Leaving DCs with sitter in foreign country

[Anonymous]

We are traveling to Europe next week and will be meeting some good friends there who live in London (but we will be in Portugal). We are staying in a nice resort that offers babysitting services, and my friends suggested getting a sitter one night so the adults can go out to dinner. I think I am fine with it, but a small part of me is a little nervous to leave the kids (6 and 4) with a sitter in a foreign country (sitter speaks English supposedly). Has anyone else done this before? Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Isn't that how Madeleine McCann got kidnapped?

[Anonymous]

Honestly I would not feel comfortable with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't that how Madeleine McCann got kidnapped?

No. Her parents left her asleep in their hotel room with her younger sisters while they dined in the hotel restaurant. There was no sitter present.

[Anonymous]

Would you do it at a resort in the US?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't trust a hotel sitter in the US or anywhere.

[Anonymous]

I would NEVER trust a hotel babysitter in the US or a foreign country. Never.

[Anonymous]

If I met the person and felt like they could be trusted, then certainly. If I got any strange vibes, I'd scrap it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't that how Madeleine McCann got kidnapped?

No. Her parents left her asleep in their hotel room with her younger sisters while they dined in the hotel restaurant. There was no sitter present.

But it did happen in Portugal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly I would not feel comfortable with it.

+1. We talk about doing this a lot when we travel, but at the end of the day, I just never feel comfortable with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't trust a hotel sitter in the US or anywhere.

This.

No clue how parents can enjoy themselves without worrying about their kids.

Bring iPads for the kids. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't trust a hotel sitter in the US or anywhere.

This.

No clue how parents can enjoy themselves without worrying about their kids.

Bring iPads for the kids. Problem solved.

Yep. I would not be able to enjoy myself, I'd be too worried about the kids. Definitely not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Here is a suggestion (location dependent). Call the local American School and ask whether any of the teachers moonlight as baby-sitters. They are poorly paid overseas too and have been vetted both by the school (for employment) and the country (for visas).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't trust a hotel sitter in the US or anywhere.

I agree with this. (I do use kids' clubs but I feel like in those situations, there are multiple eyes on the kids and the staff is hired and vetted by the resort.)

[Anonymous]

Watch Four Rooms, "The Misbehavers"