What do you think is an appropriate age for leaving children in the room along?

[FightOnRon]

Two more things I think people need to keep in mind,,,one is that the other 2000 or so people on the ship are not "babysitters" they are there to enjoy their vacation time. 2nd the ship is kind of like a big city and just like you meet lots of nice people while traveling you DON'T know every one. Bad people or people who get not so nice after a few too many drinks don't walk around wearing all black so we know who they are.You don't need to get fingerprinted and pass a criminal background check to get on the ship...keep that in mind when you let your 3 and 7 yr old run around on their own. Sure there is that comforting thought that no one can take them off the ship BUT if some one was going to do them harm, by the time you found out it would be too late. JMHO please don't scream at me.

 

 

This above post would be my take,,but I don't have kids.

 

I am probably wrong and I too will get screamed at but it would appear SOME people are looking for validation for leaving their kids alone so they can go out clubbing, gambling or whatever. I would think if you had kids and brought them, its because it's a family vacation, not and excuse for a floating babysitter becuase you know they can't wander off.

 

Although, am I not right in this thinking, isn't there camps and places that in affect are babysitters where kids can stay and parents not have to worry about them being alone and lighting the cabin on fire or falling overboard??

 

I've been reading these threads for months prepearing for my first CCL cruise and it seems to be a recurring theme of wild and crazy kids that do run that hallways, play elevator tag, climb over tables, pick up food and put it back, throw food (I am just remembering what I have read)....are these the kids that are mature enough to not need watching?

[stay_or_go]

I've been reading these threads for months prepearing for my first CCL cruise and it seems to be a recurring theme of wild and crazy kids that do run that hallways, play elevator tag, climb over tables, pick up food and put it back, throw food (I am just remembering what I have read)....are these the kids that are mature enough to not need watching?

 

Unfortunately those are the kids that are not mature enough to have the freedoms their parents have given them. And no matter where you go, there will be kids like that.

 

Our kids have great freedom when they are on board the ship but that is because of how they act when they are on board and when they are not on board or not with us.

 

Our kids also know, if they screw up once, they will be chained to our hips.

 

The amount of freedom given to any child should reflect on the child's ability to handle that freedom.

[jtberg2]

This is very interesting to me...I also guess my answer would have to be that it depends on the child...last year we took my daughter who was almost 14 and her best friend same age...as long as they were together...I didn't worry much about them...

Next year I will take my son who will be almost 14 and his best friend...I don't think I will be able to leave him to his own devices until he is around 34...

 

WHATS WORSE IS...my daughter will be almost 16 and at home somewhere lol...that is even a bigger worry!

[FightOnRon]

Unfortunately those are the kids that are not mature enough to have the freedoms their parents have given them. And no matter where you go, there will be kids like that.

 

Our kids have great freedom when they are on board the ship but that is because of how they act when they are on board and when they are not on board or not with us.

 

Our kids also know, if they screw up once, they will be chained to our hips.

 

The amount of freedom given to any child should reflect on the child's ability to handle that freedom.

 

Once again,,no kids but I would agree with you 100%. The problem would be, what do we do with those other kids and in reality thier parents who seem to not care what happens as long as it does not affect them. From what I have also read on these boards, Carnival won't do anything (for fear of losing revenue?). In one thread a poster suggested that a nice hip check into a bulkhead takes care of "the untamed".

 

For the OP, I think you have your answer,this above quote seems like perfect parenting to me.

[FamilyDoc]

My kids are now 20 and 17 and obviously, I don't worry as much but they are on their 10th cruises and I haven't worrieed about them on a cruise in years.

 

It is a little odd that kids can babysit with Red Cross endorsing them at age 12 but we worry about them in a cabin with a sibling? If we trust them with other people's children, we should be able to trust them alone. If they aren't responsible enough that we would let them babysit, then we probably shouldn't let them be alone. Of course there are kids that can't handle it due to anxiety or lack of common sense but being on a family vacation shouldn't mean that if you aren't connected at the hip you are a neglectful parent or should feel guilty.

 

My kids respect that their parents need and want adult time as well as family time. It's harder to be a happy parent if you don't enjoy time with your spouse as well.

 

I just hate that some people try to make parents feel guilty for enjoying some alone time on vacation. That's one of the great things about cruising, there is something fun for everyone, together and separate.

 

Our unbreakable rule is that we eat dinner in the MDR together and we do all excursions together. We enjoy each others company more for having our own space also.

 

In all of our cruises, I can only count a handful of times that I've seen kids doing things that made me want to say something and even then its just as likely to happen when the kids are with their parents as when they are alone. I rarely see the hooligans I read about on here.

[highbridge5]

I was not sure that my 9 year old was ready for being able to sign himself in and out but he proved to be more than ready. I wasn't worried about bad behavior, I was concerned that he would not make very good decisions or forget about where to look for us to meet back up with us or that he would get lost.

 

Sometimes you don't know your kids are ready for something until you let them try it.

 

hb5

[Ceece911]

Yep, it depends on the child. I have known kindergartens who walked home from school by themselves, fix a snack, and watch TV for about 2 hours until their parents came home.

 

Just know that if something goes wrong, everyone will be looking at you.

[bobsfamily]

35....

[G'ma]

We did our first family cruise in February 2003 when our boys were 6.5 and 8. On that cruise, we kept pretty close watch. Yet they were allowed to leave the dinner table and find their way back to the room a couple times or maybe to go for a snack or something with detailed plan for return.

 

By their third cruise in February 2006, they were 9.5 and 11 and had pretty much run of the ship with appointed times to return. They could sign out of camps and such on their own. They'd choose to hang in the room by themselves a couple of nights and order room service while we went out.

 

We sail Sunday on Cruise 5 with 13.5 and 15 year-olds that will have pretty free reigns. We'll still want to know their plans and when they'll be back but they are seasoned travelers (they've also been to Europe, Mexico, etc.), understand the responsibility, and, when they're not trying to kill each other, even look out for their brother.

 

Ditto.....

 

This mirrors my own grandson......by 13,he had run of the ship.... At 14, no curfew....

[BooBooMonkey]

He asked me what the thread was and I told him, and first he said, "Who cares?" LOL. I said people who are asking the question and wondering what an appropriate age to be in the cabin alone is. He then said, "Six if they have a 14 year-old or older with them, and 12 to be alone."

 

That's his story, and he's sticking with it :-)

 

Last cruise, the boys were 15 and 12. They were allowed to go to the room for the night to sleep or watch TV. They had to lock the door from the inside, and put the "do not disturb" sign out once they were in for the night. That way, we'd know they were in there without having to wake them to check. We were always aware of their plans to do so, and they always knew where we would be if they needed us for anything.

 

I think it does depend a lot on maturity level though. The elevator-button-pushing, running-in-the-halls-making-noise types need adult supervision. Only you know which type of kid yours is.

 

Boo

[hillorama]

We took our granddaughter last year, she was ten going on 21; we sort of let her do her own thing; and she could stay in the room on occasion if she wanted to. This year we are taking our grandson who is ten going on six; we will not let him stay alone at any moment. He just isn't as independent as she is. I might add, that although we gave her a lot of freedom, she mainly wanted to stay with us. She did on occasion go to the theater and find seats for us if we were lingering in the dining room.

That won't happen with our grandson!

[mousey]

My daughter is 13 now, but we started cruising when she was 11. We invested in some motorola 2 way radios to take on the ship. She could stay in the room and come and go as long as she stayed in radio contact with us and let us know where she was. She knew she was not allowed to go in anyone elses cabin. We haven't had a problem.

 

 

Ditto, this is exactly what we did with our DS when he was 9. He's now 14 and we have been on a spring break cruise (except for one yr. when we sailed to Alaska in Aug.) each yr. since. He's never been in any trouble whatsoever, and has not needed a walky-talky for the last 2 yr. We take post-it notes with us and leave notes for each other inside the cabin on the mirrow to let each other know where we are. We always meet back in the room before dinner and decide where we are going to eat our meal. Sometimes he dines with us and sometimes with his newly made friends. fIt works for us!:D

[jtberg2]

One thing I would like to add is...I remember being the 13 year old on a cruise with my friend...of course we were told NOT to be alone...and even then...(and I was probably the most responsible 13 year old I knew)...I remember racing my friend who took the elevator and me on the stairs to see who could get up to the top deck first...This was not carnival...and they have probably solved these types of problems since...but...there were 2 males...who worked on the ship...who cornered me on the steps...they were not open and airy like the ships i have seen recently...

 

so...even though I am a very laid back parent...and would probably leave my kids at a younger age than most of you would agree with...I just want you all to also be very vigilant...that sometimes...its NOT the kids we need to worry about!...

 

One of our rules is ALWAYS take the glass elevators!...not much hidden going on there I don't care how long you have to wait to get to the Lido deck!

[jtberg2]

Ditto, this is exactly what we did with our DS when he was 9. He's now 14 and we have been on a spring break cruise (except for one yr. when we sailed to Alaska in Aug.) each yr. since. He's never been in any trouble whatsoever, and has not needed a walky-talky for the last 2 yr. We take post-it notes with us and leave notes for each other inside the cabin on the mirrow to let each other know where we are. We always meet back in the room before dinner and decide where we are going to eat our meal. Sometimes he dines with us and sometimes with his newly made friends. It works for us!:D

 

 

We bought 2 little white erase boards at wally world...like $3 each...and each time one of us would come back to the room, we updated where we were heading...It is really amazing how BIG these ships are if you are searching for someone...lol ....and yet..you may bump into the same stranger forty times a day on accident!

[Name Of The Game]

Ditto.....

 

This mirrors my own grandson......by 13' date='he had run of the ship.... At 14, no curfew....[/quote']

 

Would you have cared if you had caught him smoking? :D

[jtberg2]

Would you have cared if you had caught him smoking? :D

 

 

Is this some kind of inside joke that I am missing the punchline too?

[5waldos]

I'm with the dinners and all excursions together, otherwise have fun. By the time kids are teenagers they need to begin to separate from their families. My kids have been traveling since they were toddlers so know the ropes. I cruise to read and people watch- my son to socialize. It works out fine.

 

One note- kids can in fact leave the ship at ports without parents- someone here reported finding her 9 year old off the boat. They aren't checking as you leave the ship so be aware of this- if you leave your kid on the ship while you do something on shore and they decide to leave- they will be allowed to.

[Name Of The Game]

Is this some kind of inside joke that I am missing the punchline too?

 

G'ma (alleged non smoker) always sounds like an advocate for smokers rights. For example the thread about smoking in the piano bar.

[jtberg2]

G'ma (alleged non smoker) always sounds like an advocate for smokers rights. For example the thread about smoking in the piano bar.

 

 

AHA...ok...just checkin...lol...I felt like I was missing something! I am good now

[sassy0930]

While I won't have to worry about this for many years (still just pregnant with my first) my opinion is it depends on the child. When I was 10-ish I had a lot of independence. We never really travelled and if we had, I believe my dad would've kept me close to him (His paranoia, not my lack of ability) but I was regularly allowed to walk around our town during the day while he was at home sleeping (he's a sinlge father who worked midnights so he could be home when we left for school and when we got home from school) and I walked to and from school on my own from the time I was about 9.

 

My sister, however, was the typical "Bad kid" and she made MANY bad decision that actually led to her getting pregnant at 15. She snuck out at night and was just plain sneaky.

 

Personally, I think that keeping the children in the room while they are asleep while DH and I stay up and watch an R-rated comedian or enjoy some karaoke it'll be fine probably close to 10 y/o. But that's because I was raised in a household where around the age of 10 we were left "alone" at night while we slept and my dad went to work. I say "alone" because my dad HAD asked the neighbors to keep an eye on the house for emergency's and because we lived next door to a church that had a minister in 24 hours a day and we were told if we needed someone or something we could go there.

[In2why]

I was on a Disney Cruise in December and our tablemates let their kids sign in and out of kids clubs and come and go from the room. At night, their kids would stay in the room while the parents hung out at the bar, etc. The kids were 8 and 13 and they had an inside stateroom.

 

I am just wondering what other people do and if this seems appropriate or not.

 

Jess

Upcoming Carnival Splendor Easter Break March 2010

 

 

Of course it depends on the child, but it also depends on how they interract with one another. We use the buddy system for everything. Both of my underage boys are in scouts and learn quite a bit of responsibility that way as well. I would be completely comfortable leaving them in the cabin for a couple of hours, and allowing them some freedom on the top decks of the ship. Not so sure about letting them come and go from the cabin, but that would depend more on the ship, where our cabins were located, and what time it was.

[meatball77]

I think the amount of freedome needs to be about equal to the amount of freedom you give them at home and it needs to take their responsibility level/temperment into concideration.

 

I'd let a mature five-seven year old go to the buffet unexcorted or the bathroom alone if you were in an adjoining room and they knew where you were.

 

I'd let a seven or eight old stay in the room for less than an hour or so while you were (not drunk) elsewhere in the ship getting something to bring back to the room to eat.

 

I'd let a ten year old be in the room alone watching a movie while you were at a show.

 

I'd let a middle school age child go specific places on the ship within specific guidelines and stay in the room alone.

 

I'd let a high schooler have free reign as long as they were aware of the rules and agreed to follow them, if they did not follow them they'd have their privelidges yanked.

 

However, you can't have a kid that's never been left alone or ever been unsupervised and suddenly give them free reign or in charge of a younger sibling AND if you've got a kid that's got behavior issues you need to take that into account. Life isn't about you, and the other people in your enviroment and their peace and quiet need to be taken into consideration. If your kid is going to be out of control then you need to ensure that you're there to correct their behavior (and correct it even if you are there).

 

And no, telling the kid stop running and then letting them continue running isn't good parenting.

[mousey]

I should have read all the posts before I posted, because now that I went back and had time to read them all I have to say some posters are very judgmental and some don't even have children. Our cruises are family vacations but that doesn't mean we have to be in each others pockets 24/7. We spend lots of time with our DS doing family things when we aren't cruising so there's no guilt or problem if we aren't together the whole cruise. If you have teenagers then you know how important it is for them to spend time with their peers. Our DS eats all his breakfasts with us on our cruises, so if he doesn't eat all his lunches and dinners with us; we're fine with that. Also, I would never allow my child to have the freedom he enjoys if I thought for a minute he would do anything unrulely or rude that would interfere with someone else's vacation. The DS has earned his freedom by being a really responsible and sensible kid. I really take issue with posters implying that parents who let their kids enjoy a little freedom are being irresponsible or are shrugging their parental duties to go to the disco or bar. That's just a rude blanket statment!

[jtberg2]

I should have read all the posts before I posted, because now that I went back and had time to read them all I have to say some posters are very judgmental and some don't even have children. Our cruises are family vacations but that doesn't mean we have to be in each others pockets 24/7. We spend lots of time with our DS doing family things when we aren't cruising so there's no guilt or problem if we aren't together the whole cruise. If you have teenagers then you know how important it is for them to spend time with their peers. Our DS eats all his breakfasts with us on our cruises, so if he doesn't eat all his dinners with us we're fine with that. Also, I would never allow my child to have the freedom he enjoys if I thought for a minute he would do anything unrulely or rude that would interfere with someone else's vacation. The DS has earned his freedom by being a really responsible and sensible kid. I really take issue with posters implying that parents who let their kids enjoy a little freedom are being irresponsible or are shrugging their parental duties to go to the disco or bar. That's just a rude statment!

 

 

Hey Mousey...we should cruise together!! LOL...

[jackson2348]

Would you have cared if you had caught him smoking? :D

 

Smoking is probably ok. Just don't let her catch him smugglin' likker!!!:D