Has anyone ever used a babysitter in a hotel while traveling? If so was it a good experience? Do you have any advice on using oa hotel babysitter, questions to ask, requirements to insist upon, etc.?
We are planning on taking a family trip with our 13 month old in the next couple of months. Since he goes to bed about 8:00pm, we thought we might investigate getting a babysitter to watch him in our room while we go out to eat one night.
You might want to check out some of the nanny agencies that does background checks, etc..
I work through an agency and have assignment at a hotel from time to time. I have NEVER had a dissatisfied client.
I hope this helps.
M.
I ditto looking into a nanny agency. That way you know the person is qualified, has had a background check, is certified in CPR and has training.
Just as a side note, a friend contacted me a few years ago to see if I could watch her co-worker's kiddo at a hotel while they were in town for a wedding. (I was 25.) The co-worker was my friend's main boss who lived out of town, but traveled through town for business sometimes. We met up with my friend, boss, wife and their daughter at a restaurant and then went to a park afterwards. They were able to see me interact with their daughter and also see how their daughter felt being around me. We were going to do one more test visit the day before the wedding, but because their daughter came to me willingly and seemed very comfortable with me, they felt they didn't need that extra time.
I watched her in their hotel room, took her down to the hotel restaurant for dinner, got her dressed in her nice outfit to bring her to the reception (wedding and reception were all at that hotel) and then took her back to the room, got her into PJ's and put her to bed.
The parents were happy that they got to enjoy the wedding baby-free and then got to show her off at the reception for an hour, and then were able to kick back and dance and enjoy the reception for another hour.
If you know of anyone in the town you will be at, contact them to see if they can recommend any babysitters. And then fit in some time to meet with them first to see if you trust them and if they seem capable and gets along well with your little one.
Even though the likelyhood is that everything will be okay with a hotel babysitter, I personally would not do that. Alot of people think that as long as you have a background check done on the person watching your kid, then it should be okay. WRONG! Sorry but that doesn't make the person safe just because they don't have a "record" of a crime. I would have to say that I would not trust a hotel babysitter unless you know some other parents that used that person. Good luck!
Hey A.! I'm not making a judgment call on anyone who has or would use a babysitter but -- my kids only stay with someone I know really well (another Mommy friend) or a relative. There are just too many unknowns otherwise. Now that my kids are getting older, I'm considering broadening those horizons; one of my friends has a 16 year old who is quite responsible. But even there, I'm thinking of having her 'sit' the kids while I'm here doing projects, so that I can observe how she handles them.
I used to babysit as a kid, and when I was a teenager, I babysat for a Jazzercise class (all the moms brought their kids in while they worked out). It amazed me how many of them just dropped their kids off with me, without knowing anything about me at all. And there were a couple of times when I had way too many children all to myself, and no way to get help. I think of that whenever I think of hotel or other mass child care (not daycare or other licensed care).
I completely understand the desire to have a nice quiet dinner with your husband on vacation. Just got back from a vacation ourselves. I suggest ordering room service and snuggling up to an in-room movie turned down low. I would just never feel comfortable leaving my child with a stranger.
Hi A.,
I have not ever used a hotel babysitter. Just realize you cannot truly ever "know" how your child is being treated, when you leave them with someone else. This is even more true when they are little and cannot verbalize or tell you anything that happened. I would just hate to see you get in a bad situation all for a night out. BELIEVE me.....I understand about needing time away. I had 4 kids in 5 years, and they're all still young. Maybe you could bring a relative along, or just keep your child out late one night. I am not a proponent of keeping kids up late, but it's better to do that for one night, then have something horrible happen with a babysitter. Obviously you will make the decision you feel is best, just remember your baby is counting on you to keep him / her safe. :) :)
