Would you leave kids in a stateroom?

[boulders]

Not in a million bajillion years. Even if the baby wasn't with them. No.

 

You do realize that in the US, some state laws prevent kids under 12 from staying home alone? It's under child endangerment laws. :(

 

So on a cruise ship, I wouldn't be trying something that is illegal for me to do at home. ;)

 

The only state where it's illegal to leave a 10 year old home alone is Illinois. Latchkey kids Age Limits by State

[alj1208]

I agree. Big no. No way. That said, you have other options that are safe for your child and your neices. Switch off with your spouse and/or your parents for adult time out. Or, take the kids with you, and maybe use the older girls to help entertain the baby while everyone's eating together or hanging out at the pool. An adult should always be present, vigilant, and responsible, but your neices are old enough to help out in a "mother's helper" type capacity with adults present.

[ladeeesquire]

Not a chance!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I would agree with the others. I wouldn't even want to leave my girl, when she was under 12, alone, in our home, if I had to go somewhere. What if there was an earthquake (which is always a possibility in California)? Much less leave her with an infant or toddler. But with a ship, what if there is a fire? Or a crew member who wasn't trustworthy?

[1of4]

Never, ever!! I would never leave the 9 and 10 yo alone either. Where I live you have to be 12 to be old enough to have younger children to mind. Okay you are on vacation, but accidents can still happen.

[sandytoes03]

I agree. Big no. No way. That said, you have other options that are safe for your child and your neices. Switch off with your spouse and/or your parents for adult time out. Or, take the kids with you, and maybe use the older girls to help entertain the baby while everyone's eating together or hanging out at the pool. An adult should always be present, vigilant, and responsible, but your neices are old enough to help out in a "mother's helper" type capacity with adults present.

 

True, but it's a vacation for them too. They might enjoy being at kids club and doing their own thing rather than being a mother's helper.

[1of4]

Sorry, double post.

[gerif]

True, but it's a vacation for them too. They might enjoy being at kids club and doing their own thing rather than being a mother's helper.

 

ITA - they should be playing with other kids and enjoying Adventure Ocean. It's your baby and you need to be responsible for it.

[kassimer1]

I would never leave children alone at that age in a strange place. Bad things do happen on cruises. Children get molested on cruises. What if something happened to the baby? what if god forbid he puts something in his mouth, as babies often do, and chokes on it? do you think these girls can do the Hiemlick? or not panic and get help in time?

[boulders]

Never, ever!! I would never leave the 9 and 10 yo alone either. Where I live you have to be 12 to be old enough to have younger children to mind. Okay you are on vacation, but accidents can still happen.

 

That's a myth too. There is no "minimum age" in Ontario. Ontario Association of Children's Aid Society FAQs

[alj1208]

If your parents are going, why wouldn't you leave the baby with them? Just wondering if there is some reason, as you do not mention it as an option in your post.

[beachchick]

If your parents are going, why wouldn't you leave the baby with them? Just wondering if there is some reason, as you do not mention it as an option in your post.

 

Well maybe because it's the grandparents vacation too. Why would it be okay to just leave the baby with them? Perhaps they'd say, "Yes, we'd love to take care of our grandchild while you have a break," but not all grandparents are comfortable with that. I love my granddaughter, who is just about the best 2-y/o in the world, but I would not appreciate it if our daughter said, "I'm on vacation. You take care of my child while I go play." We absolutely do volunteer to have child care time and we love playing with our granddaughter, but we don't appreciate it being assumed that we're there to be babysitters. In fact, our daughter did that one time when she expected us to take care of our granddaughter all day (morning to night) the day after we arrived for a visit (when our plane came in at 10 pm). We did so because by then it was pretty much too late to say, "Darling daughter, we just traveled all day and need to recover from that. We'd rather not take care of even our wonderful grandchild all day." We did talk to her about it later though.

 

True, but it's a vacation for them too. They might enjoy being at kids club and doing their own thing rather than being a mother's helper.

 

Totally agree. Kids shouldn't be expected to be babysitters while on vacation.

 

beachchick

[alj1208]

Hey guys, I was just trying to come up with suggestions that would help OP with some safer options.

 

I agree it's not the g-rents' job to babysit, but I was wondering if there was a specific reason why they were not mentioned as possibly being available to watch the baby. Perhaps OP is wondering about a specific event that all four adults want to enjoy, such as formal night. What I'm saying is, maybe the best plan is for the whole family to go and allow the younger sisters to play a "helping" role with the baby.

 

I didn't mean to suggest the girls should be formally "working" as mother's helpers. It was just a way to describe their role as one of helping with an adult present, rather than watching the baby in a cabin with no adult present. Some little girls to enjoy being asked to "help with the baby" on occasion.

[bplazo]

No Way!!!!!!

 

Why would you leave any child in a cabin by themselves. Are they not on the cruise to have fun also?

[A&Jfamily]

We're going on a family trip with my husband, my 16 month old (time of sail), my sisters (9&10) my parents. My younger sisters are really good with my child. He adorables them and they him. We live states away from them so we dont see them often but he always reminds them but not my mom. lol. Anyways, my question is. Would you leave your 16 month old with the 9 and 10 yr old in a stateroom alone?

 

My 12 year old and 6 year old will share a room across the hall from us next month; this will be their 6th cruise, so they know the ropes. We always get extra keys so they can get in our room and we can get in theirs. The youngest is with us unless he is in camp and the older has rules about where he can be and when. Mostly, they will shower, dress and sleep in the room - 4 in a cabin (unless it is a suite) is just too much for me. Do I know they will be fine? Absolultely.

 

Now, would I leave them in their with a 16 month old? Not unless I was right across the hall or 1)the 16 month old was asleep in a pack n play and 2) I had some type of walkie talkie that got good reception so they could reach me immediately.

[blondi_21]

I dont see why it is such a big deal? It's not like I would leave them with my sisters for hours. It would be while he's asleep for less then an hour in the stateroom. I dont find this a big deal cus I baby sat my sisters while I was young. Maybe times has changed and everyone is paranoid over every little thing or maybe it isnt safe on a cruise ship. I wouldnt let me go to the pool with him or wonder around the ship thats definally a no no.

[quincytoo]

I dont see why it is such a big deal? It's not like I would leave them with my sisters for hours. It would be while he's asleep for less then an hour in the stateroom. I dont find this a big deal cus I baby sat my sisters while I was young. Maybe times has changed and everyone is paranoid over every little thing or maybe it isnt safe on a cruise ship. I wouldnt let me go to the pool with him or wonder around the ship thats definally a no no.

 

I actually choked a bit when I read your response but after reading some of your other posts, I have to ask...You really are blonde and 21???? Saying yes justifies some of your posts :rolleyes:

 

It is a huge deal to leave a baby alone with children that age for 1 min let alone 1 hour.......heck children that age should not be left alone in a state room or ANY where at ANY time.......

 

Please tell me you are going to be bringing that car seat for the baby.

[donaldsc]

I dont see why it is such a big deal? It's not like I would leave them with my sisters for hours. It would be while he's asleep for less then an hour in the stateroom. I dont find this a big deal cus I baby sat my sisters while I was young. Maybe times has changed and everyone is paranoid over every little thing or maybe it isnt safe on a cruise ship. I wouldnt let me go to the pool with him or wonder around the ship thats definally a no no.

 

Unfortunately, there are no required tests to determine if you are capable of raising a child before you decide to have one or are surprised when the child pops out. We have higher requirements for letting people be a hair dresser or a barber than for letting them have and be responsible for the life of another human being.

 

I guess than in some instances, the blond stereotype is correct.

 

I really feel sorry for your child as he grows up - if he survives that long.

 

DON

[bplazo]

Yes, I guess the screen name says it all.

 

I would not even leave a young pre-teen in the room by themselves. Your job is to be the parent on vacation not anyone else. You stay in the stateroom room with the child and let everyone else roam around the ship having fun.

[CanadianTwosome]

I think people are being a bit harsh, here. I have a friend who has been babysitting her cousins since she was about nine, and doing an amazing job. When I had my daughter, she was my first choice as a babysitter; it's some kind of wierd innate nurturing gene or something.

 

That doesn't mean that I personally would have wanted her to look after my baby at 9 or 10; I'm just saying that it IS possible that a child may be capable of watching over a sleeping baby for a half hour without adult supervision. Personally, if I were at a family gathering or church function, I would have no problem asking a couple of the kids to watch my sleeping baby while I went to grab some food or something - because I would be close enough to come running if there was a problem. Again, that doesn't mean I'd do it on a cruise ship, but that's because I've been on a cruise ship and I know that communication isn't that easy and there are other potential issues - which is what Blondi came here to ask about. I've also got over ten years more parenting experience than she does.

 

I guess every other parent here was just born knowing everything there was to know about parenting and never ever considered doing anything that they later learned would not be a wise choice... :rolleyes:

[Julienatul]

no, I would not leave a 16 mo old, even asleep in a packnplay with a 9 and 10 yr old unless you were next door in the next cabin and could be there in an instant. There are just too many things that could happen. Remember the 9 and 10yr old dont know the ship either so how would they contact you if for instance your 16 mo old woke up and fell into the side of the crib and cut her lip or was crying uncontrollably or vomited on herself etc etc etc? Would they then leave the cabin with her to find you, creating another set of dangerous circumstances? 9 and 10 are not very mature yet and would have difficulty problem solving with their own injury not to mention someone elses. It wouldnt be a smart idea. Just take the baby with you, use camp carnival or have another adult family member watch them. Sometimes we have to give up some things as parents that we would normally would do on a cruise without young children. Enjoy this time with your infant, before you know it they will be grown and there will be plenty of time for kid-free activities then.

[karatemom2]

You asked a question and got pretty emphatic answers, but apparently it really wasn't what you wanted to hear. Just because you babysat your sisters when you were that young doesn't really mean it's a great idea. Thankfully everything worked out in your case. But the bottom line really is that a 9 and 10 year old should not be left alone in a cabin. To add babysitting a toddler to that is really asking for trouble. I would imagine if someone reported to authorities on the ship that you were leaving such young children unattended for any period of time in a cabin you might find yourself in some hot water. You or some other adult need to be keeping an eye on your sisters and taking care of your baby. They are children!

[SciFiCruiser]

Blondi-21's child is still in much better care than the child (infant) of the person (in another thread) who was wondering if a baby monitor would work on the ship implying intent to leave the child asleep in a cabin completely unattended.

[blondi_21]

Blondi-21's child is still in much better care than the child (infant) of the person (in another thread) who was wondering if a baby monitor would work on the ship implying intent to leave the child asleep in a cabin completely unattended.

 

 

Thank-you.

[uppitycats]

I dont see why it is such a big deal? It's not like I would leave them with my sisters for hours. It would be while he's asleep for less then an hour in the stateroom. I dont find this a big deal cus I baby sat my sisters while I was young. Maybe times has changed and everyone is paranoid over every little thing or maybe it isnt safe on a cruise ship. I wouldnt let me go to the pool with him or wonder around the ship thats definally a no no.

 

I don't think it's a matter of paranoia, or that it "isn't safe on a cruise ship". I think that it's a "big deal" to leave kids under say, 12, alone in any strange environment. It would be different if they were home, knew where things were, knew how to get help (run to the neighbors, for example, or call you --and you're not so easily locate-able on the cruise ship -- or call grandma, or call 911). But they're in a strange environment where there are strange sounds, unfamiliar lights, unfamiliar surroundings..

 

and it's just not safe, and not fair to the younger children to put that level of responsibility on them.