WWYD - hotels and kids (UPDATE)

[Deleted]

UPDATE - Okay, so I just returned from my trip, and my kids solved the problem for me by refusing to sleep! Ha ha. DS did okay, but DD wouldn't sleep unless I was beside her, so I went to bed with her at 7pm and laid there silently. Sometimes I hid out in the bathroom while they were asleep and texted my folks in the next room, but that was as exciting as it got. So no baby monitor needed, and no socializing time for me! 


Hi All, 

Sorry, I've been mostly lurking these days, but I have a question. I'm going to my hometown with my kids and my parents (no H) this weekend. We were supposed to have adjoining rooms so I could put the kids to bed in one room, then hang out with my parents in the evening without being too far away. However, the hotel called and said the don't have adjoining rooms, but will put us side-by-side. So - would you be comfortable leaving your kids in one room (with a baby monitor) and hanging out in the room next door? I feel like I'll never get them to sleep if they can see me, and then I don't want to be stuck being silent from 7pm until I go to bed. I would sleep in their room, of course, just want to hang out with my folks after the kids are asleep.

Crazy to leave them if I'm next door and have the monitor? Or go for it and check on them often? I just can't wrap my head around this one. TIA.

[panicked]

that's a big NOPE for me. I don't like the fact that there's a door leading to the public space. Too easy for someone to get in.

[rosesandpetals]

I'd just use a monitor. Don't prop the door open or anything and I'm sure it will be fine. Have fun!

[lattelady5]

Is it a video monitor? I might be okay leaving them after they've fallen asleep if I had a video monitor. Otherwise, probably not.

[CrazyLucky]

I would not worry about this, especially with a monitor.

[marina007]

I've done this with a video monitor - worked perfectly.

[chatterbox]

I've done this before. I don't think it's unsafe at all.

[amynumbers]

I did this before with a video monitor. We still slept in the room with the kid, but hung out next door. I had the monitor cranked up all the way, and was right next door.

I did stress about it too, but in retrospect it was an overreaction on my part.

[cabbagecabbage]

No. I wouldn't be ok with that. Can they offer you a suite? Is that the only hotel in town?

[momin2013]

I might do it with a video monitor, but paranoid me would probably rig up some sort of booby trap near the door so if someone happened to enter the room I'd know about it right away.

I suggest asking again at check-in, since a cancellation might end up freeing something up between now and then.

[Deleted]

Hmm...so it seems like you're all as divided on this as I am! ha ha. I might call again and see if I can get a suite instead. My monitor isn't a video one, but it's super loud, so I'd like to think I'd hear anything (falling out of bed, someone trying to get in.) But I'd probably be paranoid and checking on them all the time, anyway.

[penguingrrl]

I would do it. Bring a monitor (audio is fine), lock their door and leave yours propped slightly so you'll hear if a person approaches their door at all. I don't see how that's substantially different than adjoining rooms with the door closed.

[Deleted]

I would do it with a video monitor turned up. I would feel a bit paranoid but our DS has to sleep separately when we travel to its hell. This sounds stupid but is there a big walk in closet? FFFC we put ds' pack and play in a giant closet for a dark quiet place to sleep when we visited friends. With the video monitor of course. worked out great!

[Kcthepouchh8r]

I would with a monitor. Not because someone is going to steal my baby!!!11!!! But because if my kid woke up scared I would want to be right there vs hoping I heard crying through the walls.

It's a whole lot easier to break into a house than a hotel room so I'm confused at the hell nos.

[lala]

Probably. I'd still be anxious about it but realistically, right next door, door locked, is probably fine.

[Rainyday]

I have never felt comfortable doing this. But if you are, you could hang out in the extra room for the evening and then go sleep in the kids room in case someone woke up.
Several hotels we have stayed in recently the doors open from the inside even when locked. So the kids could get up and open the door themselves.

[amynumbers]

You are still going to sleep in with the kids, right?

Oh, and because I am a damn crazy person, when I did this I set it up so I could see both the pnp and the door on the monitor.

[Deleted]

It's a no for me. They might surprise you? We have done a suite, a closet...maybe a different hotel. Until about 2 it was hard bc they could see us and want to stay up, since then it's been awesome (we do stay at hotels often though), but we can even watch some quiet tv with them in the same room now. Good luck. I would rather be quiet in their room than in a different room altogether...but I'm paranoid.

[lala]

Yea, I thought this was just to chat at night with other people but sleeping in your room with the kids?

If there aren't other people, then no, I wouldn't bother. And I definitely wouldn't sleep in another room.

[andrewsgal]

You can easily rig up a video monitor with two smart phones. There is an app for that. And yes I would do it.

[quesyrah]

That would be a no for me

[thecheshirekat]

Right next door with a monitor, yeah, I would do that. I wouldn't go down to the pool or anything, though, and I would be on high alert because I'd worry about my oldest waking up and walking out to come and find me.

[gastro]

Right next door with a working video monitor and going into their room to sleep later? I would totally do it.
I would prop open the door the adults are in and wouldn't think twice about it.

[foodiemom]

No, I wouldn't be comfortable, especially without a video monitor.

[polarbearfans]

What about a suite? That cannot be much more than two rooms.

[gastro]

I'm a pretty cautious parent but I'm surprised how many of you wouldn't do this! Unless it was a super shady hotel or the doors opened to the outside and not a hallway I don't see how this is so unsafe.

[erbear]

I'd use a monitor, close their door, and leave the adjoining door open so I could see the hallway.

[Deleted]

Sorry, posted and ran off to pack! Yes, I'd be sleeping in their room, just want to leave the room from 7pm-9pm ish, so they can fall asleep without seeing me. I'll be next door with the audio monitor, and I like the idea of leaving the door cracked a little to hear noise from the hall. Thanks for the input. If I could change hotels, I would, but we're travelling for a funeral and staying with other family near where the service will be.

[mamaalysson]

I would do it in a hot minute. We go to the beach every summer, and stay in the "back house" of our friend's beach house. Once the kids are in bed, we take the monitor and sit at our friend's house or on the patio with him drinking wine and talking. Never had an issue. The room next door, with both a monitor and the door cracked? That's closer than you would be in most houses while the kids are falling asleep.

[letranger]

What's the difference between adjoining rooms and non adjoining if you are worried about outside access. They both have doors to the hallway.