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What I don't like about this whole "helicopter parent" attitude is that it makes you paranoid as a parent. You can't parent according to the abilitity and maturity of your child, you have to do it by the standards of the most paranoid people around you. If you are a caring and attentive parent you are the one who knows best what your child is/isn't capable of. This women seems to to not really care about her kids and that is different from a caring parent that wants to give their child a degree of responsibility that they know they are capable of.
Wow, what a thread. We even managed to whip out the beaten horse of "LI sucks"...which is referenced on about 10000000000 threads.
For every kid who was given "freedom" who is now a fancy VP there is a "restricted" kid who is just as successful, and vice versa. Making arguments that kids with suffocating parents and too many rules all go off and have 10 kids out of wedlock and become drug users can easily be countered with the unsupervised stoner who was getting high at 13 and ended-up being a forever tenant of their parents basement. People are who they will be.
The original post concerning this particular instance I feel was off target. In this particular case it appeared to be neglect...how this means that we now live in a police state is beyond me. If a public pool has a sign that all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, then those are the rules at the pool. Seems simple enough to me. Go to a different pool if you prefer...
Wow, what a thread. We even managed to whip out the beaten horse of "LI sucks"...which is referenced on about 10000000000 threads.
For every kid who was given "freedom" who is now a fancy VP there is a "restricted" kid who is just as successful, and vice versa. Making arguments that kids with suffocating parents and too many rules all go off and have 10 kids out of wedlock and become drug users can easily be countered with the unsupervised stoner who was getting high at 13 and ended-up being a forever tenant of their parents basement. People are who they will be.
The original post concerning this particular instance I feel was off target. In this particular case it appeared to be neglect...how this means that we now live in a police state is beyond me. If a public pool has a sign that all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, then those are the rules at the pool. Seems simple enough to me. Go to a different pool if you prefer...
It's not even about the pool's rules...most pools have the same rules anyway...b/c it's COMMON SENSE. This mom should have known better...what an idiotic thing to do!
So yes, this women was outside the law. Enough so to be arrested? Again that is a judgement call. It may be because she admitted to doing it repeatedly, the number of children involved and the length of time (8 hours).
Schneiders Children's Hospital and the Red Cross offer courses for 11 year olds to take to be babysitters, so maybe this women didn't think she was radically outside the law.
So yes, this women was outside the law. Enough so to be arrested? Again that is a judgement call. It may be because she admitted to doing it repeatedly, the number of children involved and the length of time (8 hours).
Schneiders Children's Hospital and the Red Cross offer courses for 11 year olds to take to be babysitters, so maybe this women didn't think she was radically outside the law.
ok, but chances are her 11-year-old didn't take that course...so it's probably irrelevant.
No but it shows that safety experts believe that at least some 11 year olds are mature enough to watch not only themselves but others for short periods of time.
If I went out for an evening, I probably wouldn't hire a babysitter under 16, but I remember babysitting myself at 14, and handled it just fine.
I wasn't allowed at home alone if my parents went away for weekend until I had my drivers license (16 1/2).
No but it shows that safety experts believe that at least some 11 year olds are mature enough to watch not only themselves but others for short periods of time.
If I went out for an evening, I probably wouldn't hire a babysitter under 16, but I remember babysitting myself at 14, and handled it just fine.
I wasn't allowed at home alone if my parents went away for weekend until I had my drivers license (16 1/2).
No but it shows that safety experts believe that at least some 11 year olds are mature enough to watch not only themselves but others for short periods of time.
short periods of time being the key phrase. I also imagine that the ideal setting for such a scenario is the 11 year old's home and not a public place and espeically not a public pool.
I agree, I would not leave small children in the care of an 11 year old in a public place where there are many people coming and going.
But where do you draw the line? Would it be ok for an 11 year old to watch them in the yard while you (the adult) are home in the house? I would say yes, if they were a mature 11 year old and unquestionably yes if the yard was fenced. A good way for an older child to gain experience caring for children in a safe setting.
I agree, I would not leave small children in the care of an 11 year old in a public place where there are many people coming and going.
But where do you draw the line? Would it be ok for an 11 year old to watch them in the yard while you (the adult) are home in the house? I would say yes, if they were a mature 11 year old and unquestionably yes if the yard was fenced. A good way for an older child to gain experience caring for children in a safe setting.
yard yes...a yard with a pool I would be a little more reluctant about but would probably be ok with it ultimately...a public place like a pool, def. not.
yard yes...a yard with a pool I would be a little more reluctant about but would probably be ok with it ultimately...a public place like a pool, def. not.
Ok, so we are basically are in in agreement.
That was fun, I think I missed my calling as a defense attorney
Seriously i just wanted to know exactly where people stood on this issue in this day in age. My children are very young (under 5) and I don't have to deal with these issues yet (they are still unquestionably in the total supervision stage), however I will have to someday and see that the standards here on Long Island are somewhat different than the time and place where I grew up.
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