Would you leave a 5yo with 13yo sibling in a hotel?
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Anonymous
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I have 3 kids ages 5, 10 and 13. We just recently started leaving our 5yo with our 12yo for very short times (10-20 min). Oldest is turning 13 soon.
We have a trip planned for April. I’m wondering if we can leave kids alone in hotel room while Dh and I go to a show. Kids would be alone for 3 hours. We would be 2 miles away. |
Anonymous
| I haven’t even mentioned to DH yet. Pretty sure he would say no and I would most likely have to go to the show alone. |
Anonymous
| No. |
Anonymous
| yes |
Anonymous
| No |
Anonymous
| No, absolutely not. Hire a babysitter and just leave them home and you and DH take a vacation without them if you need alone time. |
Anonymous
I would have left my 13 year old (Has now leveled up into 14 year old) with his little brother, but I already was leaving them home alone for longer periods of time. I wouldn't have a kid's first time alone be in the hotel. What are your reasons for not leaving them alone at home? |
Anonymous
| No way, wouldn't do it. What if the fire alarm goes off? Or one or all 3 leave the room and get locked out? What if someone gets injured? Staying in a hotel is totally different and riskier than leaving them at home. |
Anonymous
This is a show I want to see. I just had a better idea. I could take the two older kids and leave the little one with DH. |
Anonymous
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Are they responsible?
I think having a 10 yo there makes me lean “no.” It adds trouble. If it was JUST a 13 yo and a 5 yo, then yes - provided the 13 yo is fair & responsible, and the 5 yo is cooperative. |
Anonymous
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At home? 100% would have no issue with this. We have cameras I could monitor and door alarms.
At a hotel? Not a chance. If they are loud and the hotel gets a report, they are going to call the room and if no one answers, they will come to the room. Even if you don't open the door, they may open it on their own. I'm positive if they found kids alone, they'd call someone about it. I'd leave a 13 year old alone in a hotel for a few hours and have before, but not alone and responsible for younger sibs. |
Anonymous
Do that, 100%. |
Anonymous
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Do you already have the tickets? I think 3 hrs is a long time especially if two miles away. Since that probably means getting to car and driving back so like 20 minutes away.
We started with drinks at the hotel bar while the kids were upstairs in hotel room. We still haven’t worked our way up to 3 hours, it would make me uncomfortable. A hotel room is so small and when things start to go astray that could be hard for your 13 year old and that’s not even considering if an emergency occurred. |
Anonymous
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It obviously depends on the temperament of your kids, but in most circumstances I would think a 13 year old could certainly babysit a younger sibling. I was the oldest of four and started doing it around 6th/7th grade - I assume your oldest is in 8th? We have regular (non-relation) babysitters in 10th-12th grade pretty often, so I would think an 8th grader who is a sibling/relative would be an easy decision.
Especially in a hotel room. Movie and room service (ordered in advance) - a kid's dream. |
Anonymous
You are on a family vacation. Its not about you, but the family. Just leave them at home and take a vacation just the two of you. |