Jump to content

Madeleine Mccann Missing Girl


Recommended Posts

Rubbish. My son is now 6 but he started playing outside with his friends a few summers ago and would have only been 4. On saying that I think I spent the whole time at one of the house windows to keep an eye on him and actually found him playing outside quite stressful. He knew exactly where he was allowed to go, indeed he still has the same boundaries. If the children he is playing with go outwith his boundary he just comes back into the house.

You don't have to be alongside your child in order to supervise them - I am always aware of where he is even when he is outside (probably because of the noise).

Sorry, but that is what I mean, you can see them ;) I certainly would not let my 4 year old out on a street, whether I thought it was a safe neighbourhood or not, its a street which are for vehicles.

There is no way a 4 year old, no matter how bright, is able to be safe on a street without being at fairly high risk that I do not think is worth taking no matter if he/she gains some extra social skills.

With the element of being smothered while being monitored, that is what gardens, nursery and parks etc are for in my eyes, play with friends while being in a more safer environemt for learning and gaining confidence, rather than no-one watching but other kids!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no way a 4 year old, no matter how bright, is able to be safe on a street without being at fairly high risk that I do not think is worth taking no matter if he/she gains some extra social skills!

How is a 4 year old a fairly high risk on a street?Are all streets the same?When are they not a high risk when they are 5,6,7,8 etc.?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I certainly would not let my 4 year old out on a street, whether I thought it was a safe neighbourhood or not, its a street which are for vehicles.

Where we are there are no cars - we have houses facing us on both sides. Grassy area in front of the house. My friend lives on the end house behind us with a lane between our back garden and hers. The kids are allowed in front of my house, on the lane and in front of her house thus one of us can see them at all times. The only time they are near cars is when they run round from the front of our house to the lane but this is only a car park and they don't generally play on that part of the pavement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The parents are both around 38-39 - with the kids being 4 and the twins are 2. These are people that will have led their whole lives being able to go out and do what they want when they want to with plenty of disposable income (both doctors).

I had my children when i was 22 and 24 - my wife and I never really got much of a chance to get into a habit of going out and enjoying ourselves before my wife got pregnant, going on holiday in the early years with two young kids was a nightmare, we spent 2 weeks in Portugal that were the worst couple of weeks of our lives, it was no holiday to have. Not once did we ever consider, we will leave them for an hour, it is not something that enters your head.

If you had a good number of years getting used to doing what you wanted though, is it something people could be tempted into doing, I see little point taking 3 under 5's on holiday myself, but these people obviously thought they can leave them while they go for a drink, it obviously wasnt the first time that its happened, no doubt someone was looking and seeing what they were doing.

Whatever happens, the parents are guilty of child neglect and should face charges, as harsh as it sounds, I suspect because of their stature, they will not. If someone from Easterhouse did the same they would be hung out to dry by the media. I feel desperately sorry for the parents, but they have to accept a large proportion of the blame for their actions.

Agree MarreZ.

Sam, no one is saying you can watch your kids 24/7, however there is a huge difference in watching them 24/7 and doing everything obviously reasonable to care for them as a parent should.

As much as you disagree with Steven, he his probably being quite direct in his wording, however IMO he is not saying anything that is not warranted.

Perhaps when you are older and/if you have children you might agree?

Totally agree with these two posts.

Hope they find the little girl, but I also hope the parents are charged with negect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure that I'm trying to defend their decision to leave their children alone, but I strongly disagree with this sense of morality that Steven is displaying on this thread. Plenty of people leave their children home alone, without bothering to check up on them. Plenty of people let their children play in the street until 11pm without bothering to check up on them. Whilst the fact that so many people do these things doesn't make it right, it does - in my opinion - make it harsh to judge these particular people so severely.

I have followed the story, and whilst having no real strong opinion on their choice to leave their children in the (locked) room alone whilst they ate out close by, I feel an overwhelming sense of sympathy for the situation they now find themselves in. I don't think it's very appropriate to be passing judgement on here and sticking the knife in like certain posters have done. Children are abducted in their own homes, whilst their parents are there with them. Children are sexually assaulted in their own home, whilst their parents are there with them.

It is incredibly difficult to avoid bad things happening, in my opinion.

Yes I agree bad things will always happen no-matter what we do but we have to take everything precaution to make sure they don't happen. They shouldn't have left them alone and no matter how much you argue the case it wont change the fact they they were negligent in their roles as parents.

Edited by Steven
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just got back from Venice this afternoon, me, my wife and the two kids (7 and 10).

I read this discussion with very mixed feelings.

Whilst it seems insane in hindsight to do this, this was not an uncommon practice years back- at Butlins, for example.

I've never done it-the missus would have a fit at me even suggesting such a thing, but it seems to me that baying for the blood of the parents shows a complete lack of understanding as to how any parent will be feeling in a situation like this. I can't bring myself to think about it too much.

The only point in prosecuting them would be a "pour encourager les autres" approach.

And frankly, any parent that finds the notion of losing their child less frightening than being prosecuted for neglect is a lost cause anyway.

At the risk of stating the obvious, I really hope she's alright.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As bad as it is that a wee girl has gone missing, what the hell were the parents playing at??

Find myself pretty much agreeing with the above post.

Whilst I don't have kids, I really can't understand why anyone with an ounce of common sense would leave three weans under the age of four alone in a hotel room.

They were checking on them 'every half hour' - so that's okay then? :blink:

Young kids can end up very ill, very quickly.

I can't understand why people who have kids subsequently act as if they're childless. If you're not prepared to take on the responsibility, then don't have kids.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Find myself pretty much agreeing with the above post.

Whilst I don't have kids, I really can't understand why anyone with an ounce of common sense would leave three weans under the age of four alone in a hotel room.

They were checking on them 'every half hour' - so that's okay then? :blink:

Young kids can end up very ill, very quickly.

I can't understand why people who have kids subsequently act as if they're childless. If you're not prepared to take on the responsibility, then don't have kids.

Agree 100% sadly SaintSam dosent seem to understand this despite her vast experience of life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whilst it seems insane in hindsight to do this, this was not an uncommon practice years back- at Butlins, for example.

Times are different now though mate.

Our generation's parents had a community spirit that seems to be sadly lacking at the moment.

Every adult on our street looked out for the kids, that just doesn't happen these days.

Some pathetic arguing going on on this thread by the looks of it, let's just hope the lassie is safe and well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest The Phoenix
Some pathetic arguing going on on this thread by the looks of it, let's just hope the lassie is safe and well.

Who arguing? That type of statement is arrogant and uncalled for.

It's called expressing different points of view.

I don't think anyone will, however "pathetically argue" with your last statement.

Edited by The Phoenix
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest The Phoenix
Pathetic point scoring then. Would that be a better some of the posts?

Nope. :P

I think this type of situation is always going to arouse some strong reaction and the fact that SaintSam is totally in the wrong is beside the point. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this type of situation is always going to arouse some strong reaction and the fact that SaintSam is totally in the wrong is beside the point. ;)

I agree with some of Sam's points though. Children are never 100% safe, regardless of where they are.

To me, the main difference between now and when I was young is people looked out for each other. Whether at home, work, holiday or wherever.

People are too bloody selfish these days and only think of themselves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where was I slagging you? you simply cant accept that you are maybe losing the argument with me can you?

Not at all.

I think you are being harsh on the parents and have explained my reasons for it. You think your behaviour (which is a lot more severe than people who are as strongly opinionated on this as you are) is perfectly reasonable. I'm happy to accept that.

I don't really care about "winning" arguments. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest The Phoenix
I agree with some of Sam's points though. Children are never 100% safe, regardless of where they are.

To me, the main difference between now and when I was young is people looked out for each other. Whether at home, work, holiday or wherever.

People are too bloody selfish these days and only think of themselves.

I'll concede that point to her but anyone who stops short of agreeing that young children should never be left alone in an "Algarve type scenario" should be neutered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with some of Sam's points though. Children are never 100% safe, regardless of where they are.

That is my whole point here - obviously parents can take extra measures to ensure their childs safety (which most people on this thread believe these parents failed to do on this occasion, and that's fair enough) but children are never 100% safe.

It's not a bad point to note either, that when you tuck your children up in bed at night, and then leave them in a room seperate to yours, unsupervised for six/seven hours whilst you both sleep, someone could easily break into your house and snatch them without you ever knowing about it. As I said previously on the thread, where there's a will, there's a way.

I think the way these parents are being spoken about by certain posters on here is extremely harsh. Like Phoenix says - its these people who will have to live with that mistake for the rest of their lives, there's no point in ramming the point home and accusing them of being bad parents, or indeed unfit to care for their children when there are a lot of real bad parents in this world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...