Is there a legal age limit for leaving kids alone in the room?

[LAH LAH]

My children are 11 and 8...and my 8 year old will be "baby sitting" her older brother when the time comes...it really has to do with the maturity of your children and it seems from their homeschool and farm lifestyle they take on more responsibility than most children.

But in saying that I had a scary thing happen once while in a hotel. I was waiting for my husband to return from a singing engagement and a strange man walked right into the hotel room...It was locked...but the front had inadvertantly given him our hotel key...I was freaked out. Thankfully all was ok but it could have ended worse!

Good luck with what ever choice you make!

 

[tasha99]

With clear guidelines and if your oldest child is responsible, I think it is okay to leave them for a short dinner. I would actually feel more comfortable doing that than hiring a total stranger to stay in the room.

 

[ariel & eric]

I haven't read the whole thread, but from the first pages DH and I are quite different from every one else.

DD started babysitting for others when she was 11 and took the Red Cross babysitting course. Starting leaving her with her brothers about then but only one of them or for short amount of time. I think she was 12 when we starting going out for a whole evening and I think that's how old she was when we left them all alone at WDW the first time.

We would just feed them dinner, get a movie (we stay at OKW) and tell them all what time to go to bed. Our kids are no angels but the do listen for the most part and we trust them. DD is almost 17 and never had a problem with about 5 trips behind us. Now they go to DTD, swimming. Last time we went kids were 9, 11 and 15. All have their own key and to be responsible for one's self.

 

[MSSANDRA]

. I would actually feel more comfortable doing that than hiring a total stranger to stay in the room.

.Agreed.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I just wanted to mention something. While the children in question may normally be very well behaved and responsible, the thrill of being at a hotel all by themselves can be very exciting for them. A child that might not normally be tempted might have a lapse and make a choice that is not so good. Yes, you have taught the child not to open the door, but what if one of the younger ones gets annoyed and doesn't listen? What if a person knocks on the door and says in a very stern voice- "Open the door! I have a message from your parents!" Sounds crazy and perhaps it could happen at home too but the likelyhood of dozens and dozens of total strangers walking by your door at home is rare. I think kids should be taught to be independant but personally - and this is just my opinion- the cons outweigh the pros. YMMV.

 

[jodifla]

I just wanted to mention something. While the children in question may normally be very well behaved and responsible, the thrill of being at a hotel all by themselves can be very exciting for them. A child that might not normally be tempted might have a lapse and make a choice that is not so good. Yes, you have taught the child not to open the door, but what if one of the younger ones gets annoyed and doesn't listen? What if a person knocks on the door and says in a very stern voice- "Open the door! I have a message from your parents!" Sounds crazy and perhaps it could happen at home too but the likelyhood of dozens and dozens of total strangers walking by your door at home is rare. I think kids should be taught to be independant but personally - and this is just my opinion- the cons outweigh the pros. YMMV.

I think you just run through some possible scenarios like this with your teen and what they should do in that case. Most teens are smart enough to improvise.

And in this age of cell phones and instant connectivity, I'd just have my teen call me in a case like this.

 

[texas disney mom]

The only thing I think of is that little British girl (Maddie? ) who got taken from a hotel room while her parents were having dinner next door. I know it is awful to bring that up. And she was I think four. So a lot different.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Well, I think the kids are old enough all together. This poor thread is 7 years old.

 

[Thing 1]

I think you are fine. I would certainly go over the rules, have dinner there before you leave and be with in a five minute walk back to the room. I would also leave one cell phone and not just walkie talkies. Be clear to the littles that the big is in charge and that what he says go.

 

[Mousemommy1]

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!!!!!

 

[scrapquitler]

We left our 12 yo in the room while we went to Epcot for a few hours last week.

He's used to being home by himself for several hours at a time, and he welcomed the break after what he thought was too much "togetherness" with mom and dad all week. He enjoyed the down time watching tv and playing a game on his video game thing. We texted him throughout the evening and there were no issues.

I did google before we went to verify that there is in fact, no minimum "home alone" age requirement in Florida.

 

[gwynne]

ZOMBIE THREAD indeed! From the post, OP's kids were 13, 10 and 9 in 2008. Fast forward, they would be about 20, 17 and 16 now. They have likely aged out of this being an issue.

 

[Baklava]

ZOMBIE THREAD indeed! From the post, OP's kids were 13, 10 and 9 in 2008. Fast forward, they would be about 20, 17 and 16 now. They have likely aged out of this being an issue.

Hey, every family is different...

 

[Minnesota!]

If my kids got along, I would have no issues with it. My kids fight over everything....they are so incredibly different. They are 11 and 8 and they stay home together on days off/in the summer. But, they have more room to spread out at home..one is upstairs, one is downstairs, and they have their various interests there...drawing, video games, movies, etc. In a hotel room....there would be a fight, I am sure. One is good at picking at one, that one is not good at ignoring the picking.


If you think your kids will get along and actually enjoy themselves, I see no harm. Or, do as a pp said - put the younger 2 in the childcare and let the older one have room service and free reign of the TV

ETA - DAMN ZOMBIE THREADS!!!!!!