Children and their associated problems.
Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 4:09 pm
Since we've switched to renting our little chalet, it has been booked pretty much constantly. It has one double room and one bunk room which is OK for an extra adult or two kids. We can accommodate another couple in the mazot (always rented with the little chalet as it has no kitchen, it's just an extra bedroom.
When we furnished our big chalet, it was all done with an eye to renting it - things are nice quality but rustic and can take some hammer without it being really visible.
The little chalet is much more refined in style as it was done for us, with hand made furniture and kitchen, and also the space itself is small, which creates its own issues for energetic kids.
We cautiously began accepting dogs with strict rules (we lived in there with two big hairy dogs!) and so far all is well.
However children have been quite a problem. Toddlers and babies are fine, we have safety gates etc, cots high chairs all free.
But we've just had a slew of 6-10 (ish) age kids that have caused real problems. Two deep scratches in the polished wood table, I don't think they will ever really come out. Sliding down the garden banks and ripping out young shrubs on the way down, after being told not to. Pulled threads and stains on the sofa covers (mostly removed but I can still see it). Running around under the eaves when snow slides were an issue was also a big worry, with the parents just shrugging and saying, oh kids don't listen.
Also a lot of people seem perfectly happy to just let them wander in our (unfenced, and I tell everyone before they book) garden, unsupervised. I saw two of them climbing up towards the railway line with their dad in hot pursuit fortunately. That family marked us down a star for location also. I guess I can see why but also, again, I do tell people!
Most recently a bored unsupervised six-year-old was found scratching letters in the soft wood on the side of our office :/ I think they will brush out but if it had been indoors it would have been bad. And actually they have all been good so far about only gentle swinging in our lovely copper swing ... but I found a kid playing a game throwing stones into it (the noise was horrendous! Where were the parents?) and of course they are grumpy about being stopped.
There are three glass doors that I heard slamming non-stop with one group (had to tighten them up afterwards but no other damage amazingly)
I remember from the big chalet that a lot of people do really switch off from child supervising on holiday. And there, it didn't matter. Almost everything could be sanded out or painted over. And I know how people liked that, they would say that it was great to know they could just relax and not be constantly supervising their kids. But I feel like it's only a matter of time before a really major incident in the little chalet.
Some of the things that happened in the big chalet (deep long scratches, chunks taken off stair corners, massive marker pen stains) could be over a thousand to repair or just impossible to ever fix in the little one.
Additionally as the weather gets warmer it does start to impinge on our privacy. Adults keep to their own part of the garden but of course kids go everywhere, and are often fascinated by the dogs and want to stay and play with them. That's sweet of course but not sustainable as we have stuff to do and also I just don't want to be someone constant child-amuser :/
A quick count up showed 16 bookings from Mid Dec to start April
3 with tinies (all fine)
6 with school age kids of which
2 were no problem
4 were trouble
The problem is that you can insist of behaviour rules for dogs but not kids! And I feel like it's not totally fair to ban the lot anyway, because some families are fine.
I know it's not actually permitted to say 'no kids' in France. What I actually want to say is - well behaved kids only please!
but I'm seriously thinking of something like:
"We welcome babies and toddlers, and provide cots, high chairs etc for free. The chalet is not suitable for all children, especially from ages 6-12. The interior is small and some of the furniture is delicate - it is custom made for the space and could be damaged by rough treatment from energetic children, which would be charged for. There are open railings to both sets of exterior stairs, the garden is large but not enclosed, with a small cog railway (on a high embankment but fenced off) and a fast flowing glacial river very close by. Children must be supervised when in the garden."
Too misery-guts?
Has anyone had success with 'child rules'?
Who has gone 'child free' here? I found some old discussions but interested to hear updates.
When we furnished our big chalet, it was all done with an eye to renting it - things are nice quality but rustic and can take some hammer without it being really visible.
The little chalet is much more refined in style as it was done for us, with hand made furniture and kitchen, and also the space itself is small, which creates its own issues for energetic kids.
We cautiously began accepting dogs with strict rules (we lived in there with two big hairy dogs!) and so far all is well.
However children have been quite a problem. Toddlers and babies are fine, we have safety gates etc, cots high chairs all free.
But we've just had a slew of 6-10 (ish) age kids that have caused real problems. Two deep scratches in the polished wood table, I don't think they will ever really come out. Sliding down the garden banks and ripping out young shrubs on the way down, after being told not to. Pulled threads and stains on the sofa covers (mostly removed but I can still see it). Running around under the eaves when snow slides were an issue was also a big worry, with the parents just shrugging and saying, oh kids don't listen.
Also a lot of people seem perfectly happy to just let them wander in our (unfenced, and I tell everyone before they book) garden, unsupervised. I saw two of them climbing up towards the railway line with their dad in hot pursuit fortunately. That family marked us down a star for location also. I guess I can see why but also, again, I do tell people!
Most recently a bored unsupervised six-year-old was found scratching letters in the soft wood on the side of our office :/ I think they will brush out but if it had been indoors it would have been bad. And actually they have all been good so far about only gentle swinging in our lovely copper swing ... but I found a kid playing a game throwing stones into it (the noise was horrendous! Where were the parents?) and of course they are grumpy about being stopped.
There are three glass doors that I heard slamming non-stop with one group (had to tighten them up afterwards but no other damage amazingly)
I remember from the big chalet that a lot of people do really switch off from child supervising on holiday. And there, it didn't matter. Almost everything could be sanded out or painted over. And I know how people liked that, they would say that it was great to know they could just relax and not be constantly supervising their kids. But I feel like it's only a matter of time before a really major incident in the little chalet.
Some of the things that happened in the big chalet (deep long scratches, chunks taken off stair corners, massive marker pen stains) could be over a thousand to repair or just impossible to ever fix in the little one.
Additionally as the weather gets warmer it does start to impinge on our privacy. Adults keep to their own part of the garden but of course kids go everywhere, and are often fascinated by the dogs and want to stay and play with them. That's sweet of course but not sustainable as we have stuff to do and also I just don't want to be someone constant child-amuser :/
A quick count up showed 16 bookings from Mid Dec to start April
3 with tinies (all fine)
6 with school age kids of which
2 were no problem
4 were trouble
The problem is that you can insist of behaviour rules for dogs but not kids! And I feel like it's not totally fair to ban the lot anyway, because some families are fine.
I know it's not actually permitted to say 'no kids' in France. What I actually want to say is - well behaved kids only please!
but I'm seriously thinking of something like:
"We welcome babies and toddlers, and provide cots, high chairs etc for free. The chalet is not suitable for all children, especially from ages 6-12. The interior is small and some of the furniture is delicate - it is custom made for the space and could be damaged by rough treatment from energetic children, which would be charged for. There are open railings to both sets of exterior stairs, the garden is large but not enclosed, with a small cog railway (on a high embankment but fenced off) and a fast flowing glacial river very close by. Children must be supervised when in the garden."
Too misery-guts?
Has anyone had success with 'child rules'?
Who has gone 'child free' here? I found some old discussions but interested to hear updates.