The babysitting service abroad is no different from what the McCanns did.?

Question

I worked in Spain a few years back, one of my jobs was to go to a complex on excursion night. I would pick up the keys from reception, sometimes 40 odd keys and my job was to walk around the complex listening at the chalet door to hear crying etc. If I heard crying I unlocked the door comforted the child then went on my rounds. Sometimes taking an hour to complete the round.

This service was offered to the McCanns, they chose to check on their own children. That night, you can bet there were many children left alone, tell me how the babysitting service differed from the McCanns going to check on their children?

I was not given any checks to work with children out there, lucky enough they got me, not some paedophile. My advice abroad is stick with your children at all times, forget the babysitting, its just as risky as leaving them alone.

RICT T - here is the question:-

tell me how the babysitting service differed from the McCanns going to check on their children?

Jack - No it does not, you are right, im just raising the awareness about babysitting abroad as many people think using this service may have stopped Madeleine from being abducted......

Puddy's commentI "would ask that if the mccanns had used that service and M had 'disappeared' what do you think would have happened? who would have got the blame an been dragged through the British press".

Without a doubt Puddy they would have been slaughtered by the press.

Answer 1

thanks for the info, often heard of this babysitting service abroad, wont be trying it out now. i'll stick to paying to bring my own babysitter.

Answer 2

One big difference is that I'll bet the childminders weren't drunk and the knowledge the family was using them would have deterred an abductor.
But the childminding thing is a red herring. It was the parents' responsibility. And there is no evidence to show that either Gerry or Kate McCann went back to check at all that evening. Nothing.
This is from Sol. "The conversation always comes back to the same issue: the night of the disappearance. The account of that last dinner has disparate versions among the group’s members. Some swear that someone left the table every half hour to check on the kids; other reduce that time to half of it. Some say checks are made window by window; others say the adults entered each other’s apartments.
One of the employees that was on duty that evening does not remember a lot of movement: “I only remember a tall, grey-haired man getting up once from the table”.'
And Lexy, it's not risky leaving kids alone when abroad.
Read Gerry's blog! It's actually well within the bounds of responsible parenting.

Answer 3

I agree that this type of listening service is not useful for children under a certain age. however, I would ask that if the mccanns had used that service and M had 'disappeared' what do you think would have happened? who would have got the blame an been dragged through the British press. Who would have to answer questions about how they looked after the children?
In any case, as parents, the children are their responsibility and a baby sitting service should have been used or eat somewhere else. Im sure there's more than one place to eat in the area IF the tapas bar did not have children in there, something I find very hard to believe as in countries on the continent, they are very children friendly and children often go to bed much later than here because they eat with their parents.

Answer 4

Not to insult you because you did this line of work but I think that type of babysitter service is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. I would not use that type of service because the children are still being left alone for long periods of time. I just think when you take your children on a vacation with you then it should be a family vacation and all time spent together. The creche employees said that the children were dropped there often during the day. Or bring a babysitter with you. We are planning a vaction next year to Cape Hatteras. My parents are going with us so that if my husband and I would like to take a walk on the beach after the kids go to bed or sit out on the beach after dark then someone is with the kids but it is a family vacation so we will be with the children all other times of our vacation. I will not leave my kids during the day with my parents so hubby and I can go do whatever. If I want a hubby and me vacation I will have to wait till the kids are all grown up. Anyway the service was no different in my eyes. They would have still been left alone long enough for God knows what to happen.

Answer 5

the thing is lexy that the babysitting service offered by the resort is understandable cause the resort had say 50 kids....for 3 persons to make rounds every hour or so would take a while and they are being paid to do so and more than likely the doors would be locked.

in case of the mccann's, these are their own kids and they not were being paid to look after someone else's children in addition, the french doors were open ...now tell me is this logical thinking?.

Answer 6

Couple of differences:
- you went INTO THE COMPLEX - the McCann apartment was outside the walled complex containing the bar, tennis courts and pool:
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42974000/jpg/_42974331_resort416.jpg

- you had to unlock the apartment to get to the children, the McCann's didn't lock the patio doors. BIG difference.

- the resort offered two choices of childcare, and the patrol type was NOT on offer that night- the two choices were the creche, which offered parents the chance to drop the children in ready for bed, and collect them on their way home, OR a regular babysitter who would sit in the apartment at an additional fee.

So, fair point, there are many places that offer the type of service you describe, but most are well-contained complexes. I think it's apples and oranges in this case.

Edit: would someone like to point out the inaccuracies in my answer that merit the thumbs down?

Answer 7

It's good to get that information. I've wondered what babysitting services abroad actually do as I've doubted it is full care. The McCanns probably felt they could do a better job of looking in on thier own children than some stranger. Madelaine went missing at the end of thier holiday by which time they probably felt pretty comfortable in the complex and felt there was no threat to thier children.

It's tragic that they were wrong, but what if they'd used the service and Madelaine had still gone missing? Would they still be hounded like this?

Answer 8

You contradict yourself in your first sentence.

You checked on these locked apartments, unlocking the door if you heard crying and comforted the child.

The McCanns left the doors unlocked. There is no justification.

As you say, that night there probably were many children left alone. That's not the point - the McCanns were the ones that got caught.

Answer 9

In answer to your question, it is not really any different at all to what the McCanns did. Both are equally bad in my opinion.

As you rightly pointed out yourself:

"I was not given any checks to work with children out there, lucky enough they got me, not some paedophile."

What parent would put their child in this sort of danger?

But also, what parent would put their child in the danger of being alone? I personally cant understand parents choosing either of these options over a proper babysitter or even better, caring for the children themselves.

Answer 10

Yeah your right, only when the McCanns checked on the kids they were going in the room, and the kids new them.
I personally think if you go on holiday with your kids then its a family holiday. When we go on holiday we stay out till about 11pm or sometimes later, by this point the kids are usually knackered but it's not like it's 2 in the morning, then we ALL go back to our accommodation.
I wouldnt leave my kids alone on holiday but thats because if I wanted a holiday without the kids I would have got someone to look after them and went on holiday myself.
I dont condemn the McCanns they made a mistake, a mistake that THEY will have to live with for the rest of their lives. How many people have done the same thing? as your question points out, everyone who has used a hotel babysitting service has done the same thing.

Answer 11

I agree with what you're saying - but - the fact that the baby sitting service you mention seems to be no better than what the family did themselves, doesn't really excuse the fact that this family chose to:
a) go to a resort that 'discouraged' children to be with their families during the evening
b) leave three very small children alone, in an unlocked apartment while they go out and enjoy themselves.

I've been a single parent since I was 17 and I have never left my children alone while on holiday, my opinion has always been that they are there to enjoy themselves as much as I was - and I would never have dreamed of going somewhere they would not be welcome with me at all times, including evening meals.

Just the thought of one of them waking up in a strange room, in the dark, with no familiar person around and crying for up to half an hour before someone returned to check on them, upsets me too much for words - I could never have done it, and I can't understand why any loving family could care so little about their little ones fear at waking up in such circumstances to leave them like that.

Sorry for going on, it just upsets me :-(