Posted on 06/09/2015 5:03:05 PM PDT by Kaslin
There was a time not too long ago that parents could let their kids walk to school alone, take a solo bike ride around the neighborhood, and, once reasonably old enough, stay home alone. Those days are gone, and gone with a vengeance. This type of parenting, which was once considered the norm, is now getting kids taken away from their guardians, and parents locked up and treated as negligent criminals.
The latest story comes out of Florida, where an 11-year-old boy, whose parents were delayed in traffic, hung out in his own backyard for an hour and a half waiting for them. I’ll let the mother who wrote to Lenore Skenazy over at her website, Free RangeKids.com, explain what happened next (emphasis from Skenazy):
My children are not free range children. The younger one has always had a baby sitter. The older one who just turned 11 a couple of weeks ago always had a baby sitter as well. This school year that changed. The eleven year old comes home and is met by his dad who lets him in the house. In the event dad isn’t here on time, his instructions are to wait in the backyard until I come home about 20 minutes later.
On this particular day, a little more than a month ago, both dad and I were both running late due bad traffic and rain. We were about and hour and a half late. When we arrived the police had been anonymously called and we were arrested for child neglect.
We still do not have our children, we are fighting for our own freedom and due to the nature of my employment I am no longer employed. 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. If you have any advice for what I should do I will accept it.
And then for her update:
Our sons were returned to us on Tuesday/Wednesday in the children’s court/DCF with adjudication withheld. However the criminal prosecutor is not dropping the charges as of today. We have to appear in the criminal court on June 11th to put in our plea. I would love to speak to someone however due to my job (which is still on the line) I don’t know if it will make it better or worse. I am a state and county employee with the school system and I was made to sign a paper stating I would not speak with teachers parents or students regarding the matter.
This is disturbing on so many levels. These children were taken away from their parents for a month. Criminal charges were filed against them, the mother may end up losing her job, and on top of all that, she can’t even speak about it.
Similar incidents are happening all over the country, and as Matt Walsh over at The Blaze points out, the problem is just as bad if not worse in public schools, where parental rights are virtually nonexistent.
This is the epitome of the nanny state and the worst part about it is that it’s not even to correct a problem in society—there has never been a safer time to be a child in America.
As Skenazy noted in her story about the article, “If this doesn’t convince lawmakers that they had better start revising the child neglect laws — and convince politicians that supporting Free-Range legislation would be a great, vote-getting platform — I’m not sure what will.”
Why on earth didn’t the boy have his own key or know where to get one ?
.
The youngest Gina DeJesus was 14 at the time she was taken. Amanda Berry was 17 when abducted and Michelle Knight was 21. They where also overpowered by him physically.
My mother taught one of the girls several years before she was taken, second grade.
None of the girls in Ohio where taken from their back yards.
They where abducted on the street. The youngest was 14 when abducted the other two where 17 and 21. One of them knew their abductor as he was the father of one of her class mates. He was also a school bus driver.
His name was Ariel Castro. He is dead now. Good riddance.
After midnight ?
WOW.
How about waking up, literally 5 days a week and my single Mom’s gone to work until at least 7pm. Knowing that I will get a call around 4 or 5pm on 3 of those days that she’s not going to make it home tonight.
Food is in the fridge.
“Did you do your homework?”
“Of course I did.”(whatever)
Week after week, month after month, year after year.
From the age of 11 to 16.
As I said, free range is an understatement.
when I was five my parents left me locked out of the house when they left for a wedding that day they traveled in two separate cars and both parents thought the other one had me. I was locked out side for two hours siting in front of my house crying before a neighbor came and got me. my parents had not discovered what had happened till they got to the wedding and I was not there. they called that neighbor and had her look for me. according to how this lady is being treated my parents should of lost custody of me to the state.
Oh, I screwed up more than my share of stuff, but my sons have turned out pretty good. I thank my parents for passing along good examples of parenting that I could put to use on my boys. Thanks also to a couple of drill sergeants who got me sorted out better than any of my school teachers ever did.
If I was the neighbor, I would NEVER have done that. Never in a million years!
Because I am an adult male in 2010's America.
busybody..... the boy was 11 and capable of looking after himself.
The busybodies kids will grow up to be worthless having not been allowed responsibility.
Busybodies like the neighbor really need to mind their own frigging business
“I fear you may not have. I know it is difficult to be a good parent but having four like I do has been quite an accomplishment for me. Other parents like yourself don’t always have that achievement. Sorry about that.....perhaps the grandkids might be better.”
Bless your heart. Are you that presumptuous, narcissistic and arrogant in real life or is it just a FR persona?
-——really need to mind their own frigging business-—
a good horse whipping wouldn’t be bad either
Hey I can only discuss what you provide and you stated that you let your kids run free and pretty much raise themselves. I didn’t say anything that you already said yourself.
“you stated that you let your kids run free and pretty much raise themselves.”
Either you are confusing me with someone else or are putting words in my mouth.
“True but it is a very believable story.”
Which part do you believe?
1. The part where she says she can’t talk to anyone because it may impact her job ...
2. The part where she says she is unemployed ....
3. The part where she says she is a county employee ...
4. The part where she says she is a state employee ....
You are good at that.....
Did you read the article?
Ha!!
When it comes to children you can never be too safe. I hope one day that you are a parent. Best job on Earth but hardest as well.
Raised them right.
Both successful.
You and your wife have always been hand wringers here.
Always.
This comment by you...it's classic..."When it comes to children you can never be too safe."
That's so progressive...so liberal.
I could go on and on...but it's worthless with you....and your wife.
lol....yeah I am sure your children turned out right...doubt it. You seem to vicious and nasty to have nice kids unless they saw your behavior and said I sure as hell don’t want to be like Mom. Well good for you.
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