i have never recommended bringing small children to the island. now, it looks like i may be. has anyone done it? are there local teens or grandmas who will babysit for $$?? do they let 6 year olds snorkel with mom & dad?

hubby says he will only return this year if we bring the kids, ages 4 & 6. he is a great dad. however, i need a vacation!!

Hi Jane,
I just had to get in on this one. I have two kids. I took them to AC last May. They are a little bit older than yours. Dan and Emily were 6 and 10 at the time. They did great! We took day diving trips and did not take the kids. We hired one of the great maids at the Palms to spend the day with the kids. (Obviously it was her day off). I think we paid her about $40.00 US for the day. - Don't remember exactly, but we were all happy with the arrangement. The kids had so much fun with her. I think if you just ask around at whatever place you stay, you will find someone who would be happy to sit for the kids. You know how that goes there, someone you know and trust will know someone you can trust. Did that make sense???. . . Wow, and it's only Monday. Anyway, we also took the kids snorkeling to Mexico Rocks and Hol Chan. That was so exciting for them! My son even took the resort dive course and did a 28 foot dive with me! Imagine that! That was at Ramon's. They called all over the place looking for the right person for the job. Someone who was a PADI instructor (they were the only one's able to do 10 year olds then), and his divemaster was terrific with him. I know your kids are too young for that, but I guess my point is that there shouldn't be any trouble at all with your kids and sitters/snorkeling or whatever. Bring your video camera! This past trip (a couple weeks ago), I didn't have the kids with me. It was a great get-away, of course, but I really missed them ! They had so much fun in Belize. Shorts and Barefeet - kids fit right in! I say - If you don't take them on your next trip, you should definately take them sometime. It's a great experience for them to see how people live in a different part of the world. Loads of fun.

Jen

I agree, take the kids. We took our kids for the first time when my youngest was 4. She loved it. Our sons were 6 and 9. They had a blast. We stayed at Ramon's and they just about had the run of the property. Take them, they will have a great time.

Well said!

Jen

(I tend to ramble on, don't I?!)

thanks guys. we have been considering taking a college age neice who minors in spanish. she has also never travelled.

jen - i very much appreciate hearing of the sitters, and that you were comfortable with them. i love this board!!!

we are now considering taking a college student neice of frank's. i think it would be a wonderful experience for her, and we could still party!

I brought my 4-year old son for 3 months, and he loved it. We later returned to stay. My son knows more people, of ALL ages, than I ever will. Let your kids get to know the other kids, and they'll find plenty in common. Being unable to swim would be the only thing that might cause some concern. Have fun.

thanks sue. my kids can swim. the 4 yr old need water wings, but my 6 yr old can snorkel pretty well in my pool. she is amazed by the prospect of touching a ray! my little one will have no problem charming the pants off everyone.

Jane,

You shouldn't have any problem taking your kids snorkeling. I would suggest they use a snorkel vest though, just to be safe. We just took 18 adults and kids on an all day snorkel trip (only 8 adults the rest were children under age 9). They had a blast. Yes there are some people you can hire to watch your kids, contact us at: mtoc@btl.net and we can help.

Barefoot Watersports

Hi Jane!!

I just got back on Sunday:-(
Details once I recover.....

One of my favorite pictures is of 5 or 6 children on vacation building a sand castle with just as many local kids. I got them all to pose for me and they were so excited to gather together infront of their masterpiece. These kids were having a great time and their parents were having a good time hanging out at the bar!! AND-- I can't tell you how much I loved watching the expressions on the kids faces when they were talking about petting a shark. A trip to the mainland one day to go to the zoo might be a thought too.

I can answer ALL of the questions we were talking about on the other board as I now have first hand knowledge;-)

See Jane.... You're getting all thumbs up!!! No problem... It's doable!!!! Hooray!!! Now get that fanny in gear and make those reservations!!!
"Aunt" Debbie (tee hee hee)

Jane - if you could, let me know what you do and how it goes. I also want very much to go back (next winter would be grand!)but the hubby says he'll go only if the little one can go along too (he's 6). I know they'd both LOVE it once there but we've wondered about the snorkeling and what else kids could do if we are out and about during the day. What a great idea though for taking the college-ager. R.

great topic, in june its adult time, but I want to take my 6 year old or 7 i guess next year, the only problem is her entire focus of each and every day is all about playing.

We have an only child and all she wants to do all day is play play play, are there any local kids that hang out that she can spend time with?

Koz,
Bring her THIS year and she can play with Jane's daughter!!!!! I'm so brilliant.
*grinning* I think they're around the same age.
Deb

yup, she is six. and VERY precocious. it was the 4 year old i was more worried about occupying, since he doesnt snorkel, and is a bit more of a baby (don't tell him i told you!). i already checked with a divemaster, they said no problem for a 6 yr old. no scuba, tho. i am dying to take her to shark/ray alley. she is mad that i said she will have to wear a lifevest!!! the only downside of the college cousin is the $$.

jen said her kids played with the locals. hey, kids are kids, right? an only child should be much easier than 2.

So someone said June was adult time - how about early August. A 12 year old and a 9 year old. Snorklelling, they love, but not all the time!

Heidi - get in on this one -

Your wise and amazingly entertaining (and much more attractive sister),
Jen

Your opinion is needed. . .

does anyone know the age for kids for diving??

Padi has a program called "bubble makers" it allows 10 year olds to dive with an instructor. 12 is the age for actual certification. Hope that helps.

I don't have human children but I do have an
older 12-13yr. old maltese!! I would love to
take him with me next time...does anyone have
any info. re: hand carrying(case) on board
the plane...Continental or American, Tropic
and what about the condos any problems there?
He has all his shots, etc. and are there
specials papers he'll need to get into the
country...he's neutered..????

hey barefoot.......thanks so much!!!

Hey Diann, no problemo. If you want to have our instructor do some pre work with you let us know. e-mail: mtoc@btl.net or website: www.barefootwatersports.net Hope to see you here!!!!

barefoot... wow!!! i can't believe the pix you have on your site.....if anyone wants to see some great arial shots check this addy out. they start around #8, and look at the rest on... i think only 2 others are not arial, but lemme tell you... this is quite impressive. also gives you a great perspective on the city... thanx again barefoot.. and i hope to see me there too !!! oh, i mean i hope to see you there!!! diann
http://www.barefootwatersports.net/gallery.html

Hi Jane, missed ya!
back after two weeks off...

first time to detach from the site totally for more than a day since jan 1996...

email me at marty@casado.net, i can help with babysitters too iffayaneedone. or two. you too koz from denver....

one of the girls (women? what age does a girl become a woman- what is the right way to address? ah, i diverse....) who works at the high schools, Conchita, has always been able to handle babysitting needs...

we brought our kids starting age 12 or so, they always loved it.... love to see that sandcastle pic BeachBum....

sounds like a candidate for our "wallpaper" big picture section.

and ain't those overheads rad on the barefoot site. I love em. think you could send to me big versions of them Dawn? If you have them large, I'd love to put them in the wallpaper big picture zone too.

the originals i got to do the gallery weren't large enough for wallpaper. need to be 1024 pixels wide at least, bigger is better....

[This message has been edited by Marty (edited 04-08-2001).]