This sounds like terrible parenting to me. > can't get off the phone for 1 minute to get your kid off the bus, and the mom is holding heavy groceries the whole

This sounds like terrible parenting to me. > can't get off the phone for 1 minute to get your kid off the bus, and the mom is holding heavy groceries the whole time too > kid not only gets away with saying "I'm going and that's final!" but the mom takes her anyway > sleepover at a complete stranger's house she's never been to > "sleepover essentials" of several different dolls and pillows handed to the other parent > pepper spray? for a child?! > kid bolts into a house they've never been to Maybe I'm being too harsh, but I'm a parent and I find every one of these things to be a massive red flag.