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People need to let their kids out more, but common, a 3 year old at an intersection? That's not what this thread is about. Even in your story you were trying to

People need to let their kids out more, but common, a 3 year old at an intersection? That's not what this thread is about. Even in your story you were trying to supervise them and weren't far behind.

midoridensha 4y ago
It IS what this thread is about. His 3yo was out of sight (not by much, and was accompanied by his older siblings), and that was enough to get some busybodies to criticize his parenting. It's part of the same problem: that in America today, parents are considered "neglectful" if their children are out of their sight for even a minute. Heck, parents have had CPS and police visits just for letting their kids play in their fenced-in back yards!
- DigiDigiorno 4y ago
  Again, the fact that he was actually just out of sight IS what makes this situation fine. Without this fact, putting the supervision responsibility of road safety of a 3-year-old solely on a 5 and 7-year-old is unfair to them all. But that isn't what happened, he was literally there. I think all parties seem reasonable in the scenario. Supervision is not an all-or-nothing thing. When someone calls the cops on your 10 year-old climbing a tree in your front yard or the neighborhood woods (let alone in your fenced-in back yard), that is ridiculous. But, there is a problem when you equivocate a toddler on a public road and a grade-schooler playing outside. One is able to stumble into problems and solve them while building confidence--the other just learned it's name and how to put on their shoes and pedal the bike. Like, all 3-year-olds are different, perhaps his was closer to 4. Perhaps they were developmentally way ahead of their peers. Perhaps this was the most rural quiet and safe road ever. But without knowing that extra stuff, I think it is reasonable to voice your concern after finding a 3 year old on a road without real supervision.

People need to let their kids out more, but common, a 3 year old at an intersection? That's not what this thread is about. Even in your story you were trying to supervise them and weren't far behind.

midoridensha 4y ago

It IS what this thread is about. His 3yo was out of sight (not by much, and was accompanied by his older siblings), and that was enough to get some busybodies to criticize his parenting. It's part of the same problem: that in America today, parents are considered "neglectful" if their children are out of their sight for even a minute. Heck, parents have had CPS and police visits just for letting their kids play in their fenced-in back yards!

DigiDigiorno 4y ago
Again, the fact that he was actually just out of sight IS what makes this situation fine. Without this fact, putting the supervision responsibility of road safety of a 3-year-old solely on a 5 and 7-year-old is unfair to them all. But that isn't what happened, he was literally there. I think all parties seem reasonable in the scenario. Supervision is not an all-or-nothing thing. When someone calls the cops on your 10 year-old climbing a tree in your front yard or the neighborhood woods (let alone in your fenced-in back yard), that is ridiculous. But, there is a problem when you equivocate a toddler on a public road and a grade-schooler playing outside. One is able to stumble into problems and solve them while building confidence--the other just learned it's name and how to put on their shoes and pedal the bike. Like, all 3-year-olds are different, perhaps his was closer to 4. Perhaps they were developmentally way ahead of their peers. Perhaps this was the most rural quiet and safe road ever. But without knowing that extra stuff, I think it is reasonable to voice your concern after finding a 3 year old on a road without real supervision.