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Original poster

If you were in a hotel in a seaside town, would you allow a 13 year old and 7 year old to stay in the room

105 replies

Lardlizard · 27/10/2020 10:14

On their tablets while you and your dh looked round the shops for an hour/an hour and a half ?

The 13 year old is sensible
Has a phone
They get on v well and both well behaved ?

So you wouldn’t be far away
And contactable by phone
And they understand if the fire alarm goes off to leave the building a d call us

The hotel is in the town centre so we wouldn’t be far away

OP posts:
Lindy2 · 27/10/2020 18:32

Yes. A 13 year old should be perfectly able to supervise a 7 year old for an hour, especially if you are contactable and close by.

Most 13 year olds are used to being alone at home aren't they? Childcare/holiday clubs usually are only for under 12s.

Looking after a younger sibling for a while is an extra responsibility but hardly unreasonable for a short period of time.

toomuchtoworryabout · 27/10/2020 19:33

“Premier Inn let you book and stay independently from 16!“
But the op’s child is not 16, they are 13 and 7 Confused
If (and I realise it is a big if) there was a fire or some sort of emergency that meant the hotel had to evacuate and the 13 year old froze or freaked out, then the hotel staff would be responsible for evacuating them and looking after them until the parents got back.
I get what the op is saying and that her DC are sensible etc. But not all 13 year olds are and that is why I think it would be against the hotel policy to leave children unsupervised.

Runnerduck34 · 27/10/2020 20:10

Sorry but I don't think its ok, its probably is against the hotels insurance policy and health and safety procedures.
The chances of anything happening are slim and I feel your pain, stuck in a hotel room on a rainy October half term with fed up kids is no fun but I dont think you can leave them. Particularly in a small hotel.where it might be noticed by staff!
When we were stayed in Disneyland a few years ago my 13/14 year old son returned to.the room while we finished breakfast, fire alarm went off and dozy idiot didnt evacuate , he was just pleased wifi had started to work and stayed in hotel room downloading stuff, i was frantic, wasnt allowed up to room and cant remember why( no signal?) but couldn't reach him by phone. 13 year olds arent always as mature as you think.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

13 year olds 7 year olds Holidays
vanillandhoney · 27/10/2020 20:20

@toomuchtoworryabout

“Premier Inn let you book and stay independently from 16!“ But the op’s child is not 16, they are 13 and 7 Confused If (and I realise it is a big if) there was a fire or some sort of emergency that meant the hotel had to evacuate and the 13 year old froze or freaked out, then the hotel staff would be responsible for evacuating them and looking after them until the parents got back. I get what the op is saying and that her DC are sensible etc. But not all 13 year olds are and that is why I think it would be against the hotel policy to leave children unsupervised.
I've been left alone in hotel rooms from the age of about 10!

I often went on holiday with just my dad, and he trains for marathons. He'd often go out running and leave me in the room alone for an hour to two. I'd just read, watch TV or play my gameboy.

If a 13yo isn't capable of getting themselves and a 7yo out of a building safely then they shouldn't be being left at all, even if the hotel says it's okay.

toomuchtoworryabout · 27/10/2020 20:43

”If a 13yo isn't capable of getting themselves and a 7yo out of a building safely then they shouldn't be being left at all”
But this is exactly my point!!
Not all 13 year old will be capable (even if the op’s child is).
That why I would bet my bottom dollar that it will be against hotel policy to leave children that age alone. And IF something were to go wrong and the staff didn’t/couldn’t keep the children safe then I bet there would be SOME parents out there who would try to blame/sue the hotel and that is also why I think it would be an insurance issue.

nicerbeing · 27/10/2020 20:44

Premier Inn let you book and stay independently from 16!“

But the op’s child is not 16, they are 13 and 7 Confused

Oh for fucks sake. Honestly. Talk about taking a quote out of context. That little snippet of mine in bold that you responded to was in direct response to a comment saying hotels do not allow under 18s to be in the room alone. It was nothing to do with the age of OP children or whether I thought that should stay in a room together alone for an hour. Nothing at all.

vanillandhoney · 27/10/2020 20:57

@toomuchtoworryabout

”If a 13yo isn't capable of getting themselves and a 7yo out of a building safely then they shouldn't be being left at all” But this is exactly my point!! Not all 13 year old will be capable (even if the op’s child is). That why I would bet my bottom dollar that it will be against hotel policy to leave children that age alone. And IF something were to go wrong and the staff didn’t/couldn’t keep the children safe then I bet there would be SOME parents out there who would try to blame/sue the hotel and that is also why I think it would be an insurance issue.
Lots of hotels allow children to stay alone in rooms well under the age of 16, though. Yes, the parents have to have a booking at the same time, but I often stayed in my own room from the age of about 12 - and I'm not talking about adjoining rooms either.

I've often been given rooms on separate floors to my parents before, and I was certainly under 16 years old at the time. So if hotels are happy to let 12 year olds have their own room, surely they must also be happy for them to be left unsupervised for a few hours?

toomuchtoworryabout · 27/10/2020 20:59

Actually, my original reply to this thread stated that MOST hotels do not let children under 18 stay unsupervised, and lots of posters then jumped on that statement saying but Premier Inn do from age 16.

16 or 18, it’s actually irrelevant because the op’s child is 13!

simonthedog · 27/10/2020 21:01

I would leave the 13 year old but take the 7 year old.

Holyrivolli · 27/10/2020 21:02

You’ll always get the overprotective worriers who will want to wrap their kids up in cotton wool until they’re 18+. In the real world most parents would base it on the children involved. If the 13yo is sensible and the 7yo is not a wild pain in the ass then an hour alone with technology is absolutely no problem.

ilovesooty · 27/10/2020 21:07

@Bunnybigears

Yes unless the seaside town is Blackpool then definitely not.
Why ? What's going to happen to them if the hotel's in Blackpool?
ChanklyBore · 27/10/2020 21:09

Yes I would.

But 20 miles a day for three days in a row at age 7? I’m a keen walker and regularly do long distances. The last time I did a seaside trip with a lot of walking at that age we struggled to get past 10-12 miles a day. I can manage 20 plus miles a day myself but have never been able to squeeze that mileage out of my 7 year old despite regular attempts and them being good walkers.

nicerbeing · 27/10/2020 21:11

@toomuchtoworryabout

Actually, my original reply to this thread stated that MOST hotels do not let children under 18 stay unsupervised, and lots of posters then jumped on that statement saying but Premier Inn do from age 16.

16 or 18, it’s actually irrelevant because the op’s child is 13!

It's ok for people to say 'actually, they do' when someone pops along and says 'I imagine' and 'usually' because it's a string indication that poster doesn't know what they are talking about, which is indeed the case. It doesn't matter why you said it, but don't take my response to that comment and apply it the OP situation.

PercyKirke · 27/10/2020 21:12

Yes. Wouldn't give it a 2nd thought.

Grobagsforever · 27/10/2020 21:14

@toomuchtoworryabout

I would imagine this would violate the hotel’s health and safety policy and possibly invalidate their insurance. Children (ie anyone under 18) are not usually allowed to stay in hotels unless an adult over 18 is present. I imagine this applies to the daytime as well as overnight.
GrinGrinGrin
toomuchtoworryabout · 27/10/2020 21:18

It's ok for people to say 'actually, they do' when someone pops along and says 'I imagine' and 'usually' because it's a string indication that poster doesn't know what they are talking about, which is indeed the case
Oh, ok then.. next time I’ll be sure to do a comprehensive list Grin

midnightstar66 · 27/10/2020 21:22

Yes, well you know your dc but in the case of mine where the eldest is only 10 I'd say by next year I would and by 13 wouldn't question it

saraclara · 27/10/2020 21:23

Yes, of course. I wouldn't think twice! The oldest one is13! She has a phone! And it's not like she's responsible for a toddler.

MN is another world sometimes. I really feel for a lot of kids these days.

myhobbyisouting · 27/10/2020 22:48

"Why ? What's going to happen to them if the hotel's in Blackpool?"

Didn't you know the evil killer zombie outbreak has already started in Blackpool?

nicerbeing · 27/10/2020 23:00

The Blackpool comment surely means to the OP and her DH not to waste their time shopping in Blackpool Grin

PullTheBricksDown · 27/10/2020 23:13

But why would you want to go out in the lashing rain to look round shops anyway?

So you've walked 20 miles a day the last few days but you were desperate to do the above rather than have a couple of hours of down time in the hotel with your kids who just wanted to chill out for a bit? It's not the leaving them alone bit, it's the 'can't let them take it easy for a while' bit..

AnnaSW1 · 27/10/2020 23:15

No I wouldn't

IdblowJonSnow · 27/10/2020 23:19

No I wouldn't.

Clymene · 27/10/2020 23:22

Yes I absolutely would and I probably have

thishouseisashittip · 27/10/2020 23:29

Definitely not.