So when do you leave them alone in a hotel room?

[meditrina]

with the holiday season coming up, I was wondering what is the MN consensus on when children can be left alone to sleep in a hotel room, say in these scenarios:

a) you are staying in a hotel with a "secure" perimeter (everyone has to pass reception to go in or out, fire doors cannot be opened from outside and are alarmed), you aren't leaving the hotel and there is continuous monitoring eg baby alarm?

b) same, but it's occasional phone monitoring, or the child has to ring down to reception for attention?

c) same, but perimeter not secure

d) you want to leave the immediate premises, even if it your destination is nearby?

I wouldn't ever actually.

er,how old??

you don't. You take them with you.

I wouldn't either

Yes, dragonfly, how old would/have you leave children in those scenarios?

Depends on way too many variables, in particular what age of child you're talking about. 14 yr old twins quite different to a lone three year old bad sleeper.

Is this a McCann thread in disguise?

Never. They'll run up the room service bill (me and me db!)

For me

a) from tiny, though probably wouldn't recommend
b) youngest 5 (with older siblings in same room)
c) youngest 7
d) don't know, probably teens and only with hotel's knowledge and agreement

MaundyBra - absolutely not! It's a genuine request for what people think is the right age.

Never
I would take them with me if going out if v.young they can snooze in buggy if too big for buggy they would prob enjoy being up/out a bit later.
Or you can sit on ur balcony playing cards/reading books chatting etc if your with another adult take turns going to the hotel bar. Or just get some drinks/snacks from local supermarket during the day

Have u ever seen the movie "taken" that girl was bout 17yo and was still taken for trafficking I know it's a movie but still possible

You don't

MaundyBra - absolutely not! It's a genuine request for what people think is the right age. I did realise that people would associate with that case, but really hope this thread won't go that way.

My answer a) - what we did when they were tiny - predated the McCann case, and I would do differently now. But I am interested in what age people think children can be left.

Never. We take dd with us wherever we go and if she is too tired we just all stay in hotel room.

I think the kidnapping risk is a red herring.

What would you do if there was a fire. Hotels won't let you back up to the room on am emergency, and what if you couldn't?

We have done it in a B&B type set up which was a pub with rooms directly above. But I didn't enjoy it and wouldn't do it again.

I can't imagine doing it. Just too many variables for me to enjoy going out. This is why we go self catering - amoungst many other reasons.

Never. You take them out with you, as Reality said, why would you want to leave them?

dont understand the never...

when young / babies / toddlers to me its an obviouse never....

But when older, say a 10 & 13 year old happy to ammuse themselves on an ipad / ds etc, who have commoen sense and can use a mobile phone then i dont see an issue.

i remember staying in a hotel for a week when me and my sister were about those ages.... our room was on a different floor to our parents room. We were sensible and we were fine, and could phone my parents bedroom directly.

Have nannied on a cruise ship.... left baby asleep in the bedroom with monitor on while i sat in the room next door (babies parents bedroom) listeing to monitor. See no issues with that either.... was only about 3m away from sleeping baby, the other side of the wall.... on a ship where no one can get on / off (or even near) without ID

Have also babysat in hotels for some parents.

they got adjoining rooms.... child was asleep in 1 room and i watched TV in room next door, only 2 (adjoining) doors from child and again about 2m away from sleeping baby. I had a monitor for the baby in the opposite room as well (and the key cards etc) for babies cousin. (family hotel wedding, & sharing a babysitter). Parents were down stairs at the wedding!

see no problem with that

nannyl - My DC are 10, 4 and 5 months and I wouldn't leave any of them in a hotel room alone ever. Kids clubs yes but never leave them on their own.

My 10 year old is very sensible but she wouldn't want to be left by herself in an unfamiliar place. She'd also think that she was missing out on something

We go on holiday to spend quality time together as a whole family.

Never. Children are too precious.

Think it depends on ages really

If it's a secure hotel, locked door, tiny baby, then I'd feel comfortable going down for dinner with a baby monitor

If it's an older child / baby (over 1 ish) I'd pay for a babysitter or take them

My son was happy / ok to be left alone in a hotel room from about 10 ish but that was with my number, us being only downstairs for dinner and being able to easily come and find us if he wanted to.