Can You Leave Kids In The Cabin?

[Tigger&Belle]

Tigger&Belle, say it's not so....come back with me!!!!!!!!!!!!! American Idol is on break so I'm back.

hehehe My son will be home soon so American Idol will soon be on. My DH HATES that show and makes a lot of American Idol comments when the kids are watching. He shuts up, though, if I go and sit down and watch with them.

T&B

 

[cjsmith]

My husband so hates it as well, he makes fun of me for watching it. It's the only reality tv show I watch besides the Amazing race. I watch that because I love to travel and love to see all the other countries.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We watch the Apprentice and I love Survivor. Of course I wouldn't leave a young child home alone watching it.

T&B

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I say to the minority - just give up. At this point, you can write a post agreeing with what they say, and they'd still pick it apart and come up with several tragic scenarios that can happen if you do agree. It's a no-win situation. Anyhow, it doesn't matter. I've been reminded - I'm off to watch all my taped episodes of American Idol!

 

[flexsmom]

CrisNSteph, couldn't agree more. While I think some evolutions in how we view childcare over the past 20 years have been good (I remember back when I wasn't in a carseat - seems absurd now!), some have been ridiculous. I looked everywhere today for a good old-fashioned mercury thermometer (those digital ones are awful) and couldn't find one because evidently many stores don't sell them because of the dangers of mercury if they break - give me a break! I guess we're not allowed to take any remote dangers unto ourselves if someone has identified them as a hazard. Anyway, next time I go out to pull weeds out front and leave my 6-year old watching TV while my 2-year old naps, I'm sure I'll be hugely offending a big segment of the population that will be convinced that the 6-year old is going to start a fire, eat bad food or choke on it, or fall down the stairs. Call me crazy, but I like that my almost 2-year old takes on the stairs without having gates and is confident. We have in-laws who's kids are 4 and aren't allowed to do steps without adult supervision. They think we're horrible parents because we let our kids fall down (not down the stairs - don't overreact here) or do the monkey bars and learn to get up and try again.

Sorry - this isn't about me, but I think this whole thing has gotten kind of sad. I want to teach my kids to be respectful of the world - the good and the bad - not afraid of the world. (And no, this doesn't mean I'd leave my 2-year old alone in a stateroom.)

 

[ChrisnSteph]

CrisNSteph, couldn't agree more. While I think some evolutions in how we view childcare over the past 20 years have been good (I remember back when I wasn't in a carseat - seems absurd now!), some have been ridiculous. I looked everywhere today for a good old-fashioned mercury thermometer (those digital ones are awful) and couldn't find one because evidently many stores don't sell them because of the dangers of mercury if they break - give me a break! I guess we're not allowed to take any remote dangers unto ourselves if someone has identified them as a hazard. Anyway, next time I go out to pull weeds out front and leave my 6-year old watching TV while my 2-year old naps, I'm sure I'll be hugely offending a big segment of the population that will be convinced that the 6-year old is going to start a fire, eat bad food or choke on it, or fall down the stairs. Call me crazy, but I like that my almost 2-year old takes on the stairs without having gates and is confident. We have in-laws who's kids are 4 and aren't allowed to do steps without adult supervision. They think we're horrible parents because we let our kids fall down (not down the stairs - don't overreact here) or do the monkey bars and learn to get up and try again.

Sorry - this isn't about me, but I think this whole thing has gotten kind of sad. I want to teach my kids to be respectful of the world - the good and the bad - not afraid of the world. (And no, this doesn't mean I'd leave my 2-year old alone in a stateroom.)

You said it nicely. I was laughing about the car seat thing. I remember riding in my parents station wagon, goofing around on the seat way in back with my siblings, pressing my face against the glass and making fish faces on the rear window at other cars! I also can relate to the steps thing! We also live in a two story house, and I did have gates for a while, but I encouraged my 2 year old to go up and down (while I watched, of course) so that he'd learn. He tumbled down two steps just once, but after that he was a skilled stair climber! It wasn't long that I didn't have to worry about it anymore. But when friends come over and see that I don't have gates, they act shocked! It's all about setting the foundation so that our kids can be strong, confident and responsible adults. Thanks for your post.

 

[cjsmith]

I also have to laugh at the no car seat thing. My parents had a corvette when they first had me. They actually put the tops of a bar stool in the back with a seat belt for me to sit in! I tell them all the time that it's their fault that I like sitting on bar stools even as an adult!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

They think we're horrible parents because we let our kids fall down (not down the stairs - don't overreact here) or do the monkey bars and learn to get up and try again.

Even when a parent is right there things can happen. One time, when my youngest was a toddler, he took a nice fall down our carpeted basement stairs with 4 adults watching him. There wasn't anything we could do to stop the fall and he was thankfully ok, but things do happen. I can't raise him in a bubble, but will take on risks that I am comfortable with (no, leaving him home alone at 5yo is not one of them, nor having my 11yo watch him, but my 14yo and 17yo do watch him.

My 17yo just got her license and talk about scary times for parents, but what do I do, not let her drive? For the record, we had her wait an extra year to get her license and she logged MANY more driving hours than required by law. Also, she doesn't have her own car and isn't usually allowed to drive to school, so I suppose we are on the cautious/restrictive side with her, but my job is to grow her into a healthy (mind and body) adult, afterall.

It's all about calculated risks. And yes, my 5yo does play in our fenced backyard by himself, with me checking on him often, and out front with my older kids watchin him.

But no, no staying by himself in a stateroom...

T&B

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I also have to laugh at the no car seat thing. My parents had a corvette when they first had me. They actually put the tops of a bar stool in the back with a seat belt for me to sit in! I tell them all the time that it's their fault that I like sitting on bar stools even as an adult!!!!!!!!!!!

That is too funny!

I'm afraid that I'll have baby gates forever even though my baby is 5yo, but it's to keep the dogs from going upstairs (eating the cat food and bugging them) or downstairs bugging my work-at-home husband.

T&B

 

[Mickeyhugger]

I forgot American Idol was on tonight!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I forgot American Idol was on tonight!

More entertaining here!

T&B

 

[DancingBear]

I can tell you a similar story that happened around here a few years ago (maybe 2?). A woman left her young toddler in the car in front of her other child's school. She was just running up to the door to get her child while the baby sat in the backseat. Believe it or not, a guy jumped in the car and stole it with the toddler crying in the back seat. Fortunately, they eventually got the baby back. Could an 8-9 yr old child have prevented that? I don't know, but I doubt it. I also doubt the mother ever even thought it possible that something like that could happen to her child but it did.

I guess that Mom hadn't thought of, say, locking the door.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Hi Rockville!

We're in Montgomery Village.

T&B

 

[Stepherella]

I have been following this thread for days. I work in childcare, and have worked with children for the last 20 years. I mentioned this thread to my coworkers and got quite a reaction. Not a good one either!

The original poster asked, Is it okay to leave the kids, aged 6 and 8 in the stateroom. She also stated that she was welcoming suggestions.

I believe that children should take risks that are age appropriate. I do let children fall and try to work ideas out on their own. I belive that children construct their own knowledge of the world with guidance of those around them. If we believe in our children, trust and respect them- they will thrive. That being said, children aged 6 and 8 are not mature enough to be left alone. Child care is available, parents do have and option on the Disney ship. If your children need to go to bed early- well I guess going out is not going to happen.

Many posters said this was a "personal decision between the parent and child" I do not agree. I highly doubt that Disney would agree with this statement. At some point as children get older, say 10 or 12 parents can make this a personal decision. Many have also stated that most states have laws regarding the age a child can be left alone. While I realize in international waters the laws are different- we have these laws in the USA for a very good reason.

Some of the posters also believe that only those who agree that it is ok to leave the children alone can share there opinion. Agree or disagree- everyone is entiltled to their opinion.