This story is in the news right now and I wanted to see what you lady's think. A 6 year old and 10 year old walked home from a park that was a mile from their house. The parents are now being threatened with neglect charges. What do you think?
neglect? 129 votes
Neglect! those kids are in danger!
Not neglect. It's the parents' choice.
Re: neglect?
If I was with my kids I would absolutely walk with them a mile to and from the park.
6 and 10 are a bit young IMO to be walking that far alone. But do I consider it neglect if a different parent would allow it? Not really.
Excessive punishment if none of the above. And random because that can't be uncommon...
I look back on this and think of all the danger that we could have been in in rural America.
All this to say. I don't think it is neglect but we don't live in the good ole days.
I don't think this is neglect. I just think it's a shame that our society has gotten to the point where its considered unsafe for a kid to walk to/from the park. At that rate is it neglect to let them play at the park alone too?
This too. When I was 10/11 I was babysitting my older sister who is intellectually disabled. I was responsible for getting her off the bus, making her and myself snack and just taking care of her until my parents got home a few hours later. As I got older I was also responsible for making us dinner. Neglect? I don't think so. All of my friends were also home alone at that age. Most people I know even don't let their kids stay home alone at that age, never mind babysitting!
Same distance, same location, but oddly totally different situations in my head. I trust DD, but I don't trust other people. Also, I'm paranoid.
But not neglect, no.
I live in BFE but I think this is nuts. Echoing PPs, our school buses won't pick you up unless you live at least a mile from the school (we don't). I walked home from school every day from kindergarten on as we lived about 7 blocks away.
I also started babysitting at 11.
The world has gone crazy #wherearemyteeth #getoffmylawn