... I watched this woman stop my child, and in an instant she became a predator in my eyes. She was the woman I needed to watch out for, who posed the most threat and danger to my family.
I don’t know the answers. I don’t know if any of us do.
In the world we live in today, intervening in another’s parenting decisions can sometimes do more harm than good. A helping hand is only truly helpful when the person offering it does so with love and compassion, not judgment.
Instead we are busy looking over our shoulders, scared that we will get in trouble for decisions we make that might not jive with somebody else’s. When somebody holds different personal beliefs, that doesn’t make them wrong or mean they are harming their child. Instead, let’s just all step back and think a little bit before we act. Let’s invite common sense back into modern day parenting.
... “My son was in his own yard playing basketball, not in the street or at the park. The authorities claim he had no access to water or shelter. We have an open shed in the back yard and 2 working sinks and 2 hoses. They said he had no food. He ate his snacks already. He had no bathroom, but the responding officer found our yard good enough to relieve himself in while our son sat in a police car alone. In his own yard, in a state, Florida, that has no minimum age for children to be alone.” ...
I'm thinking about calling the cops ... the neighbor's kids are out playing in their yard with their pit bull;
that's two conceivable threats right there.
... “My son was in his own yard playing basketball, not in the street or at the park. The authorities claim he had no access to water or shelter. We have an open shed in the back yard and 2 working sinks and 2 hoses. They said he had no food. He ate his snacks already. He had no bathroom, but the responding officer found our yard good enough to relieve himself in while our son sat in a police car alone. In his own yard, in a state, Florida, that has no minimum age for children to be alone.” ...
I bet he wasn't leashed either. Probably wasn't vaccinated against rabies. I bet he didn't even have a collar on!
What is this world coming to?
You aren't doing it wrong if no one knows what you are doing.
I wonder why the nosy neighbor didn't just go sit with him and/or offer him some lemonade and a seat on her/his porch. That's what would have happened when I was a kid and among my friends now.
Vrede too wrote: "I wonder why the nosy neighbor didn't just go sit with him and/or offer him some lemonade and a seat on her/his porch. That's what would have happened when I was a kid and among my friends now."
rstrong wrote:"Weird. At 12 I was already making my own black power explosives.
I'm not sure if that means that playing in the back yard for 90 minutes was harmless, or the opposite."
When I was 12, myself and an uncle who was 1½ years older than me would hitchhike to town (9 miles) on Saturdays to go skating; leave the house around 12 or 1, would hitchhike back afterwards. Would get home around 11 or 12 pm. Never had a problem.
Dunno if I'd do that today or not ... not that anyone picks up hitchikers anymore.
"
GoCubsGo wrote:"Lies, damn lies and statistics. A 30 second Google search shall set you free."O Really wrote:
Boy Howdy! I screwed myself with that post! My intent was to "poke a hole" in those statistics! My wording was lacking substance! 
