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Edited by
sarong
2008-04-11 18:06:29
Similar to Sarong, we have always let our children stay up to 11 or 12 as long as they are not too tired. The plan is often for hubby and I to come back to the room and have a bottle of wine on the balcony or terrace when the kids have gone to bed but we are normally too tired ourselves for that! My children are now 12 and 16 and the eldest no longer comes on holiday with us (forgotten just how easy it is with one)!
Not everyone is the same though - on holiday in Egypt in the Feb half term this year, we witnessed an English couple who put their daughter to bed in the hotel room every evening and then came back to the bar for drinks. She was 5. I was appalled after events in Portugal last year but each to their own I guess.
Cazz
Not everyone is the same though - on holiday in Egypt in the Feb half term this year, we witnessed an English couple who put their daughter to bed in the hotel room every evening and then came back to the bar for drinks. She was 5. I was appalled after events in Portugal last year but each to their own I guess.
Cazz
My two are abit younger being 7 and 4 but what we always do is let them do the mini disco and then put them to bed and we sit and have drinks on our balcony
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Edited by
fatcodycat
2008-04-11 20:08:13
I wasnt meaning anyone left their kids alone at all. I just meant do you go out with the kids till whatever time, or do you put them to bed earlyish and stay in.
When mine were little we used to put them to bed at their normal time because they were grumpy little tykes if we didn't. We would have a drink on the balcony and read a book or play board/card games. Now they are older we take them to the hotel entertainment and head back to our room about 11ish which is past my bedtime normally. 
2 years ago we went to a First Choice Holiday Village and they did a kids club during the evening till 11pm. My kids would go to the kids disco and then were quite happy to go to the kids club most nights and we were able to really relax with a drink or two and picked them up on the way back to the room.
2 years ago we went to a First Choice Holiday Village and they did a kids club during the evening till 11pm. My kids would go to the kids disco and then were quite happy to go to the kids club most nights and we were able to really relax with a drink or two and picked them up on the way back to the room.
I used to let mine stay up but I always made sure that they had a good 3 hour sleep from about 3 o clock onwards to stop them getting grouchy and would let them sleep the next day until they wanted to wke up.
me and hubby took turns to go back early each day
NOt perfect but meant everyone got to enjoy the holiday , normal routine was resumed once home 0 cant stand seeing kids being kept up or sleeping on seats in bars!
me and hubby took turns to go back early each day
NOt perfect but meant everyone got to enjoy the holiday , normal routine was resumed once home 0 cant stand seeing kids being kept up or sleeping on seats in bars!
It appears quite popular over here to take the kids out and let them run riot around the bar, lose them a couple of times and then wait till the kids are asleep and then carry on getting steaming so the "adults" can use the buggy as a walking aid when plastered!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone else do this? 
Please tell me this isnt the norm and there are some responsible parents left in this world?
Please tell me this isnt the norm and there are some responsible parents left in this world?
It depends on what kind of day we have.
If we could tire our daughter out at the beach or the pool, we could normally get her to have a nap in the afternoon for an hour and half/maybe two from around 3.30/4.00pm. When she got up we would go out for our evening meal and a wander around the town. The kids disco last year was 8.30pm so we usually tried getting back for that, have a couple of drinks then head back to the apartment. She was usually ready for bed around 10.00ish so hubby and I would end up on the balcony with a few drinks and a pack of cards or a book. With a young child to run around after, we were normally in bed by 11.00/11.30 ourselves. Up at the crack of dawn to start over again. If she didnt have a sleep in the afternoon, then it would be a quick tea in the apartment, an early night for our daughter, and a few drinks on the balcony and an early night for us.
I was amazed last year at just how many people did put the kids (normally young children) to bed and then leave them in the rooms on their own whilst they were in the bar all night. Even in light of the events in Portugal, it would not even enter my head to do such a thing.
If we could tire our daughter out at the beach or the pool, we could normally get her to have a nap in the afternoon for an hour and half/maybe two from around 3.30/4.00pm. When she got up we would go out for our evening meal and a wander around the town. The kids disco last year was 8.30pm so we usually tried getting back for that, have a couple of drinks then head back to the apartment. She was usually ready for bed around 10.00ish so hubby and I would end up on the balcony with a few drinks and a pack of cards or a book. With a young child to run around after, we were normally in bed by 11.00/11.30 ourselves. Up at the crack of dawn to start over again. If she didnt have a sleep in the afternoon, then it would be a quick tea in the apartment, an early night for our daughter, and a few drinks on the balcony and an early night for us.
I was amazed last year at just how many people did put the kids (normally young children) to bed and then leave them in the rooms on their own whilst they were in the bar all night. Even in light of the events in Portugal, it would not even enter my head to do such a thing.
Same as most people really. When they were little, try to get them to sleep between 3 and 5 pm that way they were OK till about 10.30 or 11 when we went back to the room. They went to bed and we had a drink on the balcony for an hour or so.
Never left them in an apartment on their own, although we have used two bedroomed apartments on many occassions and now think that may have been a risk, i.e. could someone have got in to their room whilst we were sleeping in our room and snatched them ?
Now they are teens and we ancient of course they are more awake than we are at 11pm.
Where is 'over here' Neil the Beaver, so that we can avoid it ?
Never left them in an apartment on their own, although we have used two bedroomed apartments on many occassions and now think that may have been a risk, i.e. could someone have got in to their room whilst we were sleeping in our room and snatched them ?
Now they are teens and we ancient of course they are more awake than we are at 11pm.
Where is 'over here' Neil the Beaver, so that we can avoid it ?
We have always taken Tom with us on an evening, when he was a toddler, he'd be asleep in his buggy, we'd have a walk around stopping for an occasional drink, then back to the room by 11 and drinks on the balcony. Now he is older, we usually head back to the hotel/apt about midnight then me and him sleep till about 11 the next day. He's got more staying power than I have and would stay out longer if it wasn't for us. 
We never ever, used the buggy as a prop us up and I wouldn't dream of getting steaming drunk with a child in tow anyway and I hate seeing it.
We never ever, used the buggy as a prop us up and I wouldn't dream of getting steaming drunk with a child in tow anyway and I hate seeing it.
Like others, when the girls were little it would be mini disco and bed, then we would just sit on the balcony or terrace. Difficult one year when there was no light, trying to read by the glow from a 'street light' was a challenge. These days at 9 and 11, sometimes they like the disco so long as they aren't the eldest, but are old enough to stay up a bit later for the 'show', however it's bed if the content is unsuitable. If it's early though,we always take a games bag- it's amazing how many 'stray' children end up playing uno with us. What we have never or would ever do even now is leave them on their own.
Pam
Pam
Same for me really . when they were younger they would always have a sleep in the afternoon when we came in from the pool/beach then diner about 8pm followed by mini disco/entertainment until about 10.30 when we would be tired anyway .Hubby and i have never been ones to stay out that late anyway infact we all tend to still sleep before dinner . Now they are older we try to hold on until 11-11.30 then we take the youngest one (11) in with us and the older boys (15 and 17) like to stay out ,normally just with friends they have made around the hotel . They have their own room now and wouldnt normally come in until after midnight they have been known to be out until 3-4am but they usually just sit and chat.
lyn
lyn
keepupwith wrote:it's amazing how many 'stray' children end up playing uno with us.
One year in Minorca a little German girl only about 4 years old, seemed to spend more of her holiday with us than her family, odd really as my kids were 9 &11 at the time but she sort of took a shine to us. Must admitt if I had been the Mum I wouldn't have been happy to let her spend so much time with another family, but this Mum was welded to her sunbed all day & didn't seem to care. I did take her back a lot at first, but she was like a little boomerang, I gave up by the second week.
keepupwith wrote:Like others, when the girls were little it would be mini disco and bed, then we would just sit on the balcony or terrace. Difficult one year when there was no light, trying to read by the glow from a 'street light' was a challenge. These days at 9 and 11, sometimes they like the disco so long as they aren't the eldest, but are old enough to stay up a bit later for the 'show', however it's bed if the content is unsuitable. If it's early though,we always take a games bag- it's amazing how many 'stray' children end up playing uno with us. What we have never or would ever do even now is leave them on their own.
doepsmc wrote:keepupwith wrote:it's amazing how many 'stray' children end up playing uno with us.
One year in Minorca a little German girl only about 4 years old, seemed to spend more of her holiday with us than her family, odd really as my kids were 9 &11 at the time but she sort of took a shine to us. Must admitt if I had been the Mum I wouldn't have been happy to let her spend so much time with another family, but this Mum was welded to her sunbed all day & didn't seem to care. I did take her back a lot at first, but she was like a little boomerang, I gave up by the second week. :rofl
to you. The parents might not have been responsible but at least when they were you guys, they were safer than they would have been 'running free'. Hubby and I don't have children but when we do, we won't leave them on their own in hotel rooms.
doepsmc wrote:
Never left them in an apartment on their own, although we have used two bedroomed apartments on many occassions and now think that may have been a risk, i.e. could someone have got in to their room whilst we were sleeping in our room and snatched them ?
I don't have a problem with 2 bedroomed apartments. All parents can do is make sure shutters are closed (helps keep heat in anyway)and door to apartment is locked. If nothing else, Madeleine McCann has hopefully made some parents think twice before leaving children in rooms/villas/apartments and going to bar or whatever place, with children of that age, I'd put them in pushchair making sure they had a couple of toys to stop them getting bored if they weren't sleeping. Other option is go away with my parents and take it in turns going out. Hubby and I had our honeymoon on the Greek island of Paros and even local children were still out at 9pm and they weren't running riot either.
What do you all think of this one: Parents in a touring caravan, daughter age 15 in a tent and daughter age 7 in another tent?
- Edited by cate_taylor 2008-04-12 21:23:18
Touring caravans usually have an awning, I think one of the adults should sleep in the awning and the 7 year old in the caravan. The 15 year old should be ok, our friends son was 15 and slept in a separate one man tent to the rest of us in a larger family tent.
Ok. It was my family that did the parents in caravan and girls in seperate tents. It was back in 1992 though, the campsites we were on were aimed at families and my Dad is an incredibly light sleeper. I wouldn't have a 7 year old in a tent on their own nowadays. Come to think of it, I'd have any child still too small to put up a good fight if anyone tried to snatch them on wrist strap.
Sarong posed a very interesting question - What do you do with your children when on holiday? The bed-time issue is a side show.
1. You talk with your children
2. You walk with your children
3. You learn from your children
4. You eat with your children
5. You play with your children
6. You spend time with your children
Above are six simple items mostly forgotten during the working year. None of them costs anything (OK I'm pushing it here) - But, isn't this what holidays are all about. Throw in a few beers, good food, good humour, a few mosquitoe bites and suddenly your children realise how much you have learned in one year.
1. You talk with your children
2. You walk with your children
3. You learn from your children
4. You eat with your children
5. You play with your children
6. You spend time with your children
Above are six simple items mostly forgotten during the working year. None of them costs anything (OK I'm pushing it here) - But, isn't this what holidays are all about. Throw in a few beers, good food, good humour, a few mosquitoe bites and suddenly your children realise how much you have learned in one year.
Good thoughts there Leprosy and I couldnt agree more. I think most of us would agree how much we cherish family holidays and the opportunity of precious time spent with our children . Ok its not always easy when they are very small, tired and ratty or like me now they are teenagers and we dont see a lot of them , although I count my blessings they still want a holiday with us . but lets face it , its our childrens holiday too and we want them to have fun ,maybe push a few boundaries and within reason not have the bedtime rules of home and the school week.
lyn
lyn
cate_taylor wrote:I don't have a problem with 2 bedroomed apartments. All parents can do is make sure shutters are closed (helps keep heat in anyway)and door to apartment is locked.
We did all this, any vigilant person would I guess. But as it was at the Ocean Club in Praia de Luz and my son was Maddies age, I am occasionaly haunted by the thought that somebody could have jemmied open the patio door and took him. You need to have stayed at the OC to appreciate that this may have been quite easy, 2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms on the ground floor with conceled patio-entrances, lounge, kitchen, & balconys on the first floor, lots of nooks and crannies.
I also think that staying at a family orientated place makes no difference whatsoever. These are the very places that paeds will go to, looking for children (victims).
Sorry a bit
here. I don't know if I would have left a child of 7 in a tent on their own although I am a worrier, but myself went on camping holidays with the Brownies and Guides for many years and we were always in tents on our own. This was in the 60's & 70's although I'm not sure it makes any difference as I don't beleive things are worse now, I just think they are more heavily reported.
We eat out and afterwards go for a wander along the promenade, kids play on the sand etc and then we head back to our apartment about 9.30-10.00pm and get the kids settled into bed and then we have an hour on the balcony or terrace playing cards or reading and we're always up and down checking on them just to make sure even tho' there's no way anyone could get into the apartment from the rear.
As an added precaution we've always split the kids between us in our 2 bed apartment - one of us takes 1 child and the other our remaining 2 so that even when we're asleep we're with them - have done that as a matter of course since they were babies and long before the Madeleine McCann incident - more for the worry about them waking up or perhaps sleepwalking rather than worry about someone coming in to get them tho' that's obviously on everyone's minds now.
Have never and would never consider leaving kids alone to go to the restaurant literally next door to our apartments and have never done the lets-stay-in-the-bar-all-night-with-baby-in-buggy-asleep either. My parents never did it with me and I wouldn't consider doing it to my kids either.
I'm not a goody two shoes - we have a great holiday, the kids have a fab time, we have the odd drink but I think when you have kids your priorities change and I don't personally think it's a good idea being plastered when you've got young ones to look after. I've seen it an awful lot and I just don't like it or agree with it.
As an added precaution we've always split the kids between us in our 2 bed apartment - one of us takes 1 child and the other our remaining 2 so that even when we're asleep we're with them - have done that as a matter of course since they were babies and long before the Madeleine McCann incident - more for the worry about them waking up or perhaps sleepwalking rather than worry about someone coming in to get them tho' that's obviously on everyone's minds now.
Have never and would never consider leaving kids alone to go to the restaurant literally next door to our apartments and have never done the lets-stay-in-the-bar-all-night-with-baby-in-buggy-asleep either. My parents never did it with me and I wouldn't consider doing it to my kids either.
I'm not a goody two shoes - we have a great holiday, the kids have a fab time, we have the odd drink but I think when you have kids your priorities change and I don't personally think it's a good idea being plastered when you've got young ones to look after. I've seen it an awful lot and I just don't like it or agree with it.
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