Leaving the kids there

[cheeeeselover]

More of a WWYD I suppose. I have a weekend booked at centerparcs for me and the kids it's for a Friday to Monday. Kids are 14,13 and 11.

I have the Friday and Monday booked off work but have been asked to attend a meeting on Sunday evening. I work about 45 minutes from centerparcs so easy to nip back for the meeting.

Would it unreasonable to leave the kids at centerparcs instead of dragging then with me? They are all good swimmers and very responsible and when we are there they always set off swimming earlier than me and I join them later on. I'd be away from about 5pm to 8.30pm . I would leave them the villa key and money to get themselves a pizza and they can leave the pool when they are ready and go back to the villa. I'm sure they would prefer this than being dragged from their holiday to sit outside a meeting.

They have been left at home for this length of time before and no problems. My only concern is that I'll be 45 minutes away and not sure if I'd even be allowed to leave them there if I had left the holiday village.

What would you do?

[GeillisTheWitch]

I'd leave them in the villa with pizza if you think they're trustworthy. I wouldn't leave them to swim alone.

[lavenderandrose]

I would say this is fine. I'd leave a phone with them though on the offchance there is an emergency.

[Moanyoldcow]

I wouldn't be comfortable doing this but I don't know your children. An 11 year old in the care of young teenagers would worry me even though it's a relatively short amount of time.

Do they have a babysitting service you can use?

[EdenX]

I'd leave them in the Villa with a pizza and movie, but wouldn't be happy with them wandering around the site or at the swimming pool.

[cheeeeselover]

Yes they are trustworthy and would have a phone

[Crumbs1]

I think your contract might require you to be present whilst the children are on site. Can you Skype?

[Soubriquet]

I would say yes, but no swimming. they can go to the park or the arcades (if they have them) but no swimming

[Birdsgottaf1y]

Really, you shouldn't.

However it does depend on how well they get on and how mature they are.

I could have left my DD at 15, with my younger one.

Some 11year olds won't co-operate with an older teen babysitter, so that's an issue because you are in a unfamiliar place.

Are they they types who break things/mess about?

[cheeeeselover]

I could make them wait in the villa I suppose with a pizza. They wander around the site usually and go swimming together without me anyway. They get on well (usually!) so I don't think there would be problems there

[IamFriedSpam]

As PP I'd leave them at the villa with a film and a pizza not at the swimming pool. Even a responsible, strong swimmer can slip on the side and bang their head. If they've had the whole weekend to swim surely it's not too bad to just hang out at the villa one afternoon.

[StealthPolarBear]

I wouldn't leave them swimming but tv and pizza woukd be fine.
You say evening, how late will you be back?

[SheldonsSpot]

No swimming? Really?

My local council pool allows unaccompanied children age 8 and above.

I think they'll be fine.

[cheeeeselover]

birdsgottafly
No they are not the sort to break things or mess around and the 11 year old would be fine with the older ones in charge

[SnugglyBedSocks]

I'd decline to attend the meeting. You're entitled to family time

[StealthPolarBear]

Plus post on thhere there's bound to be an mn er on sit at rhe same time who would be happy for them to have her number!
I'd do it but I'm going mon-thu and obviously not necessarily the same one

[Heratnumber7]

I would remind work that i was on holiday.

[StealthPolarBear]

Good point Sheldon. Tbh the thing thay worries me is the size! My dc are 9 and 7 and can swim as well as I cam and in a normal pool I'd leave them to get on with it. But so many pools, so many people. ...

[cheeeeselover]

They are allowed in the pool unaccompanied over age 8 and I know they would stay together. They have swam before in the evening when I've been at the villa and biked back. As there's no traffic I have no worries there.

[Birdsgottaf1y]

""No they are not the sort to break things or mess around and the 11 year old would be fine with the older ones in charge""

Neither were mine, so I would have and have left them. There were times that they were happier with snacks and a film, than with me.

Go quietly and tell them not to tell anyone that you've gone. It's against CP policies.

Dont ban them from going out, it's better to have a 'worse scenario plan', than have them lie to you.

[cheeeeselover]

That's a good idea stealth although if there was an emergency or a problem they could contact a staff member. I wouldn't want to disrupt someone's holiday. There's loads of lifeguards about . I think I was just worrying because I would be going 'off site' 😊

I really do need to attend the meeting, I am a partner and although entitled to family time of course it's something that's come up that is very important.

[bloodyteenagers]

So if you have booked off Monday and Friday does this mean you don't usually work Sundays?

To others saying no to swimming. Why not?
Surely when at home your children in this age group take themselves off to the local pool?
When at the beach they would go and explore themselves?

[AndNowItsSeven]

It will break the terms of your holiday contract.

[honeylulu]

I think it's OK if your kids are sensible.
But say no to the meeting - you're on holiday! Could you dial into the meeting by telephone? (Although I think this is still too much. What if you'd gone to Disney land Paris for the weekend?)

[cheeeeselover]

I think I will leave them, they will be fine. I'll put the worse case scenario plan into action birds and probably best I don't tell cp they are unattended! But I'll make sure they get help if they need it