What say you?

[TPD]

Are you a free-range or helicopter parent?

I am siding with the parents on this one. The world is safer than some of us want to believe - cameras everywhere, taught to be aware of our surroundings and report suspicious packages, websites showing where the criminals live, etc. There are some cases where CPS is needed and others like this one where they need to back off and go on their merry way. These stories anger me and cause my blood to boil - too much government interference in our lives!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...c0f-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html?hpid=z3

 

[Grumpy]

There are some cases where CPS is needed and others like this one where they need to back off and go on their merry way.

Didn't read the article but it was discussed on WMAL this AM. I don't agree with the cops/CPS getting involved but, sad as it is, there is a law on the books about it. BUT, with CPS getting involved, seemed to me it should have been a simple task to talk to the parents and make them aware of the law and leave it at that. From what I heard, they forced the parents to sign some pledge or they would take custody of the kids. Huge over-reach on CPS's part, someone was on a power trip.

 

[itsbob]

Didn't read the article but it was discussed on WMAL this AM. I don't agree with the cops/CPS getting involved but, sad as it is, there is a law on the books about it. BUT, with CPS getting involved, seemed to me it should have been a simple task to talk to the parents and make them aware of the law and leave it at that. From what I heard, they forced the parents to sign some pledge or they would take custody of the kids. Huge over-reach on CPS's part, someone was on a power trip.

Stories galore out there about CPS in different states and cities forcing parents to waive their rights or "We'll take your kids!" Last one was about a CPS and police showing up at a gun owners house, and they told them we want to search your house. Owner says no, CPS threatens them "We either search your house or we are leaving with your kids!" No reports of abuse, no reports of neglect.. but the parents waived their rights under the threat of losing their children.

 

[vraiblonde]

So in order to walk home from school, a kid must be designated as "free range" with a little card saying so?

To freaking walk home from school?!?

 

[BadGirl]

I may as well go to jail right now.

 

[musiclady]

I would not let a 6 year old walk home these days for this exact reason. All it takes is for someone to contact the police and you end up being investigated by police and CPS, which takes months, even if the reason turns out to be unfounded. Since the law in their area states "children younger than 8 must be left with a reliable person who is at least 13 years old" I would wait until the youngest turned 8.

We had CPS called on us once. My daughter contracted ringworm in her scalp. She was under the care of a Dr and a dermatologist and had special shampoo which turned her scalp red. My neighbor saw her at the bus stop and didn't think the Dr was helping her. So she called social services! My husband and I were each interviewed separately, my children were taken from class into a room alone with the caseworker, who didn't even have to prove to the school who they were. They came to the school where I taught, told my principal I was being investigated for child neglect and had me immediately leave my class to go talk with them. Later, I produced detailed Dr's records and the shampoo, and they toured my house. Even after all that, the minimum time for them to close a case is 3 months, during which they could remove my kids from class at any time with no record of who they are. After those three months, we received a standard letter that said report of neglect was "ruled out." All this because my daughter had a reaction to the treatment shampoo and my neighbor was a busybody.

 

[lucky_bee]

I would not let a 6 year old walk home these days for this exact reason. All it takes is for someone to contact the police and you end up being investigated by police and CPS, which takes months, even if the reason turns out to be unfounded. Since the law in their area states "children younger than 8 must be left with a reliable person who is at least 13 years old" I would wait until the youngest turned 8.

We had CPS called on us once. My daughter contracted ringworm in her scalp. She was under the care of a Dr and a dermatologist and had special shampoo which turned her scalp red. My neighbor saw her at the bus stop and didn't think the Dr was helping her. So she called social services! My husband and I were each interviewed separately, my children were taken from class into a room alone with the caseworker, who didn't even have to prove to the school who they were. They came to the school where I taught, told my principal I was being investigated for child neglect and had me immediately leave my class to go talk with them. Later, I produced detailed Dr's records and the shampoo, and they toured my house. Even after all that, the minimum time for them to close a case is 3 months, during which they could remove my kids from class at any time with no record of who they are. After those three months, we received a standard letter that said report of neglect was "ruled out." All this because my daughter had a reaction to the treatment shampoo and my neighbor was a busybody.

wow. #### like this makes me never want to have kids. I'm sorry you had to go through all that bull

 

[luvmygdaughters]

This is another case of the government butting into your home and telling you how to raise your children. When I was a kid, we would disappear on Saturday, after the chores were done and wouldn't come home until dark for dinner. We always had a group of kids that rode bikes, walked to the shopping center, etc. And you cannot convince me that there were not predators in that era...just didn't hear as much about it because we didn't have 225 news channels broadcasting 24/7. If the CPS can threaten to take your child because you let them walk home from school...whats next? Not feeding them the right amount of vegetables, not dressing them in all cotton PJ's. What in the hell would these nosy busybodies do if they came down here and saw amish kids walking alone, working in the fields, working alone at a vegetable stand? Its just ridiculous.

 

[SG_Player1974]

Haaa.... I got one for you!

While stationed up in Maine, one early morning when I got off work, I headed to my base housing to do my normal morning routine. My son was about 4 years old at the time. IT was not-quite winter time (September!!) however, the first snow had arrived. My son had been waiting for me to get home to play in the snow. While just arriving at home and getting changed for a snowy adventure, my son decided to dart out of the front door and start without me. Harmless right?

Not even close!

My "neighbor" saw my son outside without a coat (for approximately 30 seconds at most) and decided to call CPS later that morning! By 1pm I had 2 CPS reps in my house with 1,000 questions. GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT! Was never told who called (although I already knew) and had them in our life for about 6 months! Had to agree to monthly "visitation" to check on his welfare! Agree or go to court was what I was told!

IT got better when, about a year later, I just had to tell her that her husband had been cheating on her while we were deployed!

 

[vraiblonde]

We had CPS called on us once. My daughter contracted ringworm in her scalp. She was under the care of a Dr and a dermatologist and had special shampoo which turned her scalp red. My neighbor saw her at the bus stop and didn't think the Dr was helping her. So she called social services! My husband and I were each interviewed separately, my children were taken from class into a room alone with the caseworker, who didn't even have to prove to the school who they were. They came to the school where I taught, told my principal I was being investigated for child neglect and had me immediately leave my class to go talk with them. Later, I produced detailed Dr's records and the shampoo, and they toured my house. Even after all that, the minimum time for them to close a case is 3 months, during which they could remove my kids from class at any time with no record of who they are. After those three months, we received a standard letter that said report of neglect was "ruled out." All this because my daughter had a reaction to the treatment shampoo and my neighbor was a busybody.

How stupid. Yet if you were some crack whore with a string of bebe daddies CPS wouldn't bat an eyelash. What a crazy world we live in.

 

[lovinmaryland]

No ####ing way I would let me 6 year old walk a god damn mile home. That is freakin ridiculous! These people thought it was ok for their 8 year old to walk home too...look what happened to him http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/n...years-in-killing-of-leiby-kletzky-8.html?_r=0 This is not the same world it was when I was growing up...there are freakin nut bags out there.

 

[lovinmaryland]

Haaa.... I got one for you!

While stationed up in Maine, one early morning when I got off work, I headed to my base housing to do my normal morning routine. My son was about 4 years old at the time. IT was not-quite winter time (September!!) however, the first snow had arrived. My son had been waiting for me to get home to play in the snow. While just arriving at home and getting changed for a snowy adventure, my son decided to dart out of the front door and start without me. Harmless right?

Not even close!

My "neighbor" saw my son outside without a coat (for approximately 30 seconds at most) and decided to call CPS later that morning! By 1pm I had 2 CPS reps in my house with 1,000 questions. GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT! Was never told who called (although I already knew) and had them in our life for about 6 months! Had to agree to monthly "visitation" to check on his welfare! Agree or go to court was what I was told!

IT got better when, about a year later, I just had to tell her that her husband had been cheating on her while we were deployed!

That is awesome!

 

[luvmygdaughters]

How stupid. Yet if you were some crack whore with a string of bebe daddies CPS wouldn't bat an eyelash. What a crazy world we live in.

Aint that the truth! If you're popping out kids every year and getting assistance from the state and federal government...why in the world should you be investigated by CPS. On the other hand, parents who love and take care of their children, live in a beautiful home, the kids are well taken care of...WHAT....YOU LET THEM WALK TO SCHOOL...OH WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU, YOU ABUSER YOU.

 

[vraiblonde]

No ####ing way I would let me 6 year old walk a god damn mile home. That is freakin ridiculous! These people thought it was ok for their 8 year old to walk home too...look what happened to him http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/n...years-in-killing-of-leiby-kletzky-8.html?_r=0 This is not the same world it was when I was growing up...there are freakin nut bags out there.

The odds of a kid getting swiped up are statistically insignificant - the most likely killer of children by far is their own parents and they are significantly more likely to die in an accident than any other way. Stranger abduction should be the least of our worries when it comes to our kids because it happens so rarely, yet for some reason it gets played up in the media like it happens all the time.

If these parents thought their 6 and 10 year old were responsible enough to walk home from school together, then that should be their right. They shouldn't be threatened by CPS for something so ridiculous.

 

[kwillia]

The odds of a kid getting swiped up are statistically insignificant - the most likely killer of children by far is their own parents and they are significantly more likely to die in an accident than any other way. Stranger abduction should be the least of our worries when it comes to our kids because it happens so rarely, yet for some reason it gets played up in the media like it happens all the time.

If these parents thought their 6 and 10 year old were responsible enough to walk home from school together, then that should be their right. They shouldn't be threatened by CPS for something so ridiculous.

I completely agree.

 

[lucky_bee]

No ####ing way I would let me 6 year old walk a god damn mile home. That is freakin ridiculous! These people thought it was ok for their 8 year old to walk home too...look what happened to him http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/n...years-in-killing-of-leiby-kletzky-8.html?_r=0 This is not the same world it was when I was growing up...there are freakin nut bags out there.

Agreeing with Kwillia and Vrai.

Also there's also a huge difference between letting your 6 yo walk the mile alone, and letting them walk it with their 10 yo sibling. I would have no problem allowing that pair to walk home, I think I'd wait on the 6 yo for a bit though.

 

[Ken King]

I would not let a 6 year old walk home these days for this exact reason. All it takes is for someone to contact the police and you end up being investigated by police and CPS, which takes months, even if the reason turns out to be unfounded. Since the law in their area states "children younger than 8 must be left with a reliable person who is at least 13 years old" I would wait until the youngest turned 8.

That isn't quite correct. Those age limits are specifically for unattended children locked or confined in a dwelling, building, enclosure, or motor vehicle. The only restriction for children roaming about seems to be if the parent is being accused of neglect. The law defines "Neglect" as the leaving of a child unattended or other failure to give proper care and attention to a child by any parent or other person who has permanent or temporary care or custody or responsibility for supervision of the child under circumstances that indicate:
(1) that the child's health or welfare is harmed or placed at substantial risk of harm; or
(2) mental injury to the child or a substantial risk of mental injury.

And that law also defines "child" as any individual under the age of 18 years.

I think that there would have to be more to the story to show that the children were somehow harmed or at risk of harm to consider this a neglect case.

 

[lovinmaryland]

The odds of a kid getting swiped up are statistically insignificant - the most likely killer of children by far is their own parents and they are significantly more likely to die in an accident than any other way. Stranger abduction should be the least of our worries when it comes to our kids because it happens so rarely, yet for some reason it gets played up in the media like it happens all the time.

If these parents thought their 6 and 10 year old were responsible enough to walk home from school together, then that should be their right. They shouldn't be threatened by CPS for something so ridiculous.

I completely agree.

Agreeing with Kwillia and Vrai.

Also there's also a huge difference between letting your 6 yo walk the mile alone, and letting them walk it with their 10 yo sibling. I would have no problem allowing that pair to walk home, I think I'd wait on the 6 yo for a bit though.

If those kids wouldve gotten kidnapped, hit by a car, whatever everyone would be singing a different tune. 6 years old is a kindergartner for petes sake!

 

[ICit]

How stupid. Yet if you were some crack whore with a string of bebe daddies CPS wouldn't bat an eyelash. What a crazy world we live in.

how true.

 

[itsbob]

If those kids wouldve gotten kidnapped, hit by a car, whatever everyone would be singing a different tune. 6 years old is a kindergartner for petes sake!

Probability and risk.. Hit by a car? Only if the parents didn't teach them how to cross a street (there was a 10 year old too).. or a drunk driver runs up on the sidewalk VERY low probability of either..

Kidnapped? Really? Might as well of said drowning in a Tsunami in North Dakota.. Probability is beyond ludicrous speed..

Basically, a 10 year old and a 6 year old of which we have no idea of their maturity level.

I was 10 my parents never knew where I was until the sun went down..

6th Grade (that would be 11 I believe) I would ride my bike over 6 miles down to Puget Sound where the Ferry landed from McNeil Island to go fishing.. or I'd ride my bike god knows how far to go fishing in some far off lake or pond.. Broke my shoulder (clavicle to be more correct) on the way to the Ferry landing and my parents weren't aware of it until I got home that night.. cast underhand all day because it was too painful to cast overhand.. We'd play Cat and Mouse with the local game wardens, fishing in "off limits" areas (like the docks) or the earthen dams on the fishing ponds. Warden would catch us, scold us, and send us on our way.. to do it again somewhere else that same afternoon.. I think he was smart enough to realize.. Kids fishing, outside is a good thing.. we'll look the other way over the little annoyances of fishing in off limit areas..

Give kids free reign, ability to make decisions.. and you'll be amazed at how they do.. DON'T and you'll also be amazed at what kind of adult you get.