Babysitting Services at Hotels??

I think it is absolutely personal. There is nothing wrong feeling uncomfortable. A lot of people do.
Hotels tend to use agencies with a very good reputation. I personally used a couple in the past and always had a good experience. I did it because I had to. I had no choice.
I have to say a friend of mine years ago found one of the very best nannies she ever met (I am using her words) through the agency recommended by a Hotel in NY.

I never felt comfortable with strange services. We had my sister meet us for a couple of days to help out. You can bring a trusted babysitter or family member with you...

I am sure that there are reputable services out there that provide this service, with all the necessary credentials, etc., but I am not even comfortable leaving my son with people I know, much less people I don't know. Personally, there is NO WAY I would leave my son with strangers. Aside from the potential dangers, I couldn't put him in that anxiety provoking situation. Totally not fair to him just so I could have a good time. Not a chance. I'm not judging people who do this, I'm just saying that there is NO WAY I could.

I don't think I would feel comfortable leaving an infant especially! My girls are a bit older... 3.5 and almost 5. At their ages now, I would consider letting them do a kids activity that the hotel provided.

Everyone is going to have different comfort levels. We would not use a babysitting service at a hotel with children as young as yours. They'd have to be much older for us to feel comfortable. If you do not feel comfortable with it, don't use it, and don't allow someone to make you feel bad about not using such a service.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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I would never leave my 2 year old with someone I did not know. My mom and I just had this same discussion this weekend because my husband and I were looking at the Beaches resort which is great for children and they have "great" nannies to care for your kids and do all kinds of activities with them while you enjoy your vacation. I was telling my mom about this and she agreed she would never leave her kids with people she didn't know either. I certainly would not want to be dropped off in a strange place with strange people, why do it to your kids? One last thing to add is that you are looking at a FAMILY vacation. To me a family vacation includes the kids. Certainly, this is my opionion and you really need to do what you are most comfortable with and don't let your friend make you feel guilty or crazy for you not wanting to use strangers to watch your kids.

You couldn't pay me to leave my children with strangers!! Why would anyone take a family vacation and then leave their kids with strangers so they could have some time alone???

i admire your friend for being so gutsy. i would never use a babysitting services anywhere unless i knew that person for years. many things could go wrong. many things could go right, are you willing to find out?

You have to do what you are comfortable with. Moms need to a.) stop guilting each other over things (food, daycare, breastfeeding, etc.) that are personal choices, but we also need to b.) start being more comfortable with what we choose. Don't feel weird about this... you're the Mama here. Personally, I don't bother going on vacation with my 2 1/2 year old unless it is an extended family vacation (and we have Grandmas/pas to babysit) because of this issue. When he's old enough to do the camp/babysitter thing (4 or 5?), we'll give it a go solo...

I experienced the same thing....my husband wanted to go to an all inclusive resort and use babysitting services, but I will not do it. I do not know the babysitters, the kids do not know the babysitters, and it is beyond my comprehension how people can leave their most precious children with a stranger in a strange place. Do not do this if you are at all uncomfortable with it. You will not have fun going out anyway if you are scared to death about your kids in a hotel room with a stranger!
If you can afford it, I know people who have paid to take a babysitter or family member with them for this purpose, although I have never done this either. You need to get a second room for them, so it is expensive!

You are totally not alone. In my opinion to many people trust their children to just anyone. When your children are a little older I have a great family vacation suggestion that my family did and loved. It was called Smuggler's Notch in Vermont. They have all day camp activities for children so you and your hubby can have some down time also. They have great camp counselors and you can visit your children throughout the day. I waited until my children were a little older then your children so they could communicate to me if there was something they were uncomfortable with. They have pool areas just for the kids and also for just adults. It was a beautiful vacation. They also have camp for babies, but I guess that would be the same as hotel babysitting. I do agree with you though and I do not think it is weird.

I am with you 100% on this one. I think your friend also probably realizes its not the greatest thing but to make herself feel better she tried to make you feel bad.

My personal feeling is: is there anything that important that I would need to leave my children with someone I know nothing about?

I know others who don't have the same "over protectiveness" that I do. But you have to live with your decision, so it might as well be one in which you are comfortable.

We've taken a (n older teen) niece on vacation with us. It's usually no big deal to have a fifth person in a room and, depending on your mode of travel, it's often not too expensive.

There is no way I would be able to do that. I am one of those moms that won't even let my child play in the kids area at the grocery store or gym. To be honest, I had a hard enough time sending my oldest to a daycare. I get that uneasy feeling leaving my kids behind with a stranger, who might just be the most educated, certified, and experience caregiver, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Now with family is a whole other story...I leave them at the drop of a hat!

Nope. You're not weird. I wouldn't do it either. It's like "quiet dinner w/hubby vs. big chance of harm/uncertainty." Not for me. As your kids grow you will be AMAZED at the difference in moms. I've had moms drop off their kid at a public place at 3 yrs old for a birthday party we were hosting. I thought that was pretty unbelievable..they didn't even know us!

When you're going to use an unknown babysitting or nanny service, the questions you need to ask and the guidelines you set up are the same regardless of who is providing the service: what background checks are done, what are the individual's credentials, will/won't you allow your children out of the hotel, etc.

My husband and I do a lot of business in Boston and we bring our daughter up with us. Boston has two great services that go to all hotels (and private homes): Boston's Best Babysitters and Parents in a Pinch. We like them because they provide full bios, background, and references of the people that have watched our daughter.

Good luck!

When I was in college, I worked for one of these services. The agency did make sure all babysitters had cpr and first aid certification, and that we filled out extensive questionairres about childcare and we were interviewed in person as well. I believe the parents got to pick the baby sitter they wanted by viewing our profiles in a book. That said, I met some of the other babysitters when several of us were hired to take care of a large group of kids--several families traveling together, I guess. The others were not as good at the job as I was, and I wouldn't have hired any of them.
I would never leave my kid with a random hotel babysitter we just met. I just don't think that's kind to the child.

I wouldn't use such a service. It would make me very uncomfortable. Who are these people that would watch your precious child? Are they licensed, bonded, investigated, official nannies? Too many uncertainties with this.

One of my neighbors actually asked me this question not so long ago. She saw nothing wrong with it but I was so adamant about never leaving my child with a complete and total stranger just because I wanted to go and do something else. I almost yelled at her for being irresponsible. My husband is in law enforcement and I know what kind of people he arrests. What if the babysitter was the girlfriend of a pedophile? If you needed a babysitter on vacation then maybe grandma & grandpa should come with you.
I totally agree with you and I think a lot of people out there just don't have any common sense.

i would never in a million years feel comfortable doing that. i share your feelings and don't think you should feel weird at all. my husband would probably go through the roof at the suggestion alone. i've always considered vacations to be family times. i know they aren't very "restful" when you have kids to care for, but i would be so sad to look back on my childhood and remember vacation times when mom & dad dropped me off in someone else's care. i've never understood hiring a nanny to tag along for a week at the beach, either. if your gut says no, don't do it! :)

No way no how would i feel comfortable leaving my little ones with a stranger at a hotel, away from home. Also think how the little ones would feel anway.
I would consider bringing a babysitter with you on vacation, that way you can feel safe knowing that you children are well cared for and you can have a great vacation too.

They're only young for a short time. It's your job to be with them while they are. No way would I have ever left my kids with strangers at a hotel.