Would you leave a 5yo with 13yo sibling in a hotel?

[Anonymous]

Maybe. What city?

Btw write your room number in their hand in a sharpie and your phone number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

In your home is very different from a hotel. What you are saying is irresponsible.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

No way in hell.

[Anonymous]

First thing I thought of was the Madelein McCann case, even though she was by herself, I vote no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

No tickets. No part of this trip is booked. I just mentioned the show to DH and he thinks the whole family should go.

He said no way to leaving kids in the hotel.

[Anonymous]

Hotel? No way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

No. Particularly not in a hotel.

.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

NO!! Recently I stayed at a hotel and during our outing, someone entered our room and let our dog out. Which by the way, they were able to get our dog back inside. We had even left the sign not to come in on the door. So NO, it's not safe! People can enter if they want to. I had a migraine that day and was contemplating staying alone in the hotel and I'm glad I didn't. Who knows what could have happened!!

[Anonymous]

I think it would be OK to leave the kids in the room while you and your husband were elsewhere in the hotel, maybe down at the bar having a drink, or using the pool or gym, or at a wedding reception in the ballroom. 13 is old enough to babysit younger siblings, especially if you know that they generally do OK together when left alone. You'd want the kids to be able to call you on your cell phones though and you'd want to check in every hour.

I would not leave the kids in a hotel room and leave the hotel, though.

[Anonymous]

In theory I would yes, but only if I knew they could call me and I could call to check in. You can’t do that at a show. So I’m this situation I would say no. What show is it? Can’t you all go?

[Anonymous]

Good heavens, no

[Anonymous]

What on earth? It’s a 13 year old!!! Isn’t that when you all started babysitting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What on earth? It’s a 13 year old!!! Isn’t that when you all started babysitting?

Op here. When I had 2 kids, I used my next door neighbor’s 13yo to babysit my then 5yo so I could take my 3yo to a birthday party.

So far we have only left 5yo with 12yo, not 13 yet, for very short periods of time. Like I may leave the youngest with oldest so I can drop off middle kid at soccer practice. Or if I have somewhere to go and Dh is on his way home from work.

[Anonymous]

No