what do I need at home-trip without kids

[pixxi]

My husband and I are taking 4 day trip to Disney. This will be the first vacation that we didn't take the kids. We will be leaving them with grandma and they will stay at our house. Grandma is in her 70's and I want to make things easy for her since she will be overwhelmed. Here is a list of things I can think of, what else do I need?

-medical consent letter (I assume I can just write something up)
-menu, snack out ahead for school
-list of activities
-chores for the kids (empty dishwasher, feed animals, homework)
-list of phone numbers (doctor, hospital, vet)
-flight info, hotel info, our cell #'s

 

[Hikergirl]

Money

 

[ajwolfe]

Every time my sister left her kids with me for an extended period of time she had the medical consent letter notarized - not sure if there is a legal reason for it or not. And she would place a copy of the insurance card on the letter.

 

[mjkacmom]

Grandma only needed the medical consent letter once (along with the insurance card). It wasn't notarized. You can write one up, or google one.

 

[Pesky]

I googled a medical power of attorney and printed one up for each kid. In a notebook, I had those documents, all important contact info (drs, dentist, school, neighbors, vet, pharmacy, babysitters, etc.), rough schedule for the kids (school, homework, chores, practice instruments, showers, etc.), our itinerary and #s, info about medicines and feeding the dog. My MIL was very organized so I didn't need to spell out everything. If you worry Grandma will be overwhelmed, put all the snacks in a place where the kids can get them themselves or maybe prepack into ziplocks for each day. You can have a frozen dinner for each day labeled and leave money or a GC for a restaurant they can all go to. We left some money for an emergency as well.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

How old are the kids?

 

[pixxi]

Kids are 16,13,10,6. The 16 year old works but I'm going to see if she can limit the days while we are gone.

 

[chris31997]

I would also see if you can have some freezer meals or money for delivery meals instead of just a menu. This will ease things on grandma. I would also stress to kids and grandma, that the kids are responsible for chores. Your oldest 3 should be able to cover them for 4 days.

 

[Thing 1]

Think through each day and note things that grandma might not know .....pick up is 4:00 but does she know how the pick up line works?
Be sure the school knows that you are out of town and grandma is allowed to pick up kids AND make any decisions that arise. Think through things like bedtime.....does the little one need a special night light etc. Im sure the older kids could fill her in but knowing might be helpful. Be sure she has a friend or two of yours that she can call if necessary and maybe the number of a few of the kids friends just in case. I would also leave her a credit card just in case. As for the medical note, there is a lot of contradiction whether anything less than a medical power of attorney is really helpful or not. What does help is the wording. Be sure not to put emergency care on the permission form because you are much more likely to have a kid with an ear infection or other minor situation that need caring for. In reality the facility is going to try to call you first....I would call the kids doctors and give them a head's up that grandma is allowed to seek medical care. I have seen a lot more issues at doctors offices than emergency rooms. I would try to be sure your phones are on at all times. Chances are they will need NONE of this at all!

 

[bigbabyblues]

Check with the hospital you use. The one I worked in required notes to be notarized or we couldn't accept them. Call the school and make sure they have grandma's pone number and know that she will be the one to call if one gets sick, etc.