Anonymous wrote:Your 11 year old can babysit in some jurisdictions. It would be fine with me unless there was a specific issue or sibling dynamic in play I was worried about causing problems.

This

Anonymous wrote:If it was just 11 and 7, I'd say MAYBE.

But the 4 year old means NOPE absolutely not.

No way, a four year old could get into all kinds of dangerous trouble, and forcing the older kids to take responsibility for that is wrong for so many reasons.

Anonymous wrote:Can you bring the 4 year old to the gym (with ipad)? Leave the 11 and 7 year old in hotel.

I was thinking this....? It's the 4yo that really gives me pause.

Anonymous wrote:If you have to ask this question, you should not be a parent. No, you shouldn't be selfish, leave the room for an hour with young kids. What if there is a fire or something else? 11 year old should not be responsible for two younger kids. Wow, just wow.

+1

I'm completely rigid about my workouts, but I wouldn't do this, OP. I'd probably take them down with me and put them on screens. I've seen parents do that at hotel gyms and don't bat an eye.

Considering that it’s illegal, no.

This is a great excuse to skip your workout, OP! Kidding aside, I would not feel comfortable with this given the 4 year old. To me, this is not a risk to take, even though things would likely be fine.

I think it’s fine if your 4 year old is the typical screen zombie. I have stayed in so many hotels and never once had a fire alarm go off. The odds of that happening seem infinitesimal to me. Put the “do not disturb” sign on the door so housecleaning doesn’t come in.

For sure unless you know they won't behave. At 11, I was babysitting 4 years olds, no issues.

Anonymous wrote:I will be staying with my 3 kiddos in a hotel the week of thanksgiving and my DH can't come until Thanksgiving morning. We will be visiting some older relatives. Can I legally/wisely leave the kids in the hotel room while I use the hotel gym, likely on a different floor (??) of the hotel. Oldest has a gizmo phone. They would just be watching tv/playing on pads for 45 mins. What do you think? If oldest were 12 I would say absolutely, but at 11 I'm not 100% sure.

Of course not! Are you crazy?

No way, even if it's just the older two. If something happens in the hotel, would they know what to do? Who to call? What if there's a fire - will they know where the nearest stairwell is? What if someone comes to the room? I've had housekeeping disregard my "Privacy" sign on the door before. I think staying in a hotel room is MUCH different than staying home alone or even babysitting at someone else's house.

Either bring them with you to work out (preferably at an off time when others aren't likely to be in the hotel gym), work out in your room, or get your exercise with them in the hotel pool.

Just no. "while I workout" won't sell well.

No because of the 4 year old

No to the 4YO; and 7YO totally depends on personality and how the older two get along and behave together.

If you have to ask this question, you should not be a parent. No, you shouldn't be selfish, leave the room for an hour with young kids. What if there is a fire or something else? 11 year old should not be responsible for two younger kids. Wow, just wow.