OT - Leaving kids alone at hotel?

[deedeetoo]

This is not about a Disney hotel. I am going to a business conference for two days next week and due to child care issues and dh's schedule, I will be bringing my two kids (dd11 and ds8) with me. This is a fancy resort type hotel. I knew there was a kids club at the resort where the conference was so I figured I could just sign the kids up for that. The meetings are only run 8-12 so that is all I needed coverage for.

Well I have just learned that the kids program doesn't start until 9, and to make it worse, the kids club is located at the far end of the resort from the meetings. This is a big place (there is a golf course in the middle) and the staff told me that they would recommend driving - it is too far to walk. Now this means the kids sit outside the meeting room for an hour, then I leave the room we go to the car, drive to the other side of the resort to drop them off, and then drive back to my meeting. It sounds like a very unsatisfactory set up. Also, I am vice chair of this conference which means I will have to disappear from my position at the front of the room for the time its takes me to run them over. And I get to pay $50/day per kid to do this.

So I am considering letting them mind themselves for the four hours I am in the meeting. Our hotel room will be in the same building as the meeting room so I will be right downstairs if they need me. My kids are well behaved and pretty responsible and dd is 11. Both kids are good swimmers so I am also considering telling them its OK to go to the pool and swim as long as there is a life guard there.

So do you guys think I'm nuts. Should I just do the kids program despite the inconvenience?

 

[msmayor]

Ask yourself this question: would you leave them at home alone for four hours while you are working? And restrict them to their bedroom? That's basically what you are considering here.

What about food? What about the daily housekeeping visit? What if one of them needs help with something?

And a big NO to the pool...there's a very good chance that parental supervision is required for kids that young.

You say you are vice-chair for this conference. Do you have friends who are attendees who may be able to help you as far as taking them to the kids' area at 9? What about enlisting the help of the hotel concierge? I generous tip might go a long way to having him/her meet you at the conference room to escort the kids to their area.

I personally think those ages are too young to be left on their own for that length of time in a hotel room.

 

[Leajess99]

This is not about a Disney hotel. I am going to a business conference for two days next week and due to child care issues and dh's schedule, I will be bringing my two kids (dd11 and ds8) with me. This is a fancy resort type hotel. I knew there was a kids club at the resort where the conference was so I figured I could just sign the kids up for that. The meetings are only run 8-12 so that is all I needed coverage for.

Well I have just learned that the kids program doesn't start until 9, and to make it worse, the kids club is located at the far end of the resort from the meetings. This is a big place (there is a golf course in the middle) and the staff told me that they would recommend driving - it is too far to walk. Now this means the kids sit outside the meeting room for an hour, then I leave the room we go to the car, drive to the other side of the resort to drop them off, and then drive back to my meeting. It sounds like a very unsatisfactory set up. Also, I am vice chair of this conference which means I will have to disappear from my position at the front of the room for the time its takes me to run them over. And I get to pay $50/day per kid to do this.

So I am considering letting them mind themselves for the four hours I am in the meeting. Our hotel room will be in the same building as the meeting room so I will be right downstairs if they need me. My kids are well behaved and pretty responsible and dd is 11. Both kids are good swimmers so I am also considering telling them its OK to go to the pool and swim as long as there is a life guard there.

So do you guys think I'm nuts. Should I just do the kids program despite the inconvenience?

Personally, I would not leave my children unattended but that is the way I am.I would definitely not let them going swimming without me there either as the Lifeguard will not be able to keep a constant eye on just your children and you never know what may happen (case in point look at the happenings at Typhoon Lagoon with the pervert assaulting teen girls). Do you not have another adult that may be able to go with you?? I would look at other options if you could. Just my opinion and not flaming you.

 

[Steve's Girl]

I would not be comfortable with that arrangement at all. Could you hire a high school kid to go with you and babysit?

 

[NotUrsula]

So, are they couch potato kids? Not so much out of shape, but the sort of kids who would be perfectly content to sleep in and lie in bed watching cartoons for two hours without fighting? Mine would be. I could put a continental breakfast on the table for them with milk/juice already poured in cups in the fridge, and then just let them sleep in and serve themselves.

A few months ago DH had a conference at a resort like that, and we went along because it was spring break. The water in the pool was really too cold for swimming, and once the kids realized that, it was impossible to get them up and out of the room before noon -- they just wanted to veg and watch cartoons.

A resort that posh should be able to arrange something for you if you need special help; after all -- you chose the place for the meeting and threw them a nice chunk of business. Talk to the person who booked the conference and ask for help.

 

[deedeetoo]

Thanks for the replies. I think the idea of the pool is definitely out.

I am supposed to be getting a nice room because of my position with the conference. It is supposed to be an ocean view suite so leaving the kids in the room would not be like confining them to just a bedroom. I think between watching TV, reading, playing with their DS they could occupy themselves for the time I would be gone. I could just put the do not disturb sign out to stop the maid from coming in and tell them to lock the door and only open it for me. I was also thinking of maybe buying a movie for them. They would really like that.

I will look into whether the hotel can help with getting them over to the kids club.

 

[stella27]

Several possibilities:

I would call the manager and ask for an early start to the kids' club for your children. Explain your situation. For the $8-$10/ per hour (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.), the hotel gets your business at the conference plus 2 kids for a certain # of days in the kids' club.

Call the kids club directly and ask if any staff would be willing to get there at 7:50, take your kiddos to breakfast and then get them over to the kids club.

Even if it's in another bldg, your kids can probably walk - they're young. So order their breakfast in-room and tell them to be at the kids club by 9 a.m. Arrange in advance for KC to text or call you if they don't show up.

 

[kevschickee]

No I wouldn't leave my kids alone at the hotel and I def would not allow them to go to the pool

 

[allyphoe]

No pool, no way, even with a lifeguard. Lots of opportunities for getting into trouble in and around a pool.

Assuming that I had kids who got along reasonably well and would be happy sleeping in, then watching TV for a couple of hours, I'd be fine with it. That said, I'd give them a cell phone to call me on, in case there was some issue.

 

[cuppycake]

Nope. Wouldn't do it. If I were in this situation, I would either figure out a way with the hotel to make the kids club thing work, or bring along someone else to help (a relative first, a good friend second, or teenage babysitter third).

If you're going to be in such a nice room at a nice resort, I would lean towards finding a good friend to go with me (maybe someone who has a child the same age as yours). But then, I'd be fine sharing a room with a friend like that.

Good luck figuring it out!

 

[wdwmom0f3]

There is no way that I would leave my children alone in the hotel room. That said, I would either take someone else with me who could watch them or talk to the hotel staff and see if they can help you in any way for that one hour before the kids club starts. I just wouldn't risk anything happening to my children.

 

[RyJMom]

I have an 11 and 8 year old and I'd not let them go to the pool by themselves but I might let them stay in the room. I know in another year I'd probably be fine with this. Mine are both boys and probably have been over protected by me.
I guess you have to judge how mature your 11 yr old is and if she'd not panic if something came up.
Good luck making your decision.

 

[Navy]

No. I would not leave my kids alone in a room for that long. Almost every time I stay in a hotel the fire alarms go off. Would they know what to do if that were to happen. there are too many what if's in life.

 

[robinb]

If your kids are mature enough not to fight and to just hang out in the room, I think it would be OK for just 2 mornings. I would make sure that they know the rules, they have breakfast first and a cell phone to call you if they need you. You might also want to see if you have a back-up person to respond to them if you are unable to break away.

I wonder what hotels Navy stays at with all those alarms! In many, many hotel night stays (in the 100s over my adult life) I recall an alarm being pulled 3-4 times. The closest to a real emergency and the restaurant had burned some bacon and there was some smoke in the kitchen. Can an emergency happen? Sure. Just make sure that your kids know about the emergency exits and carry their cell phone.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

No way to both. I would take someone with me to watch them or hire someone to watch them.

 

[la79al]

Let them go to the pool? No, too many things could happen on the way there, the way back, whatever. Leave them in the room? Yeah probably. If they can get along with each other for 4 hours without fighting. 8 and 11 are old enough to know and follow rules. My only concerns would be--if kids get bored, they tend to cause problems. Even if just one gets bored, that means they then bug the other one until a fight ensues. Also, are you going to have some kind of snacks there for them? Yes technically they should eat breakfast before you leave and lunch when you get back but we know how kids are. I would also say, when you get back from your meeting, be prepared to take them to do something immediately since they have been stuck in the room entertaining themselves all morning.

 

[beachgirl2000]

I would not let them go to the pool at all and I would probably not leave them in the room alone either only because I would be a nervous wreck the entire time -- UNLESS, you leave them home alone now -- like when you run to the store or when they get home from school and stay a few hours, etc. I have a 9 year old and the only time he is alone is when I walk the dog in the morning around the corner -- and even then, I have my cell phone and he calls me constantly! I guess it depends on your situation but I know I would not be able to concentrate. Like a few other people suggested, take a good friend or an older niece or someone that could keep an eye on them while you are in your meeting.

 

[JUJU814]

No way would I leave them or let them go to the pool. I'm not a fan of "babysitting services" but if you're desperate, it's better than leaving them alone. Speak to the manager of the hotel. I'm sure they could direct you to a local sitting service.

Do you have a relative you could bring with you? Friend? Teenager from church??

Julie

 

[JanB]

No way would I allow mine to go to the pool alone, either. It might be a moot point anyway. The hotel rules might not allow it. Many (maybe most?) hotels that I've been in do not allow children at the pool without an adult.

Leaving them closed up in the room probably isn't ideal either. If you do decide to do that, though, could you at least leave a cell phone with them so that they can contact you in an emergency? If you don't trust their judgement to know what is a true emergency, then that might be one sign that they shouldn't yet be left alone.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'd leave my 11 and 8 year old alone in the room - I'd also leave them home here (I frequently leave ds11). They also walk to school together - I'd probably let them walk together to the kids club if they were bored after the first day.