Have/would you leave your kids sleeping alone in the room and go f/swim? *SEE #159*

[MistressMerryweather]

My kids would FREAK.

Now, our old house had a pool and we did swim in it. But our home is familiar territory to them and they know we have a pool. They'd be able to see clearly out the windows that we were in our pool area.

In a hotel room where they expect to find at least one parent when they wake up, they would freak....and then wonder why they couldn't go swimming.

I just don't think it is the best idea. But I get the feeling you were looking for justification. If you feel comfortable with the idea, you should not require folks to confirm your idea is a good one.

I'm not familiar with room layout--other than often, the while your room may be close to the pool, the view can sometimes be obscured. Are your children going to know that if they need you, where to go?

For my family--we would not do this. But we have the infant added to the mix.

My kids would not freak and the view is not obscured.

I do not require justification or anyone agree with me. I will not however sit by while posters "get personal". It's one thing to either agree or blatantly disagree. It's quite another to make it personal. KWIM?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My kids would not freak and the view is not obscured.

I do not require justification or anyone agree with me. I will not however sit by while posters "get personal". It's one thing to either agree or blatantly disagree. It's quite another to make it personal. KWIM?

Yes I do.

 

[Wadecool]

Self-justification...get a grip. It's called stating the actual facts and clarifying for those who are too busy or lazy to read the facts posted throughout the thread.
What is unbelievable is that you are so irrational on the subject while 1/2 on this thread are not. What exactly does that say? You think your parenting view is the only opinion that counts? Luckily not.
Flaunt CPS as much as you like. I would feel absolutely fine speaking with them. It is absolutely not a fact that you can have your kids taken away for this. Get your facts straight. Risk and potential danger. This is the problem, you understand. There isn't any. What you deem "risk and potential" danger, I don't.
If it were up to me parents who lock their kids in their rooms and/or let them cry to sleep at night would be putting their children at risk and in potential danger. Parents who over-vaccinate
their children without a thought would be putting their children at risk and in potential danger.
Parents who spank are putting their children at risk and in potential danger. Mothers who don't
breastfeed are putting their children at risk and in danger. Parents who smoke
are putting their kids at risk and in danger...etc. etc. etc. There are too many parenting
choices and everyone has a totally different idea of how they make them. That's why we are all allowed to make our own parenting choices.
Get off your high horse and focus your negative energy on something that counts.

ETA: I am not condemning parents who do not do the things I listed above,
just using those things as an example.

Again with the self justification, there seems to be a pattern here... I'm not flaunting CPS and if you continually do things like this, you may very well get to meet them. However, unfortunately for you, the encounter may turn out much differently than you think. And I am sure if the facts, at least as they hav been described here. DW is an investigator for CPS and after reading this entire thread, she said that at the very least this action would warrant further investigation. If you don't believe it, make a call to your local office and find out for yourself. Its a shame that you cannot see the potential risk you could potentially put your kids in. Let's hope your children don't end up reaping what you seem to be intent on sowing...

 

[FayeW]

Well, this thread has been the most entertaining thing I've seen online since Antoine Dodson's "hide your kids" video went viral.

I am so thankful that I am a 45+ year old with teenagers, because if my kids were 10 years younger I think I would be afraid to go to the bathroom by myself...and according to most people on this thread..I would be expected to "hold it" all day in case one of my little pumpkins didn't see me for a fraction of a second and was afraid.

Good grief. We raised our kids and did all sorts of things that people here would be appalled at...and did it without a baby monitor in sight. We lived on a base where 4 rows of townhouses were set in a "quad" backing onto a backyard area. Routinely in the summer evenings several of us would sit out back and have a beer or hang out and chat. Always with an eye on our own back door. After we moved off base we bought a home with an above ground pool. It was precisely 11 feet from the patio door. Sometimes on a hot summer night my husband and I would enjoy a swim after the kids were in bed. Occasionally I had a swim on my own when my husband was on exercise. I truly am laughing my rear end off at the idea that some of you won't even sit outside in your own back yard because your child would be alone in the house. What utter nonsense.

OP, go, dip yourself in cool water, enjoy. I've done worse. Thank God I never asked for permission on the DIS first or my children and I would all be in therapy now.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

You know people were so quick to make fun of me for suggesting a double heart attack but my only point that a lot of scenarios are HIGHLY UNLIKELY but there is that teensy chance something could happen. But how much of a chance is ok? When it comes to your children is 1 in 10 vs 1 in 10 billion any different?

But if we're worried about 1 in 10 billion scenarios, we could think of those if you're indoors with your kids too.

Your baby could wake up, climb in bed with you, and you could roll over, accidentally push him out of the bed, and he hits he head on the bedside table and . . Too bad you weren't safely at a distance in the pool!

No wait, you could get up, go to the bathroom and just at the moment you flush the toilet and the sound is loud, an intruder who came by bus and is lurking in the bushes could climb in the window, and snatch your child. Too bad you weren't out in the pool where you could see the window.

1 in 10 is different than 1 in 10 billion, because there's no way to raise healthy, normal kids, while protecting them against 1 in 10 billion possibilities. You'd never be able to drive (accidents!) or feed your kids (choking!) or fall asleep (a million things!). You'd certainly never be able to go to Disney where they could get hit by lightning, or catch a germ from a handrail, or fall out of Rock and Roller Coaster when it's upside down.

I look at what the OP is suggesting and with the right kids (the two year being a typically noisy one you'd hear on a baby monitor and who would wake up siblings if they got into trouble, the older ones being the sensible, resilient types who would come get you if they woke up rather than panicking) and the right room, it's no more risky than many things people do every day.

 

[Wadecool]

But if we're worried about 1 in 10 billion scenarios, we could think of those if you're indoors with your kids too.

Your baby could wake up, climb in bed with you, and you could roll over, accidentally push him out of the bed, and he hits he head on the bedside table and . . Too bad you weren't safely at a distance in the pool!

No wait, you could get up, go to the bathroom and just at the moment you flush the toilet and the sound is loud, an intruder who came by bus and is lurking in the bushes could climb in the window, and snatch your child. Too bad you weren't out in the pool where you could see the window.

1 in 10 is different than 1 in 10 billion, because there's no way to raise healthy, normal kids, while protecting them against 1 in 10 billion possibilities. You'd never be able to drive (accidents!) or feed your kids (choking!) or fall
asleep (a million things!). You'd certainly never be able to go to Disney where
they could get hit by lightning, or catch a germ from a handrail, or fall out of
Rock and Roller Coaster when it's upside down.

I look at what the OP is suggesting and with the right kids (the two year being
a typically noisy one you'd hear on a baby monitor and who would wake up
siblings if they got into trouble, the older ones being the sensible, resilient
types who would come get you if they woke up rather than panicking) and the
right room, it's no more risky than many things people do every
day.

Here's the differenc between the scenarios you listed and what the OP is proposing: her scenario is intentional, the ones you list aren't, they would be considered accidents. As parents, isn't one if our primary jobs to reduce risk to our kids? Of course you can't put them in a bubble and hide them away, but why intentionally take a chance, as the OP is suggesting?

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Again with the self justification, there seems to be a pattern here... I'm not flaunting CPS and if you continually do things like this, you may very well get to meet them. However, unfortunately for you, the encounter may turn out much differently than you think. And I am sure if the facts, at least as they hav been described here. DW is an investigator for CPS and after reading this entire thread, she said that at the very least this action would warrant further investigation. If you don't believe it, make a call to your local office and find out for yourself. Its a shame that you cannot see the potential risk you could potentially put your kids in. Let's hope your children don't end up reaping what you seem to be intent on sowing...

Again with the arrogance, there seems to be a pattern here... and don't even get me started on the problems with CPS in this country. Absolute crying shame. Make sure you tell your DW to bring a fairly large notebook with you when you are vacationing at Disney so when you walk the grounds at night you can jot down the room numbers of all the negligent parents sitting outside their front door or that whopping 10 feet away.

 

[Wadecool]

Well, this thread has been the most entertaining thing I've seen online since Antoine Dodson's "hide your kids" video went viral.

I am so thankful that I am a 45+ year old with teenagers, because if my kids were 10 years younger I think I would be afraid to go to the bathroom by myself...and according to most people on this thread..I would be expected to "hold it" all day in case one of my little pumpkins didn't see me for a fraction of a second and was afraid.

Good grief. We raised our kids and did all sorts of things that people here would be appalled at...and did it without a baby monitor in sight. We lived on a base where 4 rows of townhouses were set in a "quad" backing onto a backyard area. Routinely in the summer evenings several of us would sit out back and have a beer or hang out and chat. Always with an eye on our own
back door. After we moved off base we bought a home with an above ground
pool. It was precisely 11 feet from the patio door. Sometimes on a hot
summer night my husband and I would enjoy a swim after the kids were in
bed. Occasionally I had a swim on my own when my husband was on exercise.
I truly am laughing my rear end off at the idea that some of you won't even
sit outside in your own back yard because your child would be alone in the
house. What utter nonsense.

OP, go, dip yourself in cool water, enjoy. I've done worse. Thank God I never
asked for permission on the DIS first or my children and I would all be in
therapy now.

On my first trip to WDW in 1976, I was 5 and I remember we drove our 1977 Ford Country Squire station wagon down from KY, fake wood paneling and all. That car had a jump seat in the back and you could manually roll the rear window down. We would be driving down interstate literally hanging out the back window trying to get truckers to blow their horns. Meanwhile, my sister who was 2 at the time was just laying across moms lap up front. Was that unsafe, YES! Was that the way everybody else did it back then, absolutely. When we take our trip down to WDW in a few months, do you think I'm going to let DD3 run loose through the van as I'm driving? No, she will be securely fastened into the best car seat money could buy. My point is that referring to "how things were done in the past" isn't really relevant, except maybe to the OP who is likely jumping for joy now that someone has finally helped justify something she plans to do anyway.

 

[smidgy]

I don't think for a minute that it is right to leave children in a hotel room while you are by the pool. No matter how close it is. But, then again, I have taught school for a long time and believe me, I have seen it all. One of the moms I knew went across the street to borrow a vacuum. Her daughter, my 6 year old student, woke up from a nap, couldn't find her mom, and ran out of the house screaming and crying. Child Protective Services were called by a neighbor and that mother was investigated. It was a nightmare for her, but she never should have left her girl. I actually could write a book after this career I have loved...some very wonderful things have happened and some very terrible things. Being a parent is the most important job anyone will ever have. Don't ever do anything that could make your child unsafe. Go "hang out" by the pool alone at night when your children are grown.

no, the neighbor should never have called CPS! what kind of "neighbor" is that?

any neighborhood I have ever lived in, any one of us would have gone out and said "susie, your mom probably just stepped out for a minute.. let's wait and see.. come over to my front porch.. we'll leave a note for mom.. etc etc."

In fact every kid on the block knew that if they ever beat their mom home, or whatever the circumstances, just go over to Mrs. blacks's house, or mrs. brown's house, or johnny's mom's house, etc. etc. and any one of us would be there for the others' kids.

and if your 6 year old is napping, it is perfectly OK to run across the street to borrow something. CPS HAD to investigate, cause someone called, that's all. doesn't mean what the mom did was wrong. means there is a busy body neighbor.


OP, we had a ground floor room at pop. right by the computer pool. I honestly wasn't looking at the distance in terms of what you are thinking, but it was pretty close.

 

[Wadecool]

Again with the arrogance, there seems to be a pattern here... and don't even get me started on the problems with CPS in this country. Absolute crying shame. Make sure you tell your DW to bring a fairly large notebook with you when you are vacationing at Disney so when you walk the grounds at night you can jot down the room numbers of all the negligent parents sitting outside their front door or that whopping 10 feet away.

Is there an abundance of arrogance here, absolutely, and it does seem to be a pattern. But unfortunately the one who is putting it out is so busy trying to justify their own selfish behavior, they can't see it. Good luck with that. The stuff that CPS has to deal with is a crying shame, but if you think you can't get into trouble for doing for what you've been proposing, you might be in for a rude awakening someday. Let us all know how that phone call to your local CPS office goes and what they tell you, ok?

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Is there an abundance of arrogance here, absolutely, and it does seem to be a pattern. But unfortunately the one who is putting it out is so busy trying to justify their own selfish behavior, they can't see it. Good luck with that. The stuff that CPS has to deal with is a crying shame, but if you think you can't get into trouble for doing for what you've been proposing, you might be in for a rude awakening someday. Let us all know how that phone call to your local CPS office goes and what they tell you, ok?

Hmmmm, that's mighty interesting. You are the one who is busy justifying your "view". I am answering direct questions and responding to posters on a thread I posted. You on the other hand just want someone to say how right you are to be so appalled when I'm not seeing much of that. Continue telling yourself what you like and repeating yourself. Maybe you will bully and scare one of the others reading and get the praise you are desiring.

 

[smidgy]

I was just remembering a time, many years ago. there was a tornadio warning, one sighted i a nearby town, headed our way.. sky was a weird yellow. I had the boys, the cats, and the snakes (oops, don't call CPS on me, we had a boa and a couple corn snakes) in the basement.
the doorbell rang!????
there was 2 boys at the door "can jeremy come out?" (I think the boys were around 11, don't remember, could have been 10, or 12).
I said "not only is he not coming out, you are coming in!"
I made them go in the basement and call their moms.. who were ever so happy.
the moral of the story? of COURSE I did not call CPS cause their sons were out during a tornado warning. (they had left the house earlier, before the storm got bad.. this was before the days when every child had a cell phone)
and this is what nieghbors do; this is what moms do ;this is what people do. help each other out, NOT rat to beureacratic social agencies who, once contacted, are required to investigate.

 

[Wadecool]

Hmmmm, that's mighty interesting. You are the one who is busy justifying your "view". I am answering direct questions and responding to posters on a thread I posted. You on the other hand just want someone to say how right you are to be so appalled when I'm not seeing much of that. Continue telling yourself what you like and repeating yourself. Maybe you will bully and scare one of the others reading and get the praise you are desiring.

I'm sorry, aren't you the person who said you were done posting, like 2 pages ago? Yet, here you are, still grasping at straws, trying to find someone to help rationalize an unsafe behavior. I do not need anyone else to help justify my behavior. You see, if there's something I wonder about doing that is unsafe for my kids, I just don't do it. I don't start a thread about it and then proceed to rant and rave about how "right" I am for wanting to do it. You may want to go back and reread this thread (wait, weren't you scolding others for not doing that?) because the majority of responses are against what you proposed. And that isn't my "view", it's the view of most parents and apparently many CPS officials. If you doubt that fact, for the THIRD time, call your local CPS office and ask their opinion. Ask if you could get into trouble. I'm not making this stuff up, it is real, even if you cannot bring yourself to believe it.

 

[Wadecool]

I was just remembering a time, many years ago. there was a tornadio warning, one sighted i a nearby town, headed our way.. sky was a weird yellow. I had the boys, the cats, and the snakes (oops, don't call CPS on me, we had a boa and a couple corn snakes) in the basement.
the doorbell rang!????
there was 2 boys at the door "can jeremy come out?" (I think the boys were around 11, don't remember, could have been 10, or 12).
I said "not only is he not coming out, you are coming in!"
I made them go in the basement and call their moms.. who were ever so happy.
the moral of the story? of COURSE I did not call CPS cause their sons were out during a tornado warning. (they had left the house earlier, before the storm got bad.. this was before the days when every child had a cell phone)and this is what nieghbors do; this is what moms do ;this is what people do. help each other out, NOT rat to beureacratic social agencies who, once
contacted, are required to investigate.

You are a good neighbor, I wish I had more like you in my neighborhood. The scenario you
describe is obviously one that just "happened", or accidental. Those kids didn't know they were
going to be stuck out during a tornado warning, and when they were you absolutely did the right
thing by taking them in. What the OP is taking about is intentionally leaving the kids
unattended, and for what reason? To run to the mailbox or roll up the car windows in a
rainstorm? No, she wants to sit in the pool with her DH with the kids alone in the room alone. Big difference.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

I'm sorry, aren't you the person who said you were done posting, like 2 pages ago? Yet, here you are, still grasping at straws, trying to find someone to help rationalize an unsafe behavior. I do not need anyone else to help justify my behavior. You see, if there's something I wonder about doing that is unsafe for my kids, I just don't do it. I don't start a thread about it and then proceed to rant and rave about how "right" I am for wanting to do it. You may want to go back and reread this thread (wait, weren't you scolding others for not doing that?) because the majority of responses are against what you proposed. And that isn't my "view", it's the view of most parents and apparently many CPS officials. If you doubt that fact, for the THIRD time, call your local CPS office and ask their opinion. Ask if you could get into trouble. I'm not making this stuff up, it is real, even if you cannot bring yourself to believe it.

You must not have read it either, because I specifically said, I would try not to post unless someone was annoying. Enough said there.
And again, my respect for CPS is lacking. That particular gov't agency is extremely and in need of reform. Though they help many, they wrongfully hurt just as many.
Maybe you should go back and count the yays and nays. That seems to be the type of person you are and would probably deeply satisfy you to be able to post that...and don't forget to mark down a point for your side.
I could care less if it's 50/50 or 10/50. I am secure in my opinions and choices regarding my children. There's no "bringing myself to believe it" though I know you would beam to be the one who thinks you've been able to help me see the light.
The fact is that you like to argue as much as I do, and that is not an opinion.

 

[Wadecool]

You must not have read it either, because I specifically said, I would try not to post unless someone was annoying. Enough said there.
And again, my respect for CPS is lacking. That particular gov't agency is extremely and in need of reform. Though they help many, they wrongfully hurt just as many.
Maybe you should go back and count the yays and nays. That seems to be the type of person you are and would probably deeply satisfy you to be able to post that...and don't forget to mark down a point for your side.
I could care less if it's 50/50 or 10/50. I am secure in my opinions and choices regarding my children. There's no "bringing myself to believe it" though I know you would beam to be the one who thinks you've been able to help me see the light.
The fact is that you like to argue as much as I do, and that is not an opinion.

The fact that you are going to do whatever you want, regardless of the risk, has certainly been apparent for several pages, I agree. I don't need to go back and do a recount of yays & nays
since I'm not asking everyone if it's ok if I do something unsafe. I only suggested it to you
because you seemed to be thinking that most of the replies were in your favor. They were not.
As the spouse of a CPS investigator, I'll agree that they agency doesn't always get everything
right, but a lot of that is due to underfunding & understaffing. But just because you don't respect
or like that agency, don't think for a second that they can't come into your life and at the very
least ruin your vacation. I hear stories and I'm telling you as a fellow Disney lover, the scenario
you are proposing can get you into trouble you don't want or need. See the light or don't, that's on you, and your kids, ultimately.

 

[Singledad]

Where is the fire department?!

This posting is full of flames, and I can't believe adults just can't SHUT UP and stop attacking each other.

As to the OP, I do not do it, but mainly because I don't care to swim!

However, would I do it if I liked to swim? Not with the 2 year old. 6 and 8 can be grown enough to know not to get into trouble in the few moments (or 5 min.) it takes from hearing the first noise and when you can actually BE there to help. 2 year old? not so much. Plus I would be paranoid that my kid would accidentally lock me out (or worse, do so on purpose!)

In the end though, it really comes down to your children's personal maturity level and comfort level. Also, if you prepare them before they pass out, let them know about the monitor, that they just need to call for you, etc.

As for the child protection agencies... I have two things to say on that vein. One, this situation can be viewed the same as leaving a child home alone. (I know it is not the same but can be viewed the same.) that said, "Chapter 39 of the Florida Statutes (F.S.) mandates that the Hotline be contacted when any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child of any age is being left home alone without adult supervision or arrangements appropriate for the child's age or mental or physical condition, so that the child is unable to care for the child's own needs or another's basic needs or is unable to exercise good judgment in responding to any kind of physical or emotional crisis." (http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/abuse/faq.shtml)
So, it is not unreasonable that someone who notices this situation would call. In fact, I know a friend of mine who would feel mandated to make that call, as they are an approved foster parent and could lose that approval if ever discovered they DIDN'T call.

two: this is a small story about my experience with so called child protection in FL/Disney. At a gas station, after a great day at Disney, my friends are gasing up their car. Soon, we HEAR this older lady BEATING (I mean, full out fist whapping to were you can HEAR it.) on this small girl, about 5 years old at most. Of course my friend stepped up and asked the lady to stop, which she did stop, because she started yelling at my friend... anyway, long story short, we called to report this abuse and was told they wouldn't do anything about it, because they must have been tourists. Although we forced the issue because we called the gas station and found out the thing was all caught on tape, and when we called a second time and told them it was all on tape, they deigned to take a report. So, although the law states one thing, how they will actual act on it is a completely different matter.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

The fact that you are going to do whatever you want, regardless of the risk, has certainly been apparent for several pages, I agree. I don't need to go back and do a recount, since I'm not asking everyone if it's ok if I do something unsafe. I only suggested it to you because you seem to be thinking that most relies were in your favor. They were not. As the spouse of a CPS investigator, I'll agree that they agency doesn't always get everything right, but a lot of that is due to underfunding & understaffing. But just because you don't respect or like that agency, don't think for a second that they can't come into your life and at the very least ruin your vacation. I hear stories and I'm telling you as a fellow Disney lover, the scenario you are proposing can get you
into trouble you don't want or need. See the light or don't, that's on you, and your kids, ultimately.

I guess that is where the mis-communication comes in. I don't mean this to be snarky at all but at no point during this thread did I ask if it was okay to do something unsafe(your word, not mine). I never ask for advice on the subject. I made a statement about what I was going to do and clarified the specifics when asked which I should have done in my OP but wasn't thinking about how the initial question sounded without further explanation. I only asked to hear the black and white of it because I knew there would be black and white views. You'll agree that this is the amusing part of these boards sometimes, would you not?
Though many have disagreed, many have also said, they wouldn't do it personally, but see nothing wrong with it...and many have agreed. As well as many more agreeing with me through private messages.
Still though, that is irrelevant, as agreement wasn't something I was looking for or asking for.
As for CPS, it isn't that I don't "like" the agency. They could be great and sometimes are...and when they are not, they ruin the lives of families wrongfully, and that is heartbreaking and almost unforgivable in many circumstances.
I stand by my opinion on being directly outside of my hotel room, whether in a pool or out. I am secure that there is nothing unsafe or negligible in the right circumstances. Could CPS reek havoc on our lives for the heck of it. Sure, they could do that at anytime and for no reason at all. Would it hold up, not at all, but it would suck in the moment. This isn't a matter of law, but of opinion. I can't very well walk around being afraid of CPS and altering my life and beliefs because of it.

 

[Wadecool]

I guess that is where the mis-communication comes in. I don't mean this to be snarky at all but at no point during this thread did I ask if it was okay to do something unsafe(your word, not mine). I never ask for advice on the subject. I made a statement about what I was going to do and clarified the specifics when asked which I should have done in my OP but wasn't thinking about how the initial question sounded without further explanation. I only asked to hear the black and white of it because I knew there would be black and white views. You'll agree that this is the amusing part of these boards sometimes, would you not?
Though many have disagreed, many have also said, they wouldn't do it personally, but see nothing wrong with it...and many have agreed. As well as many more agreeing with me through private messages.
Still though, that is irrelevant, as agreement wasn't something I was looking for or asking for.
As for CPS, it isn't that I don't "like" the agency. They could be great and
sometimes are...and when they are not, they ruin the lives of families wrongfully, and that is heartbreaking and almost unforgivable in many circumstances. I stand by my opinion on being
directly outside of my hotel room, whether in a pool or out. I am secure that there is nothing
unsafe or negligible in the right circumstances. Could CPS reek havoc on our lives for the heck of it. Sure, they could do that at anytime and for no reason at all. Would it hold up, not
at all, but it would suck in the moment. This isn't a matter of law, but of opinion. I can't very well walk around being afraid of CPS and altering my life and beliefs because of it.

So, you started a thread about something you are planning to do no matter what and didn't want or need advice on, but knew would be controversial.... I do find the threads about pool hopping, refillable mugs, and how old is too old to ride in a stroller rather entertaining. Threads
about leaving kids unattended in a hotel room in order for the parents to have a dip in the pool,
not so much.
Just to come to the defense of CPS in this instance: if you put yourself and your kids in the position you describe, and someone else sees it, and then calls CPS, they are not wreaking havoc
on your life for the heck of it. You and you alone made that happen, and are responsible for
the repercussions. And yes, as a PP just quoted Florida statutes, it is most definitely a matter of
law. How a responding officer or judge handles it is up to their discretion. You may come out of it ok, and maybe not. But why the the chance?

 

[MistressMerryweather]

So, you started a thread about something you are planning to do no matter what but knew would be controversial....
Just come to the defense of CPS in this instance: if you put yourself and your kids in the position you describe, and someone else sees it, and then calls CPS, they are not wreaking havoc on your life for the heck of it. You and you alone made that happen, and are responsible for the repercussions. And yes, as a PP just quoted Florida statutes, it is most definitely a matter of law. How a responding officer or judge handles it is up to their discretion. You may
come out of it ok, and maybe not. But why the the chance?

Well, I didn't post to get a rise out of people or purposely cause havoc, but I was curious as to the responses.
There were a lot of "cans" in the statute the PP just posted. That aside though, I am not in agreement that the children would be "without adult supervision or arrangements...so that the child is unable to care for the child's own needs..." I just don't believe this to be true in the situation given.
Someone could definitely call but I don't believe a unbiased person who happened upon the situation as I described would see us as being negligible either. There are always extremists who believe their way is the right way and will push it on others regardless and at any cost, which is sad, and very much the way CPS sometimes responds. A lot of our lifestyle choices sadly can be viewed as "taking a chance" where CPS is concerned. We homeschool, we have different medical opinions that some disagree with, my 2yo is still nursing...and sometimes I don't do my days worth of dishes until the next morning. LOL It's super sad that those choices could affect the actions of a CPS worker, just because they disagree with a parenting choice. I just can't think of "don't take chances" and "what if CPS". YK? Especially when I don't feel I am in the wrong.
Anyway, I digress. FTR, I wouldn't leave my children "without adult supervision or arrangements appropriate for the child's age or mental or physical condition, so that the child is unable to care for the child's own needs or another's basic needs or is unable to exercise good judgment in responding to any kind of physical or emotional crisis."
I would be on the other side of the door with my trusty baby monitor, sitting in a pool chair less than 5ft from the door or soaking my bones on the pool edge 10 ft away. I do not consider that unsupervised or leaving them alone.

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Can I go now, y'all? LOL This is getting tiring and I still feel the same about my opinion. Not because I am digging my feet in or trying to be argumentative, but because I don't feel it is wrong or negligible in the circumstances I provided. This really has gone above and beyond. I hate to ditch my own thread, but I think it's gone as far as it can go and I've answered questions and clarified when asked. There's really not much more to say and I don't want to run the risk of being a jerk or posting something that could result in points. So, I am officially out of here this time.