Does this get on your nerves too?

Question

I was at a restaurant today,and as I was sitting their with my hubby and daughter I watched a 4-5 year old girl go in and out of the front doors unattended.Her parents were not even watching her!! I tried to keep my eye on her,and make sure no one grabbed her.I see this all the time.You go to wal mart and people just walk around in another world while their kids are two aisles ahead.It would only take a pervert about 5 minutes and those kids would be gone and it would be the parents fault.Has anyone else noticed this?Have you ever said anything to one of them?I did once and the parent looked at me like I was the stupid one.

Answer 1

Yes I have noticed this, the sad part of all this is if something does happen to the child then the parent will sue and win. When it is there fault for not watching their kids.

Answer 2

Oh I went to a restaurant at a strip mall in a busy city right next to the highway and all of a sudden this 5 year old girl walks by the had to have come from the Wal-Mart at least 300 feet away and no one was even with her. There wasn't much I could do but it really scared me that there was a little girl walking around by herself, my mom didn't see her though otherwise she might have done something.

Answer 3

Oh my God, I was at the mall the other day and I saw this family together.  They had a little girl about 6 years old with them.  The parents were looking straight ahead and walked into a store.  The little girl ran off to some amusement stuff in the walkway and the parents didn't even notice!  I watched her for a full five minutes before they came out to look for her.  I wish I could have yelled at them for such bad parenting.

Answer 4

I have seen these things soo much! I cant stand it. I was in the supermarket this morning with my girls and I let them walk a couple feet ahead where I can see them and call them back if they get too far. I saw a young boy about 5 or 6 alone in many aisles following us. I finally asked him where his parents were and he said his mom told him to 'go get lost around the store for a while, you are bugging me'. I was entirely appauled!!! So I had him find his mother with me, I returned him to her and I gave her a loud talking to. Her husband came back (i guess he was in some other area or something) and asked what was going on and I told him and he looked at his wife like he was disgusted and he should be! He took over the cart and walked away with his son in hand. She then started yelling at me and getting in my face and I told her to back off and learn to be a parent.

Things like that drive me insane.

Answer 5

OMG it is amazing in todays world what we see parents do and most of the time its not the young parents but older ones  i have seen kids in the front seat not buckled  running around the store unattended   i have gone to the watchdog website put in our address and pulled up all the sexual preditors and showed my kids how close the live to us the schools and then ask them "Now where do you think they shop, eat,  etc?"   and explain that is why they need to stay with us in the store

Answer 6

You bet this gets on my nerves.  I do not have any children of my own yet but I have many friends from the Mexican culture who do exactly what you are describing about not watching their children.  I have some long-time family friends whose oldest daughter had a quinceañera a couple of years ago that I attended.  While at this event, one of the younger children in the family, a two-year-old, was climbing some metal railings.  Other friends and family who had come to celebrate the joyous occasion were talking amongst themselves and watching her climb rather than actually being responsible and saying something like, "No, no.  You must not climb on the railings.  That's very dangerous."  I love these children as if they were my own and I care about their safety.  In case you are wondering where the parents of this child were, they were teaching their oldest daughter a traditional dance that the girl was required to participate in.  I never thought of saying anything to the parents about watching their children.  I figured that since this mom had five kids, she knew how to be responsible.

Answer 7

That upsets me so much.  I have never been so mad about someone elses child till last year.  This little boy who is in kindergarten his sister brings him to the bus stop, they live 11 houses down from us.  I dont really know them I said Hi and tell them to have a good day.  One morning I got my son on the bus and there was a knock at the door. It was this girl and boy, the sister 7th grade asked if the bus has gone, I told her yes she was scared cause her brother missed the bus. I told her to get her mom to take him to school she said she is sleeping I said get your dad and she said she is sleeping. I said WAKE THEM UP.  She said they will be mad. So I opened my mouth and said if they cant take me I will. She came back and said Mom said it was ok for you to take him to school.  OH MY GOSH I DID NOT KNOW THESE PEOPLE.  Well I had the sister write his name down and I took him to school.  He is so sweet we were talking at toys on the way to school.  I  know everyone at school and they knew I was mad.  I told them the parents were sleeping and could not bring him to school.  I was mad.  Ok  when he was getting off the bus, I guess one of the kids my sitter was sitting he was in 4th would walk this kid home cause there was no one at the bus stop and he would just stand there.  One day I was off work and it happened.  I walked him home he could not get in cause the door k**b was broken.  We knocked and knocked well I called the school and then i was going to call the police.  Then the door opened and the mother said she was in the shower.  Bull   She was sleeping.  So the school got in contact with the parents.  One day I gave him gloves, I gave the sister a coat.  The school said I was a guardian angel.  I am not that.  The day that lady came to the door I wanted to choke her.  The sister 7th grade is doing everything that lazy mother should do.  It just breaks my heart.  I pray for their safety.

Answer 8

The MOST horrifying/shocking one I've personally seen was at Target. There was a shopping cart in the main aisle with NO ONE but a BEAUTIFUL little girl who was probably only 18-24 months in the seat, sitting there just smiling... I have three little kids of my own so being the maternal nut I am, I started to look for ANY adult nearby, there was literally NO ONE, and I checked up and down three or four nearby aisles, so I stood there basically to watch the baby and an employee walked up and asked if she was my baby. I told her that no, and I can't find anyone nearby... the employee walked around the nearby aisles and FINALLY found the "mother" of this poor little girl. She was looking at some cheap plastic purses and the opposite end of the aisle she left the cart on (and there was TONS of room for the cart to fit through, so she had no excuse whatsoever)...

What's more, after the employee walked away the STUPID negligent cow left the baby AGAIN to go look at more cheap c**p!!!

Next time, if no one is around, not only to keep the baby safe, but to SCARE the c**p out of the parent, I will probably take the cart and wheel the baby to an employee so at least someone is watching them! I just couldn't believe ANYONE in our day and age would just leave their precious little baby unattended like that!!!

Add: When I've taken my kids to stores, the furthest I've gone is maybe 5 feet from the cart, and even that feels TOOOOO far... we just live in a sick world and you can't ever be too careful anymore!

Answer 9

YES!  We were shopping this week and a 5/6 yo was following us around talking to my 6yo daughter.  After about 5 minutes, I asked him where his mom was and we went and found her.  The Mom just laughed and said that she didn't even notice he wasn't with her! WTF?!?!  I could of easily walked out of the store with him.

I have also seen this at my childrens' sports games/practices. Young kids/toddlers wondering around unsupervised.  I don't know what people are thinking any more.