Post by High Priestess on May 30, 2016 22:43:58 GMT
Kim shared on NHF Jan 2015
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-102903
Kid Friendly
To be kid/family friendly is it expected your house be set up for kids? ie plugs in the outlets, no knives in the kitchen, toys and things specific to minors or is it just you are open to having children come into an adult household? What is it parents are expecting when the amenity of kid/family friendly is checked? Trying to decide if I should check kid/family friendly as an amenity. Thanks!
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Leah
Leaha year ago
I would think that you are open to hosting children. When I was a guest, I didn't notice any extra measures of child safety in the homes. Although, I was with school age kids vs babies. You can still be family friendly but mention that you do not provide any child furniture. One thing that will be important though is a waterproof mattress pad.
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Kim
Kima year ago
Thanks Leah. Do you think a mattress pad under the sheets and then having the child sleep on a pee pee pad would be ok? I really don't want to do middle of the night sheet changes. Or have the mattress get anything on it.
Leah
Leaha year ago
For my sons, when they were little and still bed wetters, I had a zippered mattress cover, then a waterproof mattress pad, then a sheet, and a smaller crib size waterproof pad. That was overkill with my oldest but my youngest stopped wetting the bed at 5. No problems since. A zippered case is important too for bedbug infestation.
Leah
Leaha year ago
How many kids that are 12 have you hosted that still pee the bed??
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Kim
Kima year ago
I don't have any kids and have only had 1 stay with me, so I was researching online and it was saying while most kids are dry throughout the night by age 6 some have trouble with bed wetting at 10 and 11 and that boys tend to have more issues than girls. So I put 12 just in case, since it is not their familiar home.
Leah
Leaha year ago
I am going to take a guess that those older kids are probably also wearing the older absorbant pullups. As a parent, I certainly would not have any of those mattress pads along on a trip for my kids now that they are older, nor would I book a place that required mattress pads for kids that dont wet the bed. That is an added cost for that age. Young kids, yes! I did travel with them when my kids were young but there are going to be parents that won't so you have to decide if those pads are an amenity you want to provide to protect your mattresses, above and beyond the full mattress cover.
Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kidsa year ago
Yeah Leah is spot on. Any child that is still bed wetting at 12 will probably be getting medical attention. Regardless of the age of guests getting a waterproof mattress protector on every bed is highly recommended. Adults can have issues too.
Kim
Kima year ago
So you think 8 and under would be a safe age to require sleeping on a pee pee pad? Is that what other hosts do or do you just do massive amounts of laundry for families with little kids?
Leah
Leaha year ago
The pads still need to be washed, but the waterproof mattress pad was the true saver. Sure I had to wash the sheet and mattress pad but to be honest, some of those smaller pads would shift and the kid would pee somewhere the pad wasn't covering. I would just buy two mattress covers and have an extra set of sheets available as back up. Then, it also depends if the kid sleeps with the parents (another set needed) or in their own twin bed.
Leah
Leaha year ago
The most likely age for accidents I would estimate is 2.5-5 since they are likely transitioning from pull ups to undies.
Leah
Leaha year ago
In thinking about it, I would be more nervous and protective of the menagerie you have and having a very young child or toddler not know how to interact with one of the animals. It seems like it would be more worry and chances for injury or biting from an animal not liking the attention. You can also say no children under X age if it makes you feel better.
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Kim
Kima year ago
I used to have no children under 12 allowed. But a nice couple contacted me with a 2 year old and it went so well I am open to having other kids now! Most of the animals are used in a kids petting zoo so are very tolerant. But you are right if a child stays here under 12 they do need to be supervised very well.
Evelyn
Evelyna year ago
I host lots of families but don't advertise it on my listing. I have a pack-n-play, stroller, high chair, toys and books. I also have window guards because it's a 2nd floor. I also removed all chemicals from the kitchen cabinets and moved them to the bathroom. The parent could close the door. I do mention the home is NOT child proof. I don't have outlets covers, etc, but parents really appreciate what I offer. I haven't had a problem with parents, but I hear the kid (s) running from one end of the house to the other. Remember toddlers run, they don't walk, and they touch everything, so any low surfaces, windows, mirrors, will have finger prints.
Note some parents will want to negotiate not paying for children. It depends on my mood I might say ok or not. I charge per person, and don't discriminate by age.
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Kim
Kima year ago
I agree Evelyn children should still have to pay the person fee. If anything they are more work.
Kim
Kima year ago
Why don't you advertise to being kid/family friendly? I would think it would result in more bookings?
Evelyn
Evelyna year ago
I really don't want the headache of children. Families are home earlier, which means using more resources, kids are noisy, they run up and down the house and stairs, they touch everything, a bigger clean job when they leave. I want to charge them double. And then there is the ohh you charge for kids conversation, I had a guest that didn't include her 11 year old on the price. And I had to make her pay for it. Yes, I don't have kids of my own. But I did get a 3 day old baby a family were adopting, my ovaries were killing me wanting a child.
anna
annaa year ago
I advertise as children being welcome but should probably say it's not child proof. I have toys, games, puzzles, a travel cot, high, chair, buggy etc, but I have grandchildren who visit so have those items available anyway. I've never had a booking with children so far and have often wondered what others do. I think the important thing is to be honest from the outset in your listing to ensure guests expectations are not too high
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Susan
Susana year ago
I have children stay all the time, don't make any changes to my cottage. I feel it us up to the parents to move anything out of the children's way if they feel it is unsafe or may get broken. Never had any comments from parents regarding them having a problem with the way I have our cottage set up.
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-102903
Kid Friendly
To be kid/family friendly is it expected your house be set up for kids? ie plugs in the outlets, no knives in the kitchen, toys and things specific to minors or is it just you are open to having children come into an adult household? What is it parents are expecting when the amenity of kid/family friendly is checked? Trying to decide if I should check kid/family friendly as an amenity. Thanks!
6 comments
Follow
Like
Delete
Hide
Leah
Leaha year ago
I would think that you are open to hosting children. When I was a guest, I didn't notice any extra measures of child safety in the homes. Although, I was with school age kids vs babies. You can still be family friendly but mention that you do not provide any child furniture. One thing that will be important though is a waterproof mattress pad.
Reply Like 2 replies•3 likes Delete
Kim
Kima year ago
Thanks Leah. Do you think a mattress pad under the sheets and then having the child sleep on a pee pee pad would be ok? I really don't want to do middle of the night sheet changes. Or have the mattress get anything on it.
Leah
Leaha year ago
For my sons, when they were little and still bed wetters, I had a zippered mattress cover, then a waterproof mattress pad, then a sheet, and a smaller crib size waterproof pad. That was overkill with my oldest but my youngest stopped wetting the bed at 5. No problems since. A zippered case is important too for bedbug infestation.
Leah
Leaha year ago
How many kids that are 12 have you hosted that still pee the bed??
Reply Like 6 replies Delete
Kim
Kima year ago
I don't have any kids and have only had 1 stay with me, so I was researching online and it was saying while most kids are dry throughout the night by age 6 some have trouble with bed wetting at 10 and 11 and that boys tend to have more issues than girls. So I put 12 just in case, since it is not their familiar home.
Leah
Leaha year ago
I am going to take a guess that those older kids are probably also wearing the older absorbant pullups. As a parent, I certainly would not have any of those mattress pads along on a trip for my kids now that they are older, nor would I book a place that required mattress pads for kids that dont wet the bed. That is an added cost for that age. Young kids, yes! I did travel with them when my kids were young but there are going to be parents that won't so you have to decide if those pads are an amenity you want to provide to protect your mattresses, above and beyond the full mattress cover.
Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kidsa year ago
Yeah Leah is spot on. Any child that is still bed wetting at 12 will probably be getting medical attention. Regardless of the age of guests getting a waterproof mattress protector on every bed is highly recommended. Adults can have issues too.
Kim
Kima year ago
So you think 8 and under would be a safe age to require sleeping on a pee pee pad? Is that what other hosts do or do you just do massive amounts of laundry for families with little kids?
Leah
Leaha year ago
The pads still need to be washed, but the waterproof mattress pad was the true saver. Sure I had to wash the sheet and mattress pad but to be honest, some of those smaller pads would shift and the kid would pee somewhere the pad wasn't covering. I would just buy two mattress covers and have an extra set of sheets available as back up. Then, it also depends if the kid sleeps with the parents (another set needed) or in their own twin bed.
Leah
Leaha year ago
The most likely age for accidents I would estimate is 2.5-5 since they are likely transitioning from pull ups to undies.
Leah
Leaha year ago
In thinking about it, I would be more nervous and protective of the menagerie you have and having a very young child or toddler not know how to interact with one of the animals. It seems like it would be more worry and chances for injury or biting from an animal not liking the attention. You can also say no children under X age if it makes you feel better.
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Kim
Kima year ago
I used to have no children under 12 allowed. But a nice couple contacted me with a 2 year old and it went so well I am open to having other kids now! Most of the animals are used in a kids petting zoo so are very tolerant. But you are right if a child stays here under 12 they do need to be supervised very well.
Evelyn
Evelyna year ago
I host lots of families but don't advertise it on my listing. I have a pack-n-play, stroller, high chair, toys and books. I also have window guards because it's a 2nd floor. I also removed all chemicals from the kitchen cabinets and moved them to the bathroom. The parent could close the door. I do mention the home is NOT child proof. I don't have outlets covers, etc, but parents really appreciate what I offer. I haven't had a problem with parents, but I hear the kid (s) running from one end of the house to the other. Remember toddlers run, they don't walk, and they touch everything, so any low surfaces, windows, mirrors, will have finger prints.
Note some parents will want to negotiate not paying for children. It depends on my mood I might say ok or not. I charge per person, and don't discriminate by age.
Reply Like 3 replies•1 like Delete
Kim
Kima year ago
I agree Evelyn children should still have to pay the person fee. If anything they are more work.
Kim
Kima year ago
Why don't you advertise to being kid/family friendly? I would think it would result in more bookings?
Evelyn
Evelyna year ago
I really don't want the headache of children. Families are home earlier, which means using more resources, kids are noisy, they run up and down the house and stairs, they touch everything, a bigger clean job when they leave. I want to charge them double. And then there is the ohh you charge for kids conversation, I had a guest that didn't include her 11 year old on the price. And I had to make her pay for it. Yes, I don't have kids of my own. But I did get a 3 day old baby a family were adopting, my ovaries were killing me wanting a child.
anna
annaa year ago
I advertise as children being welcome but should probably say it's not child proof. I have toys, games, puzzles, a travel cot, high, chair, buggy etc, but I have grandchildren who visit so have those items available anyway. I've never had a booking with children so far and have often wondered what others do. I think the important thing is to be honest from the outset in your listing to ensure guests expectations are not too high
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Susan
Susana year ago
I have children stay all the time, don't make any changes to my cottage. I feel it us up to the parents to move anything out of the children's way if they feel it is unsafe or may get broken. Never had any comments from parents regarding them having a problem with the way I have our cottage set up.