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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Leaving the kids there

322 replies

cheeeeselover · 05/03/2017 16:39

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?

OP posts:
2cats2many · 05/03/2017 16:55

I would be perfectly comfortable with this. Only you can speak for your children but they must be pretty sensible otherwise you wouldn't have even considered it.

EdenX · 05/03/2017 16:57

No swimming because there is no adult easily contactable/within 45 minutes, and if they do get into problems and come to the attention of staff the OP will probably find she's broken the terms of her holiday and will get booted out.

Just keeping them in the villa for 3 hours seems easier - less to go wrong.

altiara · 05/03/2017 16:58

I wouldn't let them go swimming if I was off-site, I think that's different to being on site on your way to the pool if anything happened. I haven't got DCs of that age so feel free to discount my thoughts!

Jaxhog · 05/03/2017 17:00

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

Otherwise, they sound fine to leave alone. But, Centre Parks may not like it, as it may impact their insurance.

Chocolatecake12 · 05/03/2017 17:06

Yes I would leave them.
Get them to text you periodically so you know they're ok.
Make sure they have emergency phone numbers etc and know what to do in an emergency situation.

AChickenCalledKorma · 05/03/2017 17:07

I think you need to read the terms and conditions on Centerparcs website and consider whether you are prepared to take the risk that they will call Social Services, if they become aware that your children don't have an adult on site. Because that's how I read the child protection section.

Lilaclily · 05/03/2017 17:11

Honestly I think it's different to leaving them alone in a place they're unfamiliar with than leaving them at home
Plus it's their holiday as well as yours
It's showing them your prioritising work over their Holiday time with you

Lilaclily · 05/03/2017 17:11

Agree with korma too

petalsandstars · 05/03/2017 17:11

Centre Parcs has a babysitting service - why not book that for them to hang out in the villa?

EdenX · 05/03/2017 17:13

I doubt the babysitting service would cover parents to leave the site.

fluffiphlox · 05/03/2017 17:13

I would say: I am not available.

Babbaganush · 05/03/2017 17:15

I appreciate that you are a partner but do you REALLY have to attend this meeting during a family holiday?
I used to have holidays and days out changed / cut short by my dad due to business, I always resented it!!

HarrietVane99 · 05/03/2017 17:18

I can't see anywhere in the t & cs where it says a parent can't do what the op is proposing.

And a 'babysitter'? For teenagers??

RaptorInaPorkPieHat · 05/03/2017 17:19

Could you phone in to the meeting instead? You could do that from the villa whilst your kids are swimming/getting pizza.

itsmine · 05/03/2017 17:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

errorofjudgement · 05/03/2017 17:19

Is there an option to phone in to the meeting? If so, let the children swim while you take the meeting in the Villa.
Otherwise as the majority have suggested, children stay in the villa while you go to the meeting. Yes it's unfair and frankly I don't see why as a partner you can't move the meeting 24 hours later ....
Or hold it before you leave.

diddl · 05/03/2017 17:20

Wouldn't occur to me at all to leave them tbh!

You're supposed to all be on holiday together!

allchattedout · 05/03/2017 17:25

Come on- of course you can leave them for a few hours. They are teenagers (and one soon to be). When I was 12, my mum let me and my 10 year old sister stay in a holiday cottage with friends half an hour's bike ride away- completely unsupervised and nobody was older than 13. We managed not to kill each other.

At 13, I also babysat frequently, looking after a broad age range of children, including a baby.

AndNowItsSeven · 05/03/2017 17:26

The terms and conditions are that children cannot holiday with adults. There is no need for a don't leave kids alone clause as it would never normally happen.

Allthewaves · 05/03/2017 17:27

No its wrong. If something bad were to happen, you would be the mother who left her kids alone - spread across the news.

Either phone or Skype your meeting

itsmine · 05/03/2017 17:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ComeOnSpring · 05/03/2017 17:30

I don't think center parcs would be insured for any incidents, I think the T&Cs say all children need to be supervised...

I think your work are BU. Its Sunday night and you have already booked the break.

Isitjustmeorisiteveryoneelse · 05/03/2017 17:30

Ffs no! Whether or not your DCs are ok to be left alone is not the point surely? You're booked off you say? So that's holiday? So you're kids are entitled to have you present for their weekend away. And you're entitled to be there. I don't know the circumstances of your employment but seriously, I know it's a cliche, but no one goes to their death bed saying ' if only I'd spent more time at work' .

EweAreHere · 05/03/2017 17:35

You need to read your Centreparks paperwork very carefully. I was under the impression you agreed you wouldn't leave children in the villas alone. You could be asked to leave immediately if you're caught out.

EweAreHere · 05/03/2017 17:36

(Which you may well be since you can't get into a Centreparks property without signing back in.