Now worried about holiday, as intending to leave Dc's in room while we eat...

[OutragedfromTunbridgeWells]

we're going to villa Pia (as recommende on MN) where children eat early and then go to bed and parents eat later all together.

This seemed a great idea to me before.

but now obviously with tragic and frightening abduction of Madeleine, it's playing on my mind and feel we cannot do this.

Are any others having such dilemmas? what should we think/do??

hmm but then I would n't leave them with a babysitter I didn't otherwise know . Horses for courses. I'm sure they are pretty tolerant at Villa Pia. A friend went there a couple of years ago with 3 young kids and I doubt they would have put them to bed and stayed up, although they did also take their au pair who perhaps babysat sometimes.

can i stress that is my opinion and i dont judge or care really what others do we are all different

obviously a baby can't run around until 1.30pm etc so different scenarios i guess

10.30pm

yes lucy but they can still stay up

threse no need to stick to regimes on holiday surely

As I have said on another parenting site though. In the summer I have hired a villa in France. We fully intend to put DD to bed at night, after dinner, and then to go downstairs and sit outside by the pool. This is a private pool/villa, but there is a door to the front of the house. We would probably be further away from DD than in the situation described for Madeleine's parents, without a monitor and probably checking on her less. In theory anyone could break in via the front and get upstairs, but the risk I believe is very minimal. Surely?

It's the equilvakent of leaving children upstairs in friends large house whilst you socialise downstairs.

I really didn't want this to be a discussion of rights and wrongs of leaving them. I feel there's been enough of that already.

I was quite happy to do it when booked holiday. I like rested happy kids and some adult only time. not bizarre IMO.

but now for obvious reasons feel very unhappy about doing this.

if you have an easy going baby like my ds was then fine, you can amend rountine
If you have a demanding one like my dd you can't. But that is why I don't go abroad at the moment. We just go to someone self catered in UK and order takeway

thats just what you would do at home Hula

I do wish she'd fall asleep in carseat/ pushchair while we ate though!

outraged - if you are very worried speak to trvel agent or even cancel holiday

on the other hand you could assess the situation whne you get there

you could put your heads togehter with ohter parents and work babysitting together???

Us too - and probably further away as at home we have a threee storey house. But it makes you think doesn't it? Does it just feel safer because it is home or it is a private dwelling, rather than a hotel/apartment room? Is it really much less of a risk.

I think the harsh truth is that if someone is absolutely determined to harm your child, and can watch your routine for several days, they can probably find a way to do it. I panic for the instance I turn away from the pram to put my key into my front door.

Hulababy that does sound like an equivalent. Everything gets re evaluated now doesn't it?

NP we don't always stick rigidly to routines on holiday, but have found night after night of late nights does not make for a happy holiday for the children.

They don't lie in or nap in the day and need to sleep whether on holiday or not.

this has got me thinkng into booking holiday with another family

you could have turn about babysitting - one couple on e night, another couple the next, boys one night girls the next.Etc

Aitch this isn't my usual name and was chosen ina re registering hurry.

I'll think of a new one so we're not confused

MW is the only place we have ever left the kids at night and that has always been with a babylistening service which Portugal doesn't have. Have always felt really safe on these hols and perhaps naively we have always felt little risk. Would not think about leaving them now at night and yes you are right lubyluby its not just abduction that's a risk, there are other dangers.
However have the same problem as LucyJones with my 2 yr old - total meltdown if not in bed by 6.45. Would prefer to keep my kids up but not much fun for her, us or those around us.

MW will allow us to transfer resorts but can't afford to pay another £600 to do so.

outraged to be veryhonest if i were you i would just carry on wiht your plans
the chances of this happening to you are so slim
hope you have a great holiday

is your apartment ground floor? if i were you i would change it to a top floor, thats the first thing i thought of when i heard this story

is this another thread to slate the McCanns indirectly? I hope not

yeah- ground floor - we thought the balcony was the biggest risk before!

No one is slating anyone we are basically giving our opinions on the op questions, if that is ok with you?

What do people do if you share the babysitting but have separate rooms/apartments/chalets etc to cover (as in nailpolish's 2 family holiday scenario) ? Also where your children are allocated a separate room to yours since not all hotels, even those featured in specific Family brochures, can accommodate families with more than one child in one room. Thus far we've managed to find family accomoodation in apartments,suites or large rooms for the 4 of us but this won't always be possible.

you can give whatever opinions you wish, just a bit pissed off with the "well i would never leave my child unattended, smug fucker brigade" As for what i would do.....thats my own personal choice, if thats ok with you!

lizs i was thinking about a villa with another family, ie one big house iyswim