When can your children play without you?

[wrighter]

Hi all,

Hypothetical situation: You and your family of four are spending a day at Stormalong Bay. How old do your children need to be for you to let them play there without you tagging along to every corner of the pool? When they're young, every moment is spent together: always an adult within (at least!) eyeshot of the children. "You want to go over to the slide? Okay, let's go." But when does it turn into, "You want to go over to the slide? Okay. Come check back in fifteen minutes. I'll be right here."

I know this sounds like a weird question - but it has to happen sometime, right? I won't be following them all around the place when they're 18! So - when is it? 10? 12? Does it just depend on the kid? Their swimming ability? I have absolutely no idea. My children are still young - I won't need this advice for many years - but for some reason it's been on my mind.

How has your family handled this transition?

 

[RMulieri]

I would say maybe 10 or 12y/o...at SAB anyway.The thing with SAB is the entrance for the slide is on the other side of the walkway that runs to Epcot.It is a busy walkway, I guess if Dd was older i would let her go by herself.I loved SAb but thought its layout was quite large and watching my 4 yr old was sometimes not easy b/c she would get excited.3 separate times she almost climbed in to the 8 ft deep lazy river.

 

[jellybeans0607]

I've never been there, so i can't answer specifically for that.
But
When we were at Disney this past Aug. we let my daughter(8) go off to go down the slides at the pool at french quarters and riverside. My 2yo son wanted to spend most of his time in the kiddie pool, so i'd let her go. Every so often I would go check on her or she would head back over to me.
There were also times we would be slow at getting ready so her and my 4yo would go to the arcade alone until we were ready.
I think it mostly depends on how comfortable the child is in the surroundings and if they know their way around.

 

[The Hendies]

If it's around water, does your child swim? How well? The year we were in the World when the kids were 11,12, and 13 they were all terrific swimmers,so we didn't mind at all that they went off with each other and 'did their own thing'. At 14,15,and 16, we let them go to another park without us, as long as they stayed together (pre-cell phones!). Again, how well the kids get along with each other, are they normally responsible, etc all weighs in on your decision.

 

[jamesmommy]

My 2yo wanted to spend most of his time in the kiddie pool, so i'd let her go. every so often i would go check on her or she would head back over to me.
There were also times we would be slow at getting ready so her and my 4yo would go to the arcade alone until we were ready.

Am I reading this wrong, or are you saying you left your 2 yo unattended in a kiddy pool, and let a 2yo and 4yo go to the arcade alone......?

 

[robsmom]

Am I reading this wrong, or are you saying you left your 2 yo unattended in a kiddy pool, and let a 2yo and 4yo go to the arcade alone......?

I read it this way the first time as well, but i think she just worded the answer funny. Before she get's flamed too bad, I believe that she has an 8 yr old DD (per a different post). So...i think she was saying that she let her 8 yr DD old go to the slide because she (mom) was staying at the baby pool for DS 2. Then 8 yr old took 4 yr old to the arcade.

 

[jellybeans0607]

Am I reading this wrong, or are you saying you left your 2 yo unattended in a kiddy pool, and let a 2yo and 4yo go to the arcade alone......?

Sorry just reread it, my girl is 8. I really thought I said that. I let my 8yo go to the slides and the 8 and 4yo to the arcade. Id better go fix that.

 

[jamesmommy]

Sorry just reread it, my girl is 8. I really thought i said that. I let my 8yo go to the slides and the 8 and 4yo to the arcade. Id better go fix that.

Okay, that makes more sense. I was pretty sure that I had read other posts by you, and didn't think that sounded right That's why I asked.

 

[jellybeans0607]

Okay, that makes more sense. I was pretty sure that I had read other posts by you, and didn't think that sounded right That's why I asked.

LoL, I think I would win worst mother of the year, officially!!

 

[KirstenB]

Our older dd is 10 and our younger is 3. The 10 yr old does swim team and is a great swimmer. This year was the first time I let her go to a ride at Water Country USA without me. I often take the kids there by myself during the week, so dh wasn't with us. Our 3 yr old and I stayed in the little kids' area, and our older dd would come back to check in.

I won't let her go in the giant wave pool alone, even with a lifevest. Those waves are high and rough. She's very short and small for her age, and I don't think she's ready for that yet. But the innertube type rides were fine.

 

[daisyduck123]

The summer my DS was 9yo, I let him go off on his own at SAB. He is an awesome swimmer (can swim a 500 FREE no problem) & also pretty responsible. He would go do his thing but still come find us every 15 or 20 minutes.

 

[mjkacmom]

My 9 and 11 year olds had the run of the place (actually where there without us for a bit), but I kept a close watch on the 4 and 6 year olds (who are pretty good swimmers - swim team).

 

[JimR24]

My daughter is 8 and we keep and eye on here but don't follow her around. She has been swimming without water wings for years. My 2 1/2 yr old does not want water wings and and does ok but does need our help from time to time. We follow him where ever he goes.

 

[npmommie]

Sorry just reread it, my girl is 8. I really thought I said that. I let my 8yo go to the slides and the 8 and 4yo to the arcade. Id better go fix that.

Personally I wouldn't let my 8 and 4 yo go off alone to an arcade. But thats me.

last fall at Poly, i let my 7 yo go off to do the slide alone, I was in the pool area where she came out of the slide. i was with my 4 yo who didn't want to do the slide. hubby was there too, and he was also going down the slide, but they would get separated sometimes.