Earlier quoted context omitted.
Its funny, because I see young-ish kids alone or in small groups walking around all the time in Brooklyn. Between 2:30 and 4:00 PM the sidewalks around my apartment are choked with unaccompanied kids.
I live in Manhattan and my wife and I just had our first kid a few weeks ago. We've been talking about it for months now, but we want our kid to have that kind of independence and familiarity with the city. On one hand it's good for their development and on another hand it just seems practical that they be able to navigate the city on their own for safety reasons. I've offended a lot of suburban friends and family th…
Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
491–500 of 763 posts
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#492Earlier quoted context omitted.
I thought the same.. but who knows, in all serious, maybe the woman feared someone would accuse her of attempted kidnapping.
And that is the another "modern" problem. I live in a semi-rural village, with 5km to the nearest town. If a teenage child was walking in between them (say they're bike was broken down) and I drive past: 1. I'd think if I stop and offer to pick them up, they might think I'm a potential pedophile/kidnapper. So I'm reticent. 2. They would think, as they likely have been trained, if they put out a hand and ask for a lif…
I’ve been preaching for years that “stranger danger” has done massive harm to society, far far more harm than the bad actors they’re trying to save us from would have done.
Teaching children that all people are inherently bad and you should be afraid of anyone you don’t know sets the tone for how they are going to relate to other people for the rest of their lives.
In my experience most people are good and helpful, I’ve had far far more people be kind to me than harmful or malicious.
Mr. Rogers taught me to “look for the helpers” and that also told me that there are always good people out there who are trustworthy. We need to go back to that.
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#493The only thing is the gofundme page linked in the article.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/restore-money-lost-after-wrongful...
An that plea links back to the Reason article.
There's a big overlap between the plea on that page and the Reason article.
It's possible there's more going on here than meets the eye.
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#494Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Yes, but what's their incentive to do so? Not only that, they have a reverse incentive: Say something bad happens to that kid, now the cops will be on the hook for letting them alone. The real problem is that the fabric of society is mostly gone. In years past, those cops would be chewed out by the old ladies at church the next Sunday. No wonder there is such a backlash building up in conservative areas of the coun…
False. Police have zero duty to protect anyone, per the Supreme Court.
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#495In my twice-the-size European city, kids walk twice that distance to school and back home again, alone. Every. Single. Day. If this place isn't safe enough for kids to walk by themselves, maybe the question should be raised whether the police and municipal government really is doing their job the way they're supposed to.
The thing is that the US has much greater freedoms than Europe, after all, we did fight for them. It's every US citizens understanding that with greater freedoms come greater responsibilities to raise children to be future leaders. This can't happen if a child is mowed down in a driveby or if they accidentally trip over while walking.
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#496Earlier quoted context omitted.
In Switzerland you'd get called by the teacher if you don't let your kid walk by itself to kindergarten, because independence and learning and all.
We just moved to Sweden from Missouri; yesterday I picked up our 3yo from daycare and had this exchange: Kid: Teacher: Oh, by the way, he fell out of a small tree today, he was climbing and fell, so he may have a small bruise, just so you are aware Me: Oh ok. What tree? Teacher: Oh we took them to and grilled hot dogs today! Kid: I found a snail!
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#497I am not going to let my 8 year old walking alone, even in a safe neighborhood. You never know what is going to happen. If the bad 0.0001% happens, you will only live the rest of your life in regret and pain.
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#498Earlier quoted context omitted.
See, with rugged individualism the consumer needs to be on the watch for the brands that might kill them and just vote with their wallet. Why would we regulate something when the free market will do the regulating? This parent was not exercising their responsibility as an individual to watch out for anything and everything that might hurt their child, in the US that is illegal because the free market ideology rules a…
What on earth are you going on about? Please elaborate.
Cops think the neighborhood is dangerous for kids because of sex trafficking? Arrest parents for allowing kids outside instead of stopping the sex trafficking.
Consumers get harmed and workers get taken advantage of by corporations? Vote with your wallet instead of actually regulating companies.
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#499>A woman one block away had called the cops to report a boy walking outside alone. That lady had actually asked Aiden where he lived, verified that it was just down the street, and proceeded to call nonetheless. The cops picked up Aiden on his own block. this is the real problem here. who in their right mind calls the cops on a kid walking around his own neighborhood?
Re: Mom handcuffed, jailed for 8-year-old son walking half a mile
#500In my twice-the-size European city, kids walk twice that distance to school and back home again, alone. Every. Single. Day. If this place isn't safe enough for kids to walk by themselves, maybe the question should be raised whether the police and municipal government really is doing their job the way they're supposed to.