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AIBU?

To leave a 5 year old at home by herself ??

38 replies

mandy214 · 11/07/2014 13:36

Obviously I won't but just Angry Angry Angry at the difference in the cost of a holiday for 4 people and the cost for 5. And its tempting Wink!

Am looking for next May half term, we are lucky in our area in that we get 2 weeks at May half term whereas most people only get 1 week. If we go away the 2nd week, prices are usually better having been reduced from the extortionate prices that holiday companies somehow get away with during mainstream school holidays.

Older 2 children will be 10 - thinking somewhere like Mark Warner because I think they will love the activities and we'll get a break. Cost for 2 adults and 2 children, about £2800. Still expensive but about £700 per person. Add an extra child?? She's 5. Its an extra £1400 Shock. £4200. Its outrageous. I knew 3 children would be expensive but drives my mad!!

Sorry, rant over.

OP posts:
CiderwithBuda · 11/07/2014 13:41

I have a wedgie now from joking my judgy pants so high! And it was a false alarm! Grin

CiderwithBuda · 11/07/2014 13:42

No advice as I only have one and we can still get away with only one hotel room. Although that is about to change as he is now 13.

mandy214 · 11/07/2014 13:43

Ha ha. Sorry!

OP posts:
Pangaea · 11/07/2014 13:43

Haha agree with Cider! Was very ready to shout at you! Grin

hmmmwhatnow · 11/07/2014 13:43

Oh bollocks really?

mandy214 · 11/07/2014 13:46

Yes, that 3rd child may look precious and beautiful at 11 days old, but wait until you can't sneak her in in a holdall (yes I am kidding!) and you'll think you should have stuck at 2 Wink.

OP posts:
Adikia · 11/07/2014 13:47

Wink so long as you leave her some food and water and teach her how to use the oven before you go it's fine.

PossumPoo · 11/07/2014 13:48

mandy that wasn't funny Hmm

I love a good AIBU regarding leaving youngun's on their own. When you say week do you mean 5 days or 7?

Kidding Grin

mandy214 · 11/07/2014 13:50

Possum A full 7 days. I'd leave contact numbers and things for Grandma and instructions on how to use the microwave?! Would that be OK? Wink

OP posts:
PossumPoo · 11/07/2014 13:52

Maybe Mandy I'm reading your OP wrong, but is DD the oldest or the youngest? If she's the youngest, swap her for the oldest and then really no one could say you hadn't tried to be reasonable. I'm sure not a jury in the country would convict you!

mandy214 · 11/07/2014 13:55

Good point. Yes, leaving a 5 yr old would be highly irresponsible. Leave the 10 year old instead and I'm in the clear Grin. Now there's a plan... Wink.

Actually, leave all 3 kids and we wouldn't have to go somewhere with a kids club [joke].

OP posts:
fishchipsandmayonnaise · 11/07/2014 13:56

Look, if you instruct dominoes to do a repeat delivery at the same time every night then your DD can safely receive this through the letter box (safety conscious, stranger danger etc). Lock the kitchen (therefore closing off the most hazardous area of the house), move her bed/toys etc into the living room and set up a camping toilet in the corner (probably safer to confine her to one area of the house). Then I see no problem. You can always call to check up on her occasionally!

awsomer · 11/07/2014 13:57

I feel your pain. The hike up of prices for the school holidays is just disgusting. I'm all for them making a profit in their businesses but the increase is just extreme!

Tortoiseturtle · 11/07/2014 13:57

But seriously, leave all 3 children behind for a week with grandma, and have a nice holiday with your DH. The kind that young children wouldn't appreciate anyway.

mandy214 · 11/07/2014 13:57

I can see I'm not the only one to have thought this through.... sounds like others have similar plans Grin

OP posts:
Panicmode1 · 11/07/2014 14:01

Not if I can leave my 4 and 6 year old with your 5 year old Wink We haven't flown anywhere with 4 of them for some time, and costing up a skiing hol for 6 next year caused me to hyperventilate!

mandy214 · 11/07/2014 14:02

Actually, we had a couple of nice holidays pre Number 3 because we were a family of 4 and the other 2 hadn't started school yet. So become a family of 5 AND be limited to school holidays and its a nightmare.

Just yearning for a nice holiday as a family of 5 at an affordable price on the basis that we're probably camping in Normandy for 5 nights this summer and I want to have a proper holiday to look forward to.

OP posts:
CheeryName · 11/07/2014 14:02

The children deserve a holiday too! I know this is a jokey thread but Shock at those saying leave them with GPs. That's so unfair to deprive your children of a lovely relaxing holiday encountering new experiences, chilling, playing, having fun, making new friends.

Get GPs to take them camping, that's much more like it.

mandy214 · 11/07/2014 14:08

X post Cheery - I am looking for a family holiday and was joking about leaving 1 (or all) of them behind. The MW thing was just because we've never done anything like that and it does always sound fab to have a little bit of childfree time (obviously providing they're well looked after) to have a nice dinner together for example.

We are lucky in that GPs do look after them in the summer holidays for a couple of weeks (whilst we work) but that's just so we can save our annual leave to make sure we get a family holiday of some sorts. My mum would probably have them for a night for us to get away as a couple, but would be less than impressed (quite rightly) if we even suggested having a holiday whilst she had the children.

OP posts:
Gruntfuttock · 11/07/2014 14:08

fishchipsandmayonnaise Fri 11-Jul-14 13:56:40

You forgot about leaving her some water to drink as did I once, but I got away with it otherwise, good advice. Smile

LadyGnome · 11/07/2014 14:14

Here is the solution - they can travel in the hold then
telegraph.newsprints.co.uk/view/27895001/tg4242845_matt%20cartoon_jpg

Lilaclily · 11/07/2014 14:18

Ah Yes this is why some of us stopped at two, so we could still afford holidays

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fishchipsandmayonnaise · 11/07/2014 14:19

Gruntfuttock- Water?! I'd just instruct dominoes to send a 2lt bottle of pepsi with the pizza. That would do!

ThatBloodyWoman · 11/07/2014 14:21

Jeez Louise!
I was heading for yet another deletion in response to this, but now I am left with adrenaline gushing everywhere and nowhere to direct it Grin

CheeryName · 11/07/2014 14:23

Mandy - oops, sorry I should've winked at the end, I didn't mean any of what I said! Blush

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