WWYD?? help from other parents...

[minkydog]

No way! Oh- and I wouldn't fake an illness. I would tell MIL straight out that while Bob's cleaning lady may be very nice that YOU do not know her and are not leaving the kids with someone you don't know. If she doesn't like it then too bad so sad.

There is no way I'd leave my young kids with a total stranger in a hotel room. NO WAY. Tell your MIL that it's a no go. She can go out by herself if she wants to and you can stay in the room and watch Disney channel. When you go on a trip with little kids it automatically precludes pretty much all adult activities. If she doesn't want to go along with this, then You need to bow out and let her go with one of her child-free friends.

 

[daisyduck123]

No way...I wouldn't leave my kids at all. Not even with a professional sitter.

They're on vacation too. Why should they be stuck in the hotel room while you're out for the evening? (I don't at all get it why people go to WDW on their family vacations and leave their kids with sitters in the resort room either? ....but that's another thread entirely).

Tell your MIL that you and her can have a "girl's night out" some other time when you're back at home & DH can watch the kids.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

I'm going to email my MIL right now and tell her I'm not comfortable with the idea---that it's a no go...

 

[KiminChicago]

I guess I must be a really careless parent given all these "no way" replies.

When DS was 9 months old, DH and I had an opportunity to fly out to San Francisco. We took DS with us and while we were there, we asked the hotel to recommend a baby-sitting service. This lovely grandmotherly woman came to our hotel room and stayed with DS while we went out for an adults only dinner. After speaking with her for a short time while DS got used to her I learned that she was a retired school teacher and that she had gone through security checks (fingerprinting and such) in order to get a job with the service.

DH and I went out for a lovely dinner and when we got back to our room, the sitter had DS sound asleep in the crib and she was watching television with the sound turned down and only the light in the bathroom on. She was a doll and worth every penny we paid her. I wanted to pack her up and bring her home in our luggage!

So although I'm not 100% sure I'd just use a friend of a friend, I'd definitely consider asking at the hotel if they have a baby-sitting service they recommend. Foortunately my kids are now too old to me to have this problem anymore.

 

[kidzmom3]

I guess I must be a really careless parent given all these "no way" replies.

When DS was 9 months old, DH and I had an opportunity to fly out to San Francisco. We took DS with us and while we were there, we asked the hotel to recommend a baby-sitting service. This lovely grandmotherly woman came to our hotel room and stayed with DS while we went out for an adults only dinner. After speaking with her for a short time while DS got used to her I learned that she was a retired school teacher and that she had gone through security checks (fingerprinting and such) in order to get a job with the service.

DH and I went out for a lovely dinner and when we got back to our room, the sitter had DS sound asleep in the crib and she was watching television with the sound turned down and only the light in the bathroom on. She was a doll and worth every penny we paid her. I wanted to pack her up and bring her home in our luggage!

So although I'm not 100% sure I'd just use a friend of a friend, I'd definitely consider asking at the hotel if they have a baby-sitting service they recommend. Foortunately my kids are now too old to me to have this problem anymore.

I would be more comfortable with a licensed, bonded, cori checked service baby sitter than some friends cleaning lady. I wouldn't even take that recommendation at home.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Not for a million $$$$.

I went to Key West last year and I brought along a babysitter (DH was on a submarine at the time). She was less expensive than hiring a nanny service.

If you really want to go out and had to use a stranger, I'd prefer a legitimate nanny service that services the hotels--where they background check the employees.

If that is available, I would try that option. Otherwise, I would politely decline.

Someone's cleaning lady is not the same as hiring a licensed, bonded and background checked sitting service.

 

[minniecarousel]

I would just tell MIL no and then you guys can get the needed break from her that both of you will probably need anyway.

That's my thought too!

 

[ilovejack02]

I guess I must be a really careless parent given all these "no way" replies.

When DS was 9 months old, DH and I had an opportunity to fly out to San Francisco. We took DS with us and while we were there, we asked the hotel to recommend a baby-sitting service. This lovely grandmotherly woman came to our hotel room and stayed with DS while we went out for an adults only dinner. After speaking with her for a short time while DS got used to her I learned that she was a retired school teacher and that she had gone through security checks (fingerprinting and such) in order to get a job with the service.

DH and I went out for a lovely dinner and when we got back to our room, the sitter had DS sound asleep in the crib and she was watching television with the sound turned down and only the light in the bathroom on. She was a doll and worth every penny we paid her. I wanted to pack her up and bring her home in our luggage!

So although I'm not 100% sure I'd just use a friend of a friend, I'd definitely consider asking at the hotel if they have a baby-sitting service they recommend. Foortunately my kids are now too old to me to have this problem anymore.

I am ok with a baby sitting service more than just friend of a friend.

 

[ilovejack02]

I'd pry trust a DIS-er more!! ha!!

LOL you can always look up our prior posts and see how crazy we are ; ).

If you have any questions on fun Nola things to do with the kiddos .. come see us!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2293896&page=209

 

[akcire]

I was a hotel babysitter.

For a little perspective--more than 10 years ago I lived in NYC. I would watch kids in hotel rooms on weekends (had a full time job during the week). Now the hotels I used to babysit in were $500+ a night establishments and this was a long time ago--so you understand these were up market establishments.

Now I am a nice person, and never did anything evil to the kids; however I easily could have done anything I wanted. Also the hotels did not background check me, I bribed the concierge for referrals (and then gave them a cut). Often times families would call me to watch their kids when they were in town again--some even tried to make me their full time nanny.

So those of you with faith in the "professional" hotel nannies may wish to do more checking, they are all not as professional as you think. Some of them are just working girls who really like/d the Bloomingdale's shoe department.

 

[shortbun]

I would make me feel pretty edgy to leave my young children in a strange city with a stranger in a hotel. I would leave them with another families babysitter if in that family's home and with their children too but not the circumstances you decribe. Why not tell your MIL to go out with Bob and you and your kids can get a pizza in the room and watch TV.

 

[SnowWhite607]

Nope, not happening for me either.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I was a hotel babysitter.

For a little perspective--more than 10 years ago I lived in NYC. I would watch kids in hotel rooms on weekends (had a full time job during the week). Now the hotels I used to babysit in were $500+ a night establishments and this was a long time ago--so you understand these were up market establishments.

Now I am a nice person, and never did anything evil to the kids; however I easily could have done anything I wanted. Also the hotels did not background check me, I bribed the concierge for referrals (and then gave them a cut). Often times families would call me to watch their kids when they were in town again--some even tried to make me their full time nanny.

So those of you with faith in the "professional" hotel nannies may wish to do more checking, they are all not as professional as you think. Some of them are just working girls who really like/d the Bloomingdale's shoe department.

Thank you for posting this! Everytime the whole hotel sitter thing comes up the people (like myself) who would never trust them to watch their kids get bashed and called helicopter parents. You have just very eloquently explained one of the million reasons why I would never use one. Thank you.