Here's Your MetroCard Kid

[philamena]

...we should genetically engineer a predator with large teeth that eats stupid people

Kudos to Judge Joe...this has to be the quote of the year. :woohoo: :clap: :woohoo:

 

[Trino]

I don't have a choice but to send my kid to public school. She is smarter than me and I can't homeschool her anymore. I do think it's unsafe and I do question it.

However...

I flew from Florida to Indiana and back at 4 years old. (and 5, and 6, etc.) Mom paid full fare for first class with the understanding that I'd be escorted safely from plane to plane.

It wasn't until recently that she learned I was always the first off the plane and would take my ticket to a ticket counter (didn't matter which airline) and they'd put me on the next flight closer to my destination. Sometimes I even took a bus instead of a commuter flight when it was a short distance (Chicago to Indianapolis.) I'd just call Grandma when I got there to come get me. Independant little bugger, I was.

My son flew across the country at age 4 also (He's now 32.), but it was different times. No way would I allow a 4 year old to do this now. Also, he went to a private school in Europe, had to fly independently at 16, then take a train. But, again, it was different times. Back then, the world didn't seem to be filled with perps as it is now.

 

[hipmamajen]

This reminds me of when I was first married, and we lived in Boulder, Colorado. We only had one car, so depending on our schedules, one or the other of us routinely took the bus.

Now this is BOULDER, outside of college students and the 6 year old beauty queen population, it's a safe place to live. But the bus system was pretty distasteful (This was nearly 20 years ago. I don't know what it's like now.)

As an adult, the other passengers sometimes scared me. I never got robbed, but I was grabbed, sat on, asked out and drunkenly lectured at A LOT.

Then, one year, one of the local school districts started experimenting with having the jr. high and high school kids take the city bus to school, because it was cheaper to buy them all bus passes than it was to run their own bus system.

I remember at the time thinking how uncomfortable it must feel to be a 13 year old, dealing the same rowdy bus passengers that were bugging me! At least, as an adult, I felt like I have some resources at my disposal, and I wasn't going to be nearly as easy to victimize as these kids were. Plus, I had to wonder if this move attracted pedophiles to ride.

I don't know if they're still doing that, but I remember thinking I wouldn't want my kids to have to do that 180 days a year. It seems like eventually SOMETHING would happen.

Do I think this mom's an idiot? I don't know. I don't know her kid. But I did object to a school district putting all the kids in this situation.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

http://www2.nysun.com/article/73976



I couldn't do it -

I think it was stupid and irresponsible.

 

[White Rain]

Nope, not me. My 9 yr old is NOT EVEN ALLOWED in the yard by herself!!!!

 

[colomom]

Well he was only 20 when he went around the world. As a matter of fact he celebrated his 21st birthday in Viet Nam! Now THAT was worrisome.

I know I will have to let them do things that give them confidence and a smige of street smarts but, I am not looking forward to it. I will wait until they ask me for more freedom and I will decide how to handle it then. I think traveling around the world at 20 years old is awesome. Of course I would be more fearful for a daughter than a son but what a great experience.

I was an extremely independent child. Ran all over Berkeley, CA in 1968 (I was 8) with my younger brothers in tow. We hung out with the hippies and ran from the Alameda Police throwing tear gas. Good times....

We went to Europe when I was 9. I remember playing in Hyde Park, no parents in sight as the Hotel was right across the street. In Florence, Italy we took a bus to a local swimming pool and spent our return bus fare at a street carnival we saw. We had to walk back to the hotel. We knew it was near the "Dome" you can see from anywhere in town. We headed off and soon came to train tracks. We climbed a 7 ft. fence and as we were crossing the tracks a man came out of the "station" yelling at us. Something about a "3rd rail"....

He took us back to the station and fed us salami sandwiches and gave us lemon soda. Then he drove us back to the hotel. He even asked me if I wanted a cigarette!!

I am amazed that I am alive today....

I was not "aware" of the dangers, my mother did not talk about "stranger danger". I was innocently stupid and very lucky....I could tell you stories.....

I did not get smart until my 20's. I am not convinced that keeping my kids on a "short leash" will make much difference. It is only when they reach young adulthood will we see if they are truly "handicapped" in the way they walk in the world. They may be the first generation of "over protected kids". In the meantime I keep them close now because if anything happened to them....let me put it this way...it's a self-preservation thing.....

~peace

 

[JBean]

I know I will have to let them do things that give them confidence and a smige of street smarts but, I am not looking forward to it. I will wait until they ask me for more freedom and I will decide how to handle it then. I think traveling around the world at 20 years old is awesome. Of course I would be more fearful for a daughter than a son but what a great experience.

I was an extremely independent child. Ran all over Berkeley, CA in 1968 (I was 8) with my younger brothers in tow. We hung out with the hippies and ran from the Alameda Police throwing tear gas. Good times....

We went to Europe when I was 9. I remember playing in Hyde Park, no parents in sight as the Hotel was right across the street. In Florence, Italy we took a bus to a local swimming pool and spent our return bus fare at a street carnival we saw. We had to walk back to the hotel. We knew it was near the "Dome" you can see from anywhere in town. We headed off and soon came to train tracks. We climbed a 7 ft. fence and as we were crossing the tracks a man came out of the "station" yelling at us. Something about a "3rd rail"....

He took us back to the station and fed us salami sandwiches and gave us lemon soda. Then he drove us back to the hotel. He even asked me if I wanted a cigarette!!

I am amazed that I am alive today....

I was not "aware" of the dangers, my mother did not talk about "stranger danger". I was innocently stupid and very lucky....I could tell you stories.....

I did not get smart until my 20's. I am not convinced that keeping my kids on a "short leash" will make much difference. It is only when they reach young adulthood will we see if they are truly "handicapped" in the way they walk in the world. They may be the first generation of "over protected kids". In the meantime I keep them close now because if anything happened to them....let me put it this way...it's a self-preservation thing.....

~peace

I think the hardest thing to do as a parent is encourage your child to take any kind of risk, not just physical. Our instincts are to protect and it is hard to go against that by putting them out there in the world. but I am glad I did. I did it because my parents did it and that is the yardstick I use to make my decisions. I come from a large family and we are all super independent so that is something I wanted to foster in my own kids because it is valuable to me and it served me very well.
I don't really know if the world is so different now. I think we have technology so we know what is going on, but molesters, abducters and murderers have been around since way before we were.
I would never have imagined asking my parents to give me a ride somewhere! We took the bus, train or rode our bikes. I would go down to CHicago when I was 9 or 10 without batting an eye.
So, we have to weigh out what our children can handle. Someone mentioned babysitters at 9. My kids surely didn't have a sitter on Saturday afternoon when they had free time? They were out and about and doing.
I would not recommend anyone do this if they are not comfortable, there is no right and wrong answer. Like I said, some of my kids would have been thrilled to have done this and been quite successful at it. Some of my other kids are more cautious and would not have done well at this task.
Depends on the kid and their maturity level, as well as, their level of*smarts*.

 

[Paladin]

Nope, not me. My 9 yr old is NOT EVEN ALLOWED in the yard by herself!!!!

Do you live in a mine field or something?

 

[colomom]

Do you live in a mine field or something?

One of the newest technologies available to us these days is the registered sex offenders web sites. If I found 2 or 3 in my neighborhood, my kid would not play alone in the back yard either.

They are not called predators for nothing.

 

[Paladin]

One of the newest technologies available to us these days is the registered sex offenders web sites. If I found 2 or 3 in my neighborhood, my kid would not play alone in the back yard either.

They are not called predators for nothing.

Or your could teach your kid about strangers.

Things aren't more dangerous these days than in the past like people suggest. It's just more apparent because of the technology we have.

There's a difference between being cautious and teaching your children to be afraid of everything.

 

[angelmom]

IMO when a child still needs a babysitter and at 9 a child does then that is too young to be dropped off to find your own way home.

There are better and safer ways to teach a 9 yearold indepedence and confidence.No matter the reward the risk is much greater.My child(ren) saftey comes first.

This is a very good point. If she had left a 9yo home alone here (they have to be at least 10 in GA) she could have been charged with a crime. So is he safer on the streets of NYC than in his own home?

I am all for teaching kids independence, and I admit it is hard for me to let mine take risks, but I still think this woman is a total dumbass. If something had happened to him we'd all be screaming for her head, including LE!!

I also think it is funny that Paladin originally thought the article was so outrageous that it must be an April Fool's joke, but now is making fun of the people who are criticizing this mother.:crazy:

 

[JBean]

I can live with being a dumbass. I have complete confidence in my dumbassedness.

 

[Paladin]

I also think it is funny that Paladin originally thought the article was so outrageous that it must be an April Fool's joke, but now is making fun of the people who are criticizing this mother.:crazy:

I'm not making fun of anyone. I also thought it was an April fools date because it was written on April 1st, and yeah, there was some outrageous stuff written by this lady (such as taking away the cellphone), but I don't think letting the kid let himself find his way home that outrageous. As someone pointed out before, we don't know how far of a distance this kid traveled.

Maybe I'm just a little tired of the back-seat parenting that goes on here. It's criticize criticize criticize.

"I wouldn't do that with MY child."

Great, good for you. But other people do, and if their kid gets kidnapped or killed, that's their damn fault. You can't charge a person for every stupid thing they do that you don't like.

And no angelmom, I'm not referring speficially to you. And no, I don't have kids yet. And no, when I have children I will not change my mind. I won't live in this world fearing shadows and jumping when people say boo. My mother did it to me and it's taken me 20+ years to grow out of her hammering me down with HER fears.

Don't do this to your children.

 

[colomom]

I'm not making fun of anyone. I also thought it was an April fools date because it was written on April 1st, and yeah, there was some outrageous stuff written by this lady (such as taking away the cellphone), but I don't think letting the kid let himself find his way home that outrageous. As someone pointed out before, we don't know how far of a distance this kid traveled.

Maybe I'm just a little tired of the back-seat parenting that goes on here. It's criticize criticize criticize.

"I wouldn't do that with MY child."

Great, good for you. But other people do, and if their kid gets kidnapped or killed, that's their damn fault. You can't charge a person for every stupid thing they do that you don't like.

And no angelmom, I'm not referring speficially to you. And no, I don't have kids yet. And no, when I have children I will not change my mind. I won't live in this world fearing shadows and jumping when people say boo. My mother did it to me and it's taken me 20+ years to grow out of her hammering me down with HER fears.

Don't do this to your children.

:silenced: :waitasec:

 

[JBean]

I'm not making fun of anyone. I also thought it was an April fools date because it was written on April 1st, and yeah, there was some outrageous stuff written by this lady (such as taking away the cellphone), but I don't think letting the kid let himself find his way home that outrageous. As someone pointed out before, we don't know how far of a distance this kid traveled.

Maybe I'm just a little tired of the back-seat parenting that goes on here. It's criticize criticize criticize.

"I wouldn't do that with MY child."

Great, good for you. But other people do, and if their kid gets kidnapped or killed, that's their damn fault. You can't charge a person for every stupid thing they do that you don't like.

And no angelmom, I'm not referring speficially to you. And no, I don't have kids yet. And no, when I have children I will not change my mind. I won't live in this world fearing shadows and jumping when people say boo. My mother did it to me and it's taken me 20+ years to grow out of her hammering me down with HER fears.

Don't do this to your children.

I think you are wise to not live in fear. It will really help your children when you do have them. I don't mind being in the minority when it comes to child rearing, I almost always was I have earned my stripes with 5 boys and I wear them proudly. there is more than one way to skin a cat and I am ok with being labeled dumb or stupid or ridiculous or irresponsible. Everyone must find their own comfort level. I already know my way is not the only way and some of these posters will eventually come to understand that too

 

[sherri79]

I'm not making fun of anyone. I also thought it was an April fools date because it was written on April 1st, and yeah, there was some outrageous stuff written by this lady (such as taking away the cellphone), but I don't think letting the kid let himself find his way home that outrageous. As someone pointed out before, we don't know how far of a distance this kid traveled.

Maybe I'm just a little tired of the back-seat parenting that goes on here. It's criticize criticize criticize.

"I wouldn't do that with MY child."

Great, good for you. But other people do, and if their kid gets kidnapped or killed, that's their damn fault. You can't charge a person for every stupid thing they do that you don't like.

And no angelmom, I'm not referring speficially to you. And no, I don't have kids yet. And no, when I have children I will not change my mind. I won't live in this world fearing shadows and jumping when people say boo. My mother did it to me and it's taken me 20+ years to grow out of her hammering me down with HER fears.

Don't do this to your children.

if it bothers you why would you do it? didn't you just tell colomom she should just teach her kids about strangers instead of not allowing them outside alone?

 

[Paladin]

if it bothers you why would you do it? didn't you just tell colomom she should just teach her kids about strangers instead of not allowing them outside alone?

I thought maybe speaking in your language would make it more understandable for you.

 

[sherri79]

I thought maybe speaking in your language would make it more understandable for you.

ummm thanks.

 

[philamena]

I hope I read the article correctly.
IF I got it right, lol, I gotta say there is no way I would have allowed my 9 year old to travel alone whether it was a 2 mile trip or a 20 mile trip.
happens every, single , solitary day. You all know from reading here that pedophiles are every where. Kids are kidnapped every day.
That child could have easily been abducted or fondled , been slipped drugs or lord knows what else.
A 9 year old has no business being alone like that.
Evil, nasty people look for kids just like that.
The mom IMHO was neglectful.

 

[Clearly Confused]

Or your could teach your kid about strangers.

Things aren't more dangerous these days than in the past like people suggest. It's just more apparent because of the technology we have.

There's a difference between being cautious and teaching your children to be afraid of everything.

I have taught my child about strangers and I am sure many parents of missing kids have done the same. If someone is going to snatch your kid I don't think having the knowledge that the person is a stranger is going to help the child.

I let me 7 yr old out in the yard but only when my dog is out there with him. Yes, I do tell my child to be afraid of strangers because some do very bad things to little kids. Some kids do not understand that the nice grandpop looking guy is truly the devil in disguise.

I am no perfect parent and I don't expect others to be either but to me it seemed like this mother was just throwing her kid to the wolves (keeping her phone close) and hoping he got home in one piece.