Leaving kids in room question

[jcpuppy.com]

I appreciate everyone's replies and thoughts. I asked a question to gain input. I really didn't appreciate someone trying to broadcast my kid's ages, if I wanted that out there I would have said.
I feel sorry for parents whose kids are not trustable.
Where we live is out in the country and kids out this way are raised to do chores and have responsiblities and are expected to follow rules and do so.
I see city folks on tv who let their kids walk a city block to a bus stop and I think to myself "there is no way i would ever let my kid do that!", i also know city parents who dump their kids at malls, or movies or arcades and think nothing of it.
I don't think one should judge another's way to raise children without having lived where they do and in their shoes. Obviously, people in cities have no qualms about letting their kids play on sidewalks that I personally think are dangerous, and folks out in the country have no problem letting their kids learn how to drive tractors and farm trucks at young ages(i think that is dangerous too) Different strokes for different folks.
I simply wanted some insight on what others did or experienced or maybe risks I hadn't thought of. based on some helpful thoughts and ideas I think a sitter will be worth the money if we decide to go out at all.
Thanks again

 

[Allison]

I appreciate everyone's replies and thoughts. I asked a question to gain input. I really didn't appreciate someone trying to broadcast my kid's ages, if I wanted that out there I would have said.
I feel sorry for parents whose kids are not trustable.
Where we live is out in the country and kids out this way are raised to do chores and have responsiblities and are expected to follow rules and do so.
I see city folks on tv who let their kids walk a city block to a bus stop and I think to myself "there is no way i would ever let my kid do that!", i also know city parents who dump their kids at malls, or movies or arcades and think nothing of it.
I don't think one should judge another's way to raise children without having lived where they do and in their shoes. Obviously, people in cities have no qualms about letting their kids play on sidewalks that I personally think are dangerous, and folks out in the country have no problem letting their kids learn how to drive tractors and farm trucks at young ages(i think that is dangerous too) Different strokes for different folks.
I simply wanted some insight on what others did or experienced or maybe risks I hadn't thought of. based on some helpful thoughts and ideas I think a sitter will be worth the money if we decide to go out at all.
Thanks again

You are the one that has posted the age of your kids in other posts so you are the one that put it out there.

Why are you talking about trust, chores and responsibility?

You asked for input and you got it. You just didn't like the answers. I don't see people judging you. I see them "providing input" on what they are comfortable with and that is exactly what you asked.

 

[Sweedee]

I appreciate everyone's replies and thoughts. I asked a question to gain input. I really didn't appreciate someone trying to broadcast my kid's ages, if I wanted that out there I would have said.

I understand you wanting to leave your kids ages out of it, but unfortunately, that's one of the key variables in a post like this. Personally, I wouldn't want to be the adult in the room next to a kid in trouble w/ no parent nearby, in a place where the parents might be hard to find. That would bother me very badly. I'm not saying you would be negligent...but we all know that cell phones are faulty, and transportation can't always be relied on. It's just a situation that I would think anyone with children would want to avoid.

 

[famofsix]

Just a suggestion...you may consider getting a suite instead and then maybe you would have the opportunity to watch tv, order drinks in.. etc. Then maybe you'd feel like you are not stuck in a dark room with sleeping kids. I hear that Disney will have suites soon...May I think. We stayed off-site for our condo and it worked out well. I do think that even though your kids sound very trustworthy that leaving them alone may potentially be a bad idea if something weird happened and they needed you...in addition, Orlando is a BIG city and not your kids home. They may not be as comfortable there even if they are responsible kids.

 

[lclark0621]

Would you leave your child alone in the house at that age, while you and your DH went out for the evening?

I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving DS alone in a hotel room until he was at a teenager.

 

[LSUmom4kids]

My DH and I can eat at Shula's or Blue Zoo restaurants at the Dolphin hotel and get 2 hours free "babysitting" at Camp Dolphin! I think the program starts around 5 p.m. Drop the kids off, go out to eat with DH and have alone time for 2 hours, then just show your restaurant receipt to Camp Dolphin and the "babysitting" is free! Each hour after 2 is $10.

The kids would be well supervised, they are fed at a restaurant in the Dolphin hotel and Mom and Dad have a nice dinner date! (Yes, the dinner might be a little pricey, but you could split some menu items or just do an appetizer, drinks and dessert!)

check it out: http://www.swandolphin.com/play/campdolphin.html (if this link doesn't work, try going to their website at SWANDOLPHIN dot COM)

5:30 p.m. to Midnight
Kids ages 4-12

There are numerous Camp Dolphin adventures your children may participate in. These could include seasonal Arts & Crafts, Nintendo Game Cube, Playstation 2, computers, books, interactive games, dinner & dessert at a hotel restaurant, a trip to the game room, and a Disney movie!

We recommend our guests arrive at Camp Dolphin no later than 6:30p.m. and not be picked up before 8:30p.m. This is the time period that the children will be enjoying dinner and play time in the arcade. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.​

I hope this would be a "do-able" alternative for you and DH! I've already emailed them and they said my THREE (3) children can stay 2 hrs. free while DH and I eat at Shulas! Good Luck!

 

[nancy drew]

since you asked for input on things you may not have thought about that could be a problem with leaving kids alone in a hotel room, let me share a story from a friend of mine.

note: when i say "you" i mean anyone who stays at a hotel.

back when he was in college, he and some friends went on a trip and stayed in a hotel where the rooms connected with other rooms. my friend and his friends were all in one room, so the adjoining room had some total strangers in it. well my friend never drank alcohol, but he decided to try it that night along with his friends who drank regularly. my friend must have some weird reaction to alcohol because he ended up breaking into the adjoining room and sleeping in the empty bed all night, then waking up in the morning and going back into his own room. there was a couple in that room sleeping in the other bed the whole night, and they had no idea he was ever in their room (he felt so guilty the next day that he went and told them, and they laughed, so apparently it was all good). that story has freaked me out about hotel rooms ever since.

think about how many people have the key to just the outside door of your room. you sign your name on room service slips, store receipts, restaurant tabs. anyone can overhear you telling your name to the person at the front desk or the concierge. how hard would it be for someone to pretend to be you and ask for a second room key, claiming to have lost theirs? almost all of the people who work in the hotel have keys to all the rooms, and people who work in hotels are not always trustworthy. my husband worked in a *very* reputable downtown chicago hotel for 2 years and witnessed some very shady things from the hotel staff. in fact, while he was working there one bellman murdered another bellman (not at the hotel). you can trust your kids 100% but you cant trust everyone else, and thats what would keep *me* from leaving *my* kids alone in a room.

to the OP: im totally not picking on you, not saying anything bad about *you* at all. but i think there is this false sense of security when you go on vacation and in reality you have to be even more careful than you are at home.

 

[kbmoo]

I agree with everyone. Like I said I leave my 13 year old at home sometimes. I trust him. But at a hotel, you don't know who is going to be around. Thanks for all the great input.

 

[DISUNC]

WOW!!!! What a thread!

To leave sleeping children ( I am assuming they are younger than 13) in a unfamiliar environment and alone, for ANY length of time ANYWHERE is just totally irresponsible. Even to entertain such thoughts seriously enough to post them on a public forum, is in my opinion quite frightening.

I don't know which part of the country the OP lives in but I do believe, in Orlando and most elsewhere in this country, leaving your children unsupervised is ILLEGAL and fully punishable under the law.

To the OP when you state "Our kids are good about sleeping and not leaving their beds at night"....I urge you not to believe yourself on this matter for a second!!!!

Kids habits change on the snap of a finger. What if one woke up and walk out of the room. Within the matter of a minute, any number of horrible things could happen. Not only your childs life, but your families and Yourself would be in ruins FOREVER!!!

 

[azgal81]

Leaving your 9 year old in a hotel room alone is that even legal??

You have about four months to go before your trip just save some money each month for a sitter. Shouldn't be that hard!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

You have got to be kidding - 9 years old. I don't think that it's even legal to leave them alone at that age. Last year was the first year we left the kids to go to an "adult only" dinner at the California Grille. We put the kids in the Neverland Club and it was the best money we spent. We had the peace of mind knowing the kids were being cared for in a safe environment and the kids loved it so much they didn't want to leave when we went to pick them up. Please either get a sitter or put them in a kids club (which they will probably love).

 

[CleveRocks]

I appreciate everyone's replies and thoughts. I asked a question to gain input. I really didn't appreciate someone trying to broadcast my kid's ages, if I wanted that out there I would have said.

I don't think one should judge another's way to raise children without having lived where they do and in their shoes.

I totally agree with the posters who wrote that the OP has no reason for righteous indignation. SHE put her children's ages out there, and it's the children's ages that are THE major variable here. Since one definition of "children" could be people 0 - 17.99 years of age, there's no one reasonable answer for that huge age range, and I hope she now realizes that.

That would be like my asking "Can I afford to stay in a concierge room at the Grand Floridian for 2 weeks?" without you all knowing my income and financial responsibilities. No one could POSSIBLY tell me if I could afford it or not without knowing that info, and thus asking that question would just be a waste of time for me.

If you ask a question and get the answer you hope for, then great. If you ask a question and get the answer you hoped you wouldn't get, please don't turn the tables and scold others for judging you. Question asked, question answered. Thank you, good night.

 

[jodifla]

Legally I think you are OK, most states kids alone must be at least 12.

Does anyone know FL ruling for kids being alone?

My state is not age based, but based on how they can answer certain question, situation and maturity level.

To me, it is different if the kids are awake and likely to get into trouble, but at night when they are asleep, the worse problem is not them , but things like hotel fire or strangers knocking on doors.

Did anyone find cheaper babysitting options at Disney? $30 an hour is just not do-able for us(3 kids)

If you got an in-room sitter, it wouldn't be $30 an hour, it would be more like $14 an hour, I believe, plus a one-time $12 travel fee. I think the extra fee starts after three kids.

Check out the kidsniteout.com link. Or you can call Fairy Godmothers -- we use them all the time.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

I think that the OP said she had decided not to leave them alone. So glad she came to her senses.
Let me share two stories, one funny, the other not.
When my sisiter and I were in high school my mom of cousre would leave us home alone during the day but not at night and she insisted we be awake when we were home alone !! She would wake us up before she went to work in the morning. We hated it but her reason was that teens are such deep sleepers that if the house caught on fire we might not wake up till it was too late. Seemed really dumb back then but as the mom of a teen now I see her point. Kids can sleep through anything!!

Second story happened a few months ago in our county. A mom left her three sleeping children in a local hampton inn (read nice hotel and indoor room entrance). The children were 7, 8, and 10. The middle one woke up confussed about where she was and wondered out the door and down to the lobby. Staff of couse called DSS( child protective services) and all three children were removed from the home, and mom charged with neglect. It certainly was not worth the drink she went down stairs for.

I say if often on these boards, kids are just too precious to take chances with!!!!!

Jordan's mom

 

[momamy]

what if they get woke up and are scared. would they know to use the phone to call you?
What if something happened??? i have been at hotels before and people have mistaken my door for theres and tried to get in. how would your child react to that? What if theres a fire alarm would they be able to get out and back into the room? anything could happen in an hour! so many kids being snatched from there beds.... i would not tempt fate... JMO

Amy

Amy

 

[jcpuppy.com]

I totally agree with the posters who wrote that the OP has no reason for righteous indignation. SHE put her children's ages out there, and it's the children's ages that are THE major variable here. Since one definition of "children" could be people 0 - 17.99 years of age, there's no one reasonable answer for that huge age range, and I hope she now realizes that.

I did NOT post my kids ages on this thread. I was looking for general info. Several folks answered in a kindly fashion with good information and ideas. I appreciate greatly their responses.

I find it odd that some folks are indignant "that i even considered it"

Were there no 'latch key kids" who are now posters on this board?
Am I the only one who grew up in a time when from 3pm to 5pm you were alone until your parents came home from work?
Am I the only one who lived in a neighborhood where you could go play with your friends, anywhere in that neighborhood until dark?

Obviously, if I didn't have concerns or reservations I wouldn't have asked the question! I was curious what other parents did. I didn't say where "out" we wanted to go. Out could have been as simple as the hotel pool or laundry. We hadn't even considered off the resort grounds!
We had freedom last year, because we had my inlaws with us. I simply was seeking out what others did or what other ideas folks had besides paying $30 an hour for a sitter. Am I the only one who thinks that is high? We stayed at a 2 bedroom villa last year, obviously I can afford a sitter if I need to.
Asking for ideas and info should not warrant an attack

Again I thank those who answered in an intelligent, helpful way, and appreciate the info about the Neverland and other resources there.

 

[mdhkitten]

Nobody said that you posted your children's ages on this thread. I'm not sure if you're aware of it or not, but anyone can look at another person's previous posts. That is where someone else found their ages. Since you wouldn't tell your children's ages, even when asked, obviously other members decided to try and find out to give you an appropriate answer. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[annie1995]

Mine were 10 and 6 this last September. The farthest that I would go would be just outside the door on the balcony. Way too many things can happen in such a fast amount of time. I didn't even feel comforatable going to getting refill's on our drinks without carting both of them with me. If they were sleeping, I would just wait till my husband was back. Definately not before 14-15 and still depending how mature they were then.

 

[momamy]

latch key is one thing its light out then and your in your own home with a telephone and emergency numbers...! dark in a diffrent place is a whole other story! jmo!

Amy

 

[RDCAnthony]

I say if often on these boards, kids are just too precious to take chances with!!!!!

Jordan's mom

Exactly right