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Original poster

Would you do this?

308 replies

CountessDracula · 06/06/2005 20:36

Am going away to stay in a hotel. Have a 300m range listening device (dd aged 2.8 is coming with us). There is a beach bar 50 yds away from the hotel. If we checked that the monitor worked and left a radio on in the room on low vol. to ensure that we hadn't lost connection, could we go down to beach bar in the evening or is that really bad? She almost never wakes up in the evening.

OP posts:
bossykate · 08/06/2005 15:29

aha, batters, yet another good reason not to go to disneyworld

i much prefer to have separate sleeping space for the children and wouldn't go anywhere that didn't unless they also had baby-sitting.

Issymum · 08/06/2005 15:55

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request

Kidstrack2 · 08/06/2005 16:14

HMC I used to laugh as my sister used to pretend to go to sleep with her kids, on holiday in spain so that her hubby and her could sneak down to hotel bar without waking them, but on more than 2 occasions they fell asleep before the kids did.

handlemecarefully · 08/06/2005 16:22

Bossykate,

You simply don't know what you are missing!

handlemecarefully · 08/06/2005 16:23

Kidstrack

We found that we only managed to stay up perhaps 45 minutes or so after the kids - due to extreme holiday fatigue brought on by 2 over excited pre-schoolers

robinia · 08/06/2005 16:44

I'm with bossykate on this one -separate sleeping space for the kids and babysitting if baby listening is not practical.

Disneyland in Paris has babysitting (but not baby listening iirc) and a few interconnecting rooms if you book early enough - I assume that Florida is the same.

Can't imagine anything worse than going on a fab holiday and not getting some "me and dh" time.

Have used baby listening but more nervous about it now as children are older. Give them a few years and the oldest one can be our babysitter .

Would have no problem with cd's scenario. Fire safety probably much better in most hotels than in any domestic situation because afaik they have to have a sprinkler system (at least in the UK). Risk of baby dying (don't mean to scaremonger) - infinitessimally small and not much difference to home situation - after all cot deaths happen whilst parents are sleeping right next to baby. Benefits to marital relationship - enormous (as long as you get on with dh ).

Thomcat · 08/06/2005 17:03

I'd probably do it yes and what's more I probaly wouldn't check with MN for approval first

CD - go for it girl - you know in your heart of hearts it'll be cool and if you think for a moment that it's not cool you won't leave her.

Perhaps the hotel will do the baby listening thing for you as well>
They just dial into your room from the phone, you leave the phone in room off hook and now and then hotel will pick up line and listen in.

With that, plus your monitor, plus checking on her, she'll be safer than she is in her own home at night as you sleep, unaware of anything that could be going on!

Original poster
CountessDracula · 08/06/2005 17:17

well tbh tc I wasn't looking for approval, more just curious as to what people would do themselves!

Obviously we are not going to get legless, I wouldn't do that anyway as I don't want to waste the small amount of time off I have with dd dragging about with a hangover!

I was thinking more of going to a lovely country pub or the hotel for an earlyish dinner with dd, then back to the hotel, bath, bottle, books & bed for her. Stay in the room (as it is a suite she has her own little room off ours) until she has been asleep for a good half hour, do a bit of reading & have snuggle with dh

Then wander 50 yards down the road to the romantic little beach cafe and have a glass of wine while watching the sun set. Alternatively if it is not suitable eg monitor doesn't work or is further in reality, then just go down to the hotel bar.

Then get a nice early night and have lovely day with dd and dh the next day.

Repeat x 3 then go home!

OP posts:
Thomcat · 08/06/2005 17:19

I know you weren't looking for approval as such - I didn't mean it like that.

Have a great time, sounds lovely.

ninah · 08/06/2005 17:20

Would I do this?!

bossykate · 08/06/2005 17:21

cd, think i have worked out where you are going - it sounds really, really gorgeous. have a great time

ScotsBird · 08/06/2005 17:21

I did it in a small hotel in the Cotswolds last weekend .. no listening device but checked dd every hour or so. Dd was so knackered from running around the water park she slept like a top and dh and I were more concerned about her waking up as we opened/closed the door .. This is NOT neglect - have fun, CD!

elliott · 08/06/2005 17:24

Any chance of the name of the hotel
I'll add it to my collection of mumsnet approved holidays - the first one was very successful!

Original poster
CountessDracula · 08/06/2005 17:25

I will report back after the weekend with a review! (and the name of the hotel, don't want any lorry drivers pitching up and asking for me!)

OP posts:
aloha · 08/06/2005 17:28

I personally would rather stay at home for the rest of my life than spend my evenings in a hotel room, in the dark, not talking, terrified of waking up my kids. Aaargh.

tomasinatank · 08/06/2005 17:36

If it's the hotel i think it might be then it's in a very quiet sleepy village (totally beautuful)and imagine the beach bar is not going to have blaring rave music but be a very sopisticated affair so you would probably hear dd if she woke without even needing a blooming monitor anyway

robinia · 08/06/2005 18:57

Sounds brilliant cd
No point going to a hotel if you're going to stay in your room all evening, imo...

Ellaroo · 08/06/2005 20:03

I think no for several reasons. Firstly, hotel rooms are such a common place for break-ins as people know there will be lots of cash/passports/visa cards around and that they can wander around the hotel without too much fear of someone stopping them. How would you feel if your child was in the room when it was broken in to or even taken. I don't want to be a complete scaremonger, but child kidnapping seems to be more prevalent abroad and if people knew you were a family and saw you and dh down at the bar in the evening they would have a pretty good idea of where your child was unattended. This on top of the choking/fire/ etc etc risks. Is an evening in a bar really worth putting your child at risk??? Sorry, I know others will probably disagree and think this is far too uptight and looking at the worse case scenario, but I feel quite strongly about it. I just can't work out what would possess someone to do it. Most people wouldn't go out to their local pub for the evening leaving their children unattended even if it was a couple of doors down the road, why change your standards when in a foreign place that you don't even know as well?

Ellaroo · 08/06/2005 20:15

Have just read the thread a bit more - sorry i'd only scanned the first bit - and realised that a)it's not abroad and b)that most of things I said have already been covered anyway. However, still think even in Dorset I wouldn't do it, but I also wouldn't leave my children unattended in the house next door, so I guess it's just different opinions.

Cam · 08/06/2005 20:23

CD, Just wondering whether or not you would tell your dd that you will be going out when she is asleep? I'm just thinking she may be frightened if she wakes up and finds herself alone.

I must admit I wouldn't have left my dd at this age.

NannyJo · 08/06/2005 20:47

i would never do it, but i am a bit neurotic about things like this.I can't even put DS to sleep and run to put a letter thrugh next doors box, i wait till DH is home.
However i am organising a bash for DS's 1st b'day and have hired a function suite in a hotel. We got a room booked for night, it would be great if i could put him down at night (when ne's too grumpy to stay awake any longer) and have a couple of drinks and relax with the disco.

Would that be safe?
In same hotel with a monitor?

geranium · 08/06/2005 20:57

I wouldn't do it. I just wouldn't be able to relax. It does sound a lovely idea and I feel envious but, for my own children, I just think they are young for such a short time and I wouldn't want to take the risk for the sake of a drink and one evening off. I'm sure there'll be plenty of time to do that when they are a little older and it doesn't seem a sacrifice to wait until then. Also, as someone else mentioned earlier, I'm normally so tired by evening that even on holiday a quiet drink in the hotel room and an early night would be a treat these days.

DrummingBunny · 08/06/2005 21:05

Hi CD, haven't read all of this but I'm with you. We have done this a lot, on Mark Warner holidays etc and see it as no different to being at home (we have a large house). To all those people who say they wouldn't, I hate to point this out, but you and your child are at far more risk just travelling in a car than being in a hotel which is probably well-equipped with alarms, sprinklers etc in case of a fire. So do you ever take unnecessary car journeys? Of course you do...

aloha · 08/06/2005 21:07

Couldn't agree more DB! I did wonder if people commonly sleep in their children's rooms to avoid any 'risk'!

KathH · 08/06/2005 21:09

Have done it on holiday with dd2 8 yrs ago for a week and she was fine but must be getting nuerotic in old age as dont think i'd do it with ds2 who's 8 mths but then again he's got reflux and pukes so that's why i wouldnt feel comfortable and also dd2 wasnt at an age when she could get up and wander.

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