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You want to "slap these people?" Control yourself and stop acting like a henpecked husband.
Not that this hasn't been discussed ad nauseum on other threads, but the only crime here is that parents have to explain to busybodies (ie., people like you) how they choose to raise their kids.
Instead, get indignant that the kids had a curfew that they missed only because they were snatched by police and spent 3 hours sitting in a cruiser, then were handed over to the child welfare arm of the gub-ment where they spent another 6 hours.
Biddie-bats and milquetoasts...where would we all be without them?
What disturbs me most is not that the 6 year old was left with the 10 year old but that the kids were gone for hours and their parents had no idea where they were nor did they notify the police that they were missing. If you are going to leave your 6 year old with a 10 year old, you should at least know where they are.
They didn't know where their children were because they were snatched up by the police and taken somewhere without knowledge of the parents.
I've got to disagree. I've spent the last 10 years of my life growing up with children who were exposed to different parenting styles. These children lived sheltered lives and had absolutely no idea what high school and college consisted of, because it was the first time they were allowed to make decisions and "roam free", so to speak. Helicopter parents tend to raise more irresponsible adults, from my experience.
This is not to say that I am advocating for neglectful parenting.
But I digress. Parenting is not a one-size fits all practice. A 10 year old can be responsible and mature enough to go to the park or ride his bike around the neighbourhood, by himself. It is up to the parents' judgment. This whole thread was created by one parents' misguided belief that she can dictate what is "neglectful" parenting. The issue with overprotective parents is that they believe their way is the right way, when it actuality, it's probably the worst way.
I know my mother would have never gone storming up to my friends' house, demanding to know why their child was not allowed to go to park past 4 pm, whereas I was. However, we see that the opposite is not true, and overprotective parents tend to impose their beliefs and parenting skills onto others.
All I know is what I've seen with my own eyes. My family members and friends who are not actively involved in their kids education, adn upbringing and let them do what they wanted have now adult kids who aren't in college or working or even attempting to do anything productive. All while they were coming up their parents made excuses for them when they got in trouble at school and the only times they talked to the teachers was when the child felt they were 'wronged" by the teacher. No concern at all for their slipping grades but let a teacher look at at their child wrong, they would be up to the school in a second. Most of those same parents bought their kids whatever they wanted, had to beg for chores to be done and half the time they still were not. The kids were able to come and go as they pleased.
On the other hand, most of my family members and friends who had structured environments for their children in turn have children in college or working. Those same parents had curfews for their children, was involved in their children lives and most of you would consider them "helicopter parents".
And that doesn't excuse that fact that they didn't know where they were for hours.
Good point. Now I'm wondering why the kids, at least the 10 year old, didn't have a cell phone. It sure would have saved them some worries. I'm sure I will get a comment like, "Back when I was a kid, cell phones weren't invented, we didn't need them, and I was fine." But now they are around and if kids are going to "free range" for hours, why not give them some tools to stay in touch if the need arises? Cell phones are indeed handy little devices. If these parents are trying to instill independence and responsibility and their kids are old enough to roam free, bet they could also handle a cell phone.
They didn't know where their children were because they were snatched up by the police and taken somewhere without knowledge of the parents.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PJA
And that doesn't excuse that fact that they didn't know where they were for hours.
You can't be serious.
When the kids were late, the parents started looking for them. But the police officer (who lied to the children about a ride to their home) took them, making them sit in a police car for 2.5 hours before handing them over to protective services.
They did not know where the kids were because the police officer LIED to the children and then parked them in a squad car for 2.5 HOURS.
When the kids were late, the parents started looking for them. But the police officer (who lied to the children about a ride to their home) took them, making them sit in a police car for 2.5 hours before handing them over to protective services.
They did not know where the kids were because the police officer LIED to the children and then parked them in a squad car for 2.5 HOURS.
If my kids were missing I would have called the police immediately.
If my kids were missing I would have called the police immediately.
Yes. I can't find any mention of them calling the police in stories.
But that in no way excuses a police officer lying to the children, then holding them in a squad for 2.5 hours before transferring them to CPS, who only then contacted the parents and continued to hold the children for another 2.5 hours. The children even asked the police officer to allow them to call their parents.
This is more than bad policy, this is ****-poor policing.
Yes. I can't find any mention of them calling the police in stories.
But that in no way excuses a police officer lying to the children, then holding them in a squad for 2.5 hours before transferring them to CPS, who only then contacted the parents and continued to hold the children for another 2.5 hours. The children even asked the police officer to allow them to call their parents.
This is more than bad policy, this is ****-poor policing.
It doesn't excuse the police however I only mentioned the parenting since that's what the OP was discussing. The situation wasn't handled well by both sides.
Location: Subconscious Syncope, USA (Northeastern US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sonarrat
I was a highly independent kid. I used to roam miles from home, deep into the wilderness, by myself and sometimes struggled to get home, seeing how the elevation difference I had to cover exceeded 1,500 feet. I loved it and will always thank my parents for allowing me to have that experience - but 6 years old is pushing it too far. Even my very lenient parents in our highly secure and isolated area didn't let me run around unsupervised until I was 10 or 12.
Seems okay with a 10 year old brother, wouldnt you think? They were only in a park, and not scaling a cliff or anything.
I was independant long before you then. I didnt have a park to go to, but I did have the good fortune of plenty of woods - they were a magical and peaceful escape from a household in constant turmoil.
I used to collect things for money from age 6 to 12, like redeemable bottles, aluminum cans, and even a short stint at collecting newspapers that I stored under the house, until the recyclers were called to pick them up. I gave that up though because even then it wasnt very profitable, imo. $2 and change to fill up a deuce and a half seemed not worth the effort. With that money I could buy the stuff I otherwise would not have.
Once I turned 12, I could then babysit other peoples kids on the weekends. This helped me with clothes for school and books and things. In 1976, I bought my own Iverson Decathelon English Racer with the money I had saved babysitting. Bruce Jenner had won the Decathelon that year, and it was the official bike. I still remember it - ice blue with tan saddle and tape on the handle bars. I was so proud of it, lol!
Before that, I had bought my own prescision wheel skates, so I could go skating at a nearby Skateland, if anyone remembers those. Im not sure they still exist.
Can anyone imagine what would happen if a 12 year old was babysitting someone's kids now? Would it even be legal?? Would kids today even be responsible enough to make a short and profitable career out of it? *shrugs*
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Would kids today even be responsible enough to make a short and profitable career out of it? *shrugs*
