How to keep kids IN 2nd bedroom?

[MinnesotaChill]

I am truly hoping that this is something I am worrying needlessly about. When you are sleeping in the master bedroom of a 2 bedroom, how on earth can you rest easily knowing the kids in the 2nd bedroom have access to the hallway? I have very well behaved kids, but they are in elementary school. What am I going to do when they are teenagers? It seems like it is such a long way away that I would never hear them leave. I realize there are some dedicateds, but it sounds like they are few and far between. How do you deal with this?

I guess I can believe they will always respect me as much as they do now, but that still won't allow me to sleep the first few nights!

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

As they get older you'll have a lot more to worry about than the second bedroom at WDW.

Mine are 18, 17, 13 and 11. My youngest just went to her first middle school activity night tonight. Talk about worry!

At WDW I never worry about them. We usually do so much in the day time that by the time night comes, they are as tired as my DW and me. And anyway, where would they go?

HBC

 

[Sammie]

No offense as none is meant, but how do you keep them in at home??

Unless you are staying at BW, there are plenty of dedicated 2 bedrooms.

If you get a lockoff, there are portable alarms that are battery operated that you can use.

Or you can always use what my Dad used, he read us the riot act that if we even thought of sneaking out, we would be caught and we would be sent home to our grandparents while everyone else continued with their vacation and he meant it.

We did not sneak out at home, therefore we never gave it a thought on vacation.

 

[ccw]

Bring a baby monitor with you and then hide it from them.

 

[dianeschlicht]

LOL, Sammie! I do agree though. There would be little reason for them to want to leave the building. A dedicated 2 bedroom is very easy to get at OKW and SSR, but less so at some of the smaller resorts and impossible at BWV, since they don't have them. Most of us live in houses that have hallways that have our kids at least as far away as they are at a resort, and don't think about it. Probably depends on how well behaved they are or if they are generally untustworthy.

 

[zulaya]

I am pretty sure MNChill's home resort is BWV

There are a lot of dedicated 2BRs on property if you decide to branch out from BWV. BCV has a good number of them and others have mentioned SSR and OKW. I think VWL has some as well, but that may look too much like home if you feel the same way I do.

At some point, trust enters the picture. If it isn't there yet, it will be when you need it.

 

[SueOKW]

I remember worrying when my kids were in elementary school too - one trip and the worry was over... after the first night they were SO tired it didn't cross my mind again.

NOW - when they are teenagers, I'm sure they are going to want to "go out". Even now at 13 and 11 I let my daughters ride the bus to the park and we go by car and meet up. I'm convinced that no matter how scary it may seem, I need to let them learn how to get around very early on - because they are going to want to occasionally go to the parks by themselves soon... They already go way ahead of me at some parks! But that's fine - they have the energy!

My theory is that I will let them learn to be independent enough that they won't need to sneak out. Hopefully they will have faith that they can ask me .. and if it's a reasonable request I'll say ok.


the bad news is, this is just a theory.. I hope I can put it into practice!!!! Oh - and OP, those alarms are a good idea!! I think they would catch on to the baby monitor and think you are spying on them.

 

[twotoohappy]

for elementary age.... talking to them should work

for teenagers.... you can do what we do for overnight class trips - We put a piece of tape across the outside of the door, so if they open the door they can't put the tape back and we know they've broken the rules. Just letting them know about the tape keeps them in all the time

 

[Aneille]

I actually had this worry but not about sneaking out but with my sleep walking 2 year old at the time.

On our first trip to WDW we stayed one night off-sight and went to SeaWorld. My DD was very excited to finally be at WDW. We didn't own DVC yet but we were staying in a 2 bedroom villa at the BW. My parents had the 1 bedroom side and my family had the studio portion.

Well we had stayed up late that night, my daughter fell asleep in my bed but I woke up sometime in the middle of the night to her trying to get out the door!

Thankfully I had the door chain on so she couldn't get out and I heard her trying to open the door. I was scared for a few nights after that but she didn't sleep walk again on that trip!

 

[chrome64]

I was given all the freedom in the world when I was growing up. My parents had the theory that as long as I told them where I was I could do basically anything. I'm ashamed to say now, that even with all that freedom, I thought it was fun to break the rules. From the ages of 16-18 I would sneak out of the house from time to time. Now, I'm mother to a 10 year old and I worry endlessly about what she might do as she gets older. I also have a toddler and understand the worry him getting out of the house or hotel room!

After the third report of children being kidnapped from their bedrooms, we put an alarm system on the house. My goal is to keep my kids safe but, in future years I hope that it will discourage them from even attempting to sneak out of the house.

I think the best approach is to first talk to them but, also provide someway that will show if they do try to leave (like the tape) and let them know. If they know the consequences are severe enough, they won't even try it.

Good Luck and Just know that you are not alone, most of us have the same worries!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Hey I liked that t ape idea! I can certainlyi see that working with teens!