised on DCL we couldn't get him to leave that club.

For four hours, I'd tell my child he just had to get over it. I'd have him bring a couple of his favorite books, find a corner and read. Or take on a mentoring role, and play with the younger kids.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

For four hours, I'd tell my child he just had to get over it. I'd have him bring a couple of his favorite books, find a corner and read. Or take on a mentoring role, and play with the younger kids.

To each their own. I won't. Especially since he specifically asked me not to take him back there again.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

My kids (9, 11 and 12) have always loved the kids clubs. In fact when we went to pick them up at the Neverland Club they never wanted to leave!

 

[jakenjess]

My kids loved the Neverland Club when they were about 9 and 11. My DD was sad when she got too old to go! Especially since your DD will have a sibling with her, I'm sure she would do fine for a few hours. They have dinner and crafts and movies and video games. The CMs were excellent. They could definitely stay busy and be fine. Go out and enjoy!

 

[mjkacmom]

Sorry but my oldest who is now 11 will never go to the kids club again. Yea I know its mom and dad's vacation too but I could never have a good time knowing my child was miserable.

When my son was at the Neverland Club he said the child closest to his age was 8 and other than playing video games there was nothing for him to do. Even my 6 yo DD verified this. She was actually the one who told me her brother looked miserable the whole time he was there.

I think those clubs are geared toward the low end of the age range.

And its not that he is not receptive to the clubs because when we cruised on DCL we couldn't get him to leave that club.

Miserable? Children in Haiti, with no food, water, or shelter, are miserable. An 11 year old who had nothing to do but play video games for a couple of hours? My older kids (9 and 11 at the time) did not enjoy the DCL kids club. However, when I picked them up, and they complained, they sounded like spoiled brats to me. I took them on a 10 day WDW/DCL vacation, and they complained that 2 hours of the vacation was not "awesome." I love my kids, but sometimes I think they're too entitled.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Miserable? Children in Haiti, with no food, water, or shelter, are miserable. An 11 year old who had nothing to do but play video games for a couple of hours? My older kids (9 and 11 at the time) did not enjoy the DCL kids club. However, when I picked them up, and they complained, they sounded like spoiled brats to me. I took them on a 10 day WDW/DCL vacation, and they complained that 2 hours of the vacation was not "awesome." I love my kids, but sometimes I think they're too entitled.

Like I said, to each their own. My son asked that I don't put him back in the kids club because he was bored. When he was there , only 1 gaming system worked and he said as well as my 6 yo DD the only games available for the system that worked were old and games my son doesn't usually play or interest him.

The OP asked for opinions I gave mine. I don't care what other people do with their 11 yo's. IMOP my 11 yo son was miserable, and asked I don't take him back to the WDW kids clubs again.

Some on here wouldn't care and take him back anyhow, I will not because as I stated previously I wouldn't be able to have a good time knowing my child was "miserable". Yes thats the word he used.

If people think he's spoiled so be it. If he had a child closer to his age to hang with, he might feel differently. But our last two trips when he was in the Sandcastle club and the Neverland club he was by far the oldest child there.

I'm just giving opinion to the OP because her daughter is already not receptive to a babysitter.

 

[nutsforgolf]

Let me first say that the reason why my daughter would feel uncomfortable with a sitter is that the only person that has ever watched her was her grandmom. So I think the kids club would be the only option. This would work for when we want to go to Jellyrolls but would not be a good option if we wanted to stay at our resort (CSR) since I don't believe they have one there.