DrumNFeather
05-28-2015, 09:58 AM
Since this is a local situation (for me), it has garnered some national attention as well:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/26/living/feat-maryland-free-range-parents-child-neglect/
Essentially, these parents are being investigated for child neglect (they've been cleared of one charge) for, during the winter, allowing their kids (10 and 6) to walk to and from a playground a mile away from their home in Silver Spring, Maryland alone without any supervision. In separate instances, the children were picked up by the police and taken home, sparking an phone call into CPS and a formal investigation into neglect and endangerment.
This has sparked quite a debate here locally lately, so I thought I'd put it to the group.
One thing I will say is that when we go out West to visit family, and things are a little bit more relaxed, I have a difficult time adjusting because I'm used to being out here where people just don't let their kids out of their site (Myself included: 6, 5, 2).
It's been interesting to hear the debates from locals here, because, much like them I rode my bike everywhere around the town I grew up in, sometimes several miles away from the house. For better or worse, you just don't see that these days.
Some have blamed the media for "fear mongering" and making it seem like kids are not safe these days, when apparently the statistics state otherwise. Anyways, interesting discussion.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/26/living/feat-maryland-free-range-parents-child-neglect/
Essentially, these parents are being investigated for child neglect (they've been cleared of one charge) for, during the winter, allowing their kids (10 and 6) to walk to and from a playground a mile away from their home in Silver Spring, Maryland alone without any supervision. In separate instances, the children were picked up by the police and taken home, sparking an phone call into CPS and a formal investigation into neglect and endangerment.
This has sparked quite a debate here locally lately, so I thought I'd put it to the group.
One thing I will say is that when we go out West to visit family, and things are a little bit more relaxed, I have a difficult time adjusting because I'm used to being out here where people just don't let their kids out of their site (Myself included: 6, 5, 2).
It's been interesting to hear the debates from locals here, because, much like them I rode my bike everywhere around the town I grew up in, sometimes several miles away from the house. For better or worse, you just don't see that these days.
Some have blamed the media for "fear mongering" and making it seem like kids are not safe these days, when apparently the statistics state otherwise. Anyways, interesting discussion.