Summer = Parent Irresponsibility and Neglect (legal, teenage, boys, accidents)
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How about a few facts to dilute your hysteria. The vast majority of missing kids are runaways, or are abducted by family members. Of the 800,000 missing children every year only 115, that is one hundred and fifteen, are stereotypical stranger abductions that result in the death of the child. They have more chance of being kicked to death by a horse, or drowning in a bucket.
Zimbochick was responding to a poster who claimed 2,300 children a DAY went missing. The use of the word "only" was apropos in the context in which it was used.
That sounds like a great idea for 10 to 12 year olds, but the OP talked about 3 to 7 year old kids just wandering in the neighborhood without their parents even knowing, or apparently caring, where they were. Mattie, and other readers who think this is a great idea, do you really think that it is safe for a preschool age child to just go up to anyone's house, ring the bell to see who can play?
The OP mentioned that a parent was bragging about their three hour nap while they had absolutely no idea where their four year old child was at that time. Is that really an "idea" that you like? Do you really think that parents do not need to be involved with supervising their 3 to 7 year olds and where they are playing?
Maybe I am old fashioned, but I always felt that I needed to know where my 3 to 7 year old children were and who was supervising them. I just didn't "gently push them all out" the door at 8 AM and start calling other parents four or five hours later to find them (as the OP describes her neighborhood).
As some of the other posters said, the OP needs to be muchmore assertive about kicking kids out if they have been there too long or if they interfere with meal time or family time.
My post was in response to the poster who felt that children should not play without an explicit invitation issued by the parents.
But, for the record, at 4 I did allow my kids to ring doorbells at the homes of their friends to see if they wanted to come out and play. Tyler lived behind us, with connecting yards, and Kelli was one house away. I knew the parents very well, and trusted them to say yay/nay if it wasn't convenient for them. The two rules we had were no crossing the street, and no entering any home without asking first. My yard was always open, as were the neighbors.
I look back now and realize my kids are still in contact with the friends they made before kindergarten, despite the fact that we've moved 3 times since then. And, I am still in contact with the neighborhood kids I was allowed to ring the doorbells of, many years ago. I was free to make my own friends, and negotiate differences on my own, and that's what I allowed my children to do. It seems to have worked.
I lived in a similar neighborhood and was thrilled that my son had friends to play with. His best friends, two other boys, were outside all day and ALWAYS at my house. I found out that their Mom, put them outside after lunch and made them stay out. No children were allowed in her home - not even my own. Boy, was I resentful. But, I was so thrilled (at first) to be there, that it didn't dawn on my that my son was never invited to their home.
I was the summer babysitter. They moved away shortly thereafter and they were the worst offenders. I learned my lesson.
We also had a pool which opened up a whole new can of worms. I'd be stuck out there for hours making sure no one drowned. Finally, I instituted a 'you can swim IF your Mom or Dad come with you'. That worked like a charm!
I'm not quite sure why people are questioning the age of the children I'm talking about. Believe me, I know everything about them, they spend 5 hours a day here, remember
It seems unbelievable someone would leave their 4yr old outside unattended. To be fair the just turned 4yr old out there has an older sister too who perhaps is supposed to keep an eye on him. Problem is she is not here (in my house), who knows where she is, oh and the other thing, she's 7! Nothing like having "big" sis take care of the little guy
There are a lot of other examples with the other kids, there's a gang of triplets, they are 4, with a younger sister, she's 3. Dad was outside playing kickball with some of the boys (ages 4 to 8) and when questioned about where his girls were, he replied they were in so-and-so's house. My reply, so-and-so isn't even home, they have a babysitter there right now. Dad replies "yeah, I know..." and continues playing kickball. Hope the babysitter is getting overtime along with some hazard pay, that's some serious double-duty....
I know it's hard to keep up with so many posts so for the people posting late in the game, I don't dislike living in an environment like this at all, I just wanted to know a nice way to broach the subject with the other parents (not all of them do this). I can come off as an ass, and I don't want to be that guy is all. I don't have a problem with the kids hanging out, dining on popsicles and the like, I just want the other parents to be aware and involved for a number of reasons people have pointed out.
How about a few facts to dilute your hysteria. The vast majority of missing kids are runaways, or are abducted by family members. Of the 800,000 missing children every year only 115, that is one hundred and fifteen, are stereotypical stranger abductions that result in the death of the child. They have more chance of being kicked to death by a horse, or drowning in a bucket.
Please forward this to Etan Patz or Adam Walsh parents, and all the other parents whose children have gone missing. It doesn't matter if there is one out of every 20 million kids. If it's YOUR kid it's the end of the world. And all it has to be is YOUR kid once.
I'm not quite sure why people are questioning the age of the children I'm talking about. Believe me, I know everything about them, they spend 5 hours a day here, remember
It seems unbelievable someone would leave their 4yr old outside unattended. To be fair the just turned 4yr old out there has an older sister too who perhaps is supposed to keep an eye on him. Problem is she is not here (in my house), who knows where she is, oh and the other thing, she's 7! Nothing like having "big" sis take care of the little guy
There are a lot of other examples with the other kids, there's a gang of triplets, they are 4, with a younger sister, she's 3. Dad was outside playing kickball with some of the boys (ages 4 to 8) and when questioned about where his girls were, he replied they were in so-and-so's house. My reply, so-and-so isn't even home, they have a babysitter there right now. Dad replies "yeah, I know..." and continues playing kickball. Hope the babysitter is getting overtime along with some hazard pay, that's some serious double-duty....
I know it's hard to keep up with so many posts so for the people posting late in the game, I don't dislike living in an environment like this at all, I just wanted to know a nice way to broach the subject with the other parents (not all of them do this). I can come off as an ass, and I don't want to be that guy is all. I don't have a problem with the kids hanging out, dining on popsicles and the like, I just wantthe other parents to be aware and involved for a number of reasons people have pointed out.
Perhaps you should just set up rules that you can live with and follow. For example, whenever a child comes inside your house they or you need to call their parents and let them know where they are. Set up a limit of two or three hours, everyone goes home at noon and five o'clock, no visitors before 8 AM or after 7 PM or whatever is reasonable. Have your children follow the rules as well. They need to always call & let you know where they are, they come home for meals, they do not stay at a house with no adults (or a babysitter) present, etc.
If you have rules, you may get the reputation as "that crazy Mom with rules" but at least you won't be known as Inmate #203148 if a child gets abused or injured (or worse) in your neighborhood. But, I suspect that other parents are also noticing problems and may start to have rules as well.
Please forward this to Etan Patz or Adam Walsh parents, and all the other parents whose children have gone missing. It doesn't matter if there is one out of every 20 million kids. If it's YOUR kid it's the end of the world. And all it has to be is YOUR kid once.
These people are fools.
20yrsinBranson
That doesn't make it ok for you to make up your own stats.
When I was a kid, we all stayed outside and played. My friends were occasionally called in for lunch, but otherwise, we didn't run through each other's homes. My children pretty much had the same experience, depending on where we lived at the time.
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How about a few facts to dilute your hysteria. The vast majority of missing kids are runaways, or are abducted by family members. Of the 800,000 missing children every year only 115, that is one hundred and fifteen, are stereotypical stranger abductions that result in the death of the child. They have more chance of being kicked to death by a horse, or drowning in a bucket.
