The free infant thing

[Amanda660]

Yesterday after departing guests left a bin full of honking nappies, rug smooshed  with coco pops and every surface smeared with ‘?’ I decided to change my setting to no longer accept  free ‘infants’ and go with age 2 and above. 

Today I get a booking request for a couple with a child and an ‘infant’.  I replied that we don’t host under 2s and that’s why it came through as a request and not as a instant booking.  He came back to me to say that the  ‘infant’ would be 23 months at the time of stay and would I reconsider. 

I’m in a quandary - I really don’t want the extra clean up for nothing but how do I convey this to the would-be Booker without sounding completely mercenary?

[Kelly149]

@Gillian166  Most people see infant and think baby, or not walking.

but my day job is teaching dyslexic students to read and an interesting thread came up recently discussing the Latin roots for the word infant. In- not. Fant: speak. Infant: not speaking human. 

so, by that mark abb’s 24-35 month cutoff is way too old. An infant is sub 9-12 months, after that you have a toddler and that’s a whole different animal. Happy Mother’s Day everyone. 

[Susan1188]

@Kelly149 
I totally agree, a walking, talking person is NOT an infant.

I have had several guests say they are coming with "babies" and try not to add them on the reservation - and the "baby" is 3 years old, running jumping and shouting!

As a result I have switched off "suitable for children" on all of my listings, and if I get a trip request, I ASK FOR THE BIRTH DATES so that they can't cheat.

However, the Airbnb definition seems to be travel industry standard for example for airplanes - they let you take an "infant" on your lap for free - a two year old!!!

If you are booking a flight and planning on holding your 2 year old on your lap the whole time, you better not be sitting next to me!

PS I'm also a Mom, I know how hard it is, and I've always believed you don't impose your kids on other people - you can't travel the way you did before you had kids.  Period.

Happy mothers day too!  :=)

[Susan1188]

Yes yes and yes!!
An infant is a child less than 1 year old!!!
Not walking, talking, shouting, running, throwing food, leaving finger prints on everything.  A 2 year old is not an infant, I'm sorry!

Just had guests book saying they are coming with a "baby".
Not child suitable written all over my listing but since "infant" airbnb lets them send a trip request.

Turns out "baby" was 2 years and 3 weeks old on arrival, running shouting touching everything, hanging on cabinet doors and kitchen hooks, uncontrollable (perhaps "baby" had spent last 4 hours on a plane in the middle seat in Mom's lap if they also cheated on her birthdate for the plane ticket as well).

[Susan1188]

Thanks for this post!

I have switched on "non suitable for children" on all of my listings, also due to finding families with children make a huge footprint on my home, are inside all the time for naps and early bed time, since inside all the time they are more critical of any possible cleaning issue (for example they are on the floor crawling and so see nooks and crannies under the furniture)  use appliances more heavily, make more demands for extra amenities, have trouble respecting the check out time, have trouble leaving the place clean.

I have just had a run on bookings of new parents with babies, I accepted the latest one this week because he was a host, responded to my messages, and said he realized that babies can be a problem and would take care.

On arrival he immediately asked for an extra amenity that I had told him explicitly we don't have.   On departure he left dirty sandy beach toys in my spotless studio,  was still in the apartment at 11:00 despite promising no problem to leave at 10:00, with a huge volume of belongings and food - I had never seen anyone else travel with so much.

No matter how much pre-acceptation messaging I do with the guest, inevitably they arrive and ask for extra amenities or - usually - the husband agrees and is OK that I have no baby stuff, and the wife on arrival immediately finds that's not OK.

I have added to my house rules that infants must be added to the reservation as "children" and there is an extra cost, but I will from now on only ever accept them last minute to fill up holes in the calender and never for a further out booking I can fill with no children.

[Gillian166]

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No matter how much pre-acceptation messaging I do with the guest, inevitably they arrive and ask for extra amenities or - usually - the husband agrees and is OK that I have no baby stuff, and the wife on arrival immediately finds that's not OK.

oh yes @Susan1188  we need a name for this situation too. I've had this happen a lot, where one partner does the booking, and then upon arrival the other partner suddenly takes charge and starts asking all sorts of questions, making it crystal clear they haven't even read the original listing. 
 

[Susan1188]

I mean, I get it - one partner plans the holiday.

But don't involve the host or criticise the listing for your own failure as a couple to be on the same wavelength!

:=)

[Susan1188]

@Amanda660  Did you finally accept that 2 year old?  How did it go? 

[Amanda660]

I had this once, Dad booked with 2 free “infants’.  

My listing clearly stated at the time that the house was in no way shape or form childproofed, had glass tables, no child gates or baby locks, cleaning products, etc at hand and that folks must  take this on board before booking. 

I provided them with travel cots, high chairs, sippy cups, bedding kiddie plates and cutlery (all of course, like the two infants, free of charge).   He then  bemoaned the lack of child proofing in his review.  I’m guessing his OH nipped just head re choice of property. 

That’s  when I changed my listing to no free infants - it’s a thankless task.,

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Amanda660 

We had a family member bring a young one - just under 2 years old. It was a good experiment, and demonstrated to us the futility of attempting to childproof or police any part of our home or property, indoors or out. This was not a paying guest, so preparation, cleanup and repairs were on us to anticipate and rectify. Safety issues proved to be impossible.  Stress levels were astronomical for everyone. An excellent learning experience. Not every home can be made child appropriate, and not every host can, either. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

In the beginning, we accepted children and infants.

5 groups were booked, and they all had at least one child who peed in bed ( aged 2 - 6) . They never told us, some of them even tried to hide it. (Fortunately, we had waterproof mattress protectors) . They all left much more mess than others. Then, after the 5th group, I decided not to host children under 10 y.o. anymore. I rather have an empty apartment.

It was all before Airbnb decided not to charge for infants.

[Susan1188]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 
Yes this!

They will never tell you about the pee in the bed!  I had it too - family actually turned over the mattress to hide it!!!

People with kids cannot leave at check out time without leaving a mess.  I know, I have 2 kids!  It's impossible!  So why should "infants" (not) who are 2 years old be allowed onto the booking for free!!!

Not hosting small kids anymore unless they pay extra AND leave an extra security deposit for extra cleaning.

[Helen744]

@Susan1188  and everyone else , if little kiddie mess is the worst then I dont think you guys have lived . All people shed body stuff and adults can always be so much worse. and parents do not leave their wee ones home on a family holiday as someone suggested , not where I am from anyway. I do remember my horror when a friend of mine left her children home while she jetted off to Disneyland . Horrors. Sometimes people with disabilities can be a bit messy too but we all have a right to a holiday Thats what I think anyway and as the kids say 'take a chill pill 'As long as your house is not dangerous then I think if one of the little blighters gets in accidentally then go with it dont have a heart attack . H

[Suzanne302]

Hosts whine about not wanting to allow pets but kids by far cause more trouble! My listing is no kids but I made an exception one time for a mom with an 8-year-old. The kid ran wild in my shared home, including using a pen to write all over my sheets and comforter.

Percentage of guests with dogs who have caused issues: 1%.

Percentage of guests with kids who have caused issues: 100%

I'll take dogs over kids anytime. And any server in a restaurant will agree with me on that as well, lol!

And no, it's not the kid's fault. I love kids. It's 100% entitled parents who think everyone should look the other way because "he/she is just kid" and everyone should work around and accommodate me and my needs because I'm a parent. Nope. Being a parent is a choice that comes with consequences and sometimes that means you can't travel the way you used to before you had kids.

[Susan1188]

@Suzanne302  Yes!  I'm a Mom of 2, I know how hard it is to travel with young children!

When mine were toddlers, I quickly realized we could not vacation the way we used to!

I've had a series of couples travelling with their first baby - I suppose discovering how hard it is for the first time.  And putting demands on the host for things that honestly, they should be working out themselves!

Never would I have called the host to ask for special baby amenities, I would have made due or purchased locally for my stay.  

[Suzanne302]

@Susan1188 

You are the type of parent I applaud! I never had kids because I knew it would mean a major lifestyle change that just wasn't for me. And I'm lucky to have many friends with kids that I can play with and spoil and then send back home to their parents, lol!

I don't think asking for special amenities is limited to those with kids either. I think there are just certain people who feel the world should accommodate them no matter what! They're the same people who when driving are about to miss their turn so they will stop and hold up an entire lane of traffic trying to get to another lane.