Here's Your MetroCard Kid

[deanws]

Call me over protective but I could not do it either.

No, I don't think you are overprotective, I think you have good judgment. This is nuts!

 

[jannuncutt]

Why, because I don't believe everything I read on the internet? Especially when the article is dated April 1st? :crazy:

It is not a joke. The mother, son and a psychiatrist were featured in a segment of the Today Show this morning. I watched it.

 

[sherri79]

LOL, okay Sherri...you win this round.

I emailed Lenore and she got back to me and said it wasn't a joke.

I got burnt another internet April Fool's joke so excuse me if I'm a little hesitant to believe something posted on that day.

told you i am right. when will men learn.:crazy: this mother is a idiot and proud of it i think. i hope you told her what great mother she is after she said she was serious. :furious: i do wish i was wrong. i hate to think of a child raised by a mother with so little regard for their safety but with so much love of her cell phone.

 

[Paladin]

It is not a joke. The mother, son and a psychiatrist were featured in a segment of the Today Show this morning. I watched it.

Thanks for the update. I just went straight to the source and asked her.

I don't know what to think.

 

[Paladin]

told you i am right. when will men learn.:crazy: this mother is a idiot and proud of it i think. i hope you told her what great mother she is after she said she was serious. :furious: i do wish i was wrong. i hate to think of a child raised by a mother with so little regard for their safety but with so much love of her cell phone.

It's not your kid, so why worry about it?

Oh I forgot, this is Websleuths, where's it okay to parent other peoples' children, since we're all perfect here.

</sarcasm>

 

[sherri79]

It's not your kid, so why worry about it?

Oh I forgot, this is Websleuths, where's it okay to parent other peoples' children, since we're all perfect here.

</sarcasm>

i am far from a perfect parent. i do not protect my cell phone and endanger my child. i do feel free to judge any parent that shows to little concern for their child's safety. i do not think protecting children from harm ends only with those that spring from my womb.

 

[JBean]

Well how far was this? I would have totally done this when I was 9. As a matter of fact I did.
Gosh I let my then 13 yo find his way all the way to Sacramento one year for a wrestling tournament. he had to take a couple trains and busses with his friend and it was a turning point in his life. he mapped the whole thing out and figured everything himself including arranging for a coach pick him up at the bus station on the other end.
I guess I have to understand how far this was and what danger was involved.

 

[Paladin]

Well how far was this? I would have totally done this when I was 9. As a matter of fact I did.
Gosh I let my then 13 yo find his way all the way to Sacramento one year for a wrestling tournament. he had to take a couple trains and busses with his friend and it was a turning point in his life. he mapped the whole thing out and figured everything himself including arranging for a coach pick him up at the bus station on the other end.
I guess I have to understand how far this was and what danger was involved.

Amazing what some indepedence and confidence will do for a kid, right? Was it a huge risk? You bet, but with risk comes reward. Your kid and Lenore's kid will probably go farther in life having learned this lesson.

 

[Clearly Confused]

Well how far was this? I would have totally done this when I was 9. As a matter of fact I did.
Gosh I let my then 13 yo find his way all the way to Sacramento one year for a wrestling tournament. he had to take a couple trains and busses with his friend and it was a turning point in his life. he mapped the whole thing out and figured everything himself including arranging for a coach pick him up at the bus station on the other end.
I guess I have to understand how far this was and what danger was involved.

When I was 9 we rode the trolley all the time but that was a different time. At 13, with some friends, mapping out before leaving I might try it but not at 9 and alone. I make my 7 yr old carry walkie-talkies to walk half way up the block (yes, we talk the entire time he is walking) to knock for his friends. I am way to scared of the freaks that are out there. We had a 78 yr old man down the street that was molesting 13 yr old for over 3 yrs.

 

[JBean]

Amazing what some indepedence and confidence will do for a kid, right? Was it a huge risk? You bet, but with risk comes reward. Your kid and Lenore's kid will probably go farther in life having learned this lesson.

I have to say this son is going to be 23 this year and he travels everywhere. He is extremely independent and quite successful. he traveled literally around the world his junior year in college.He was with a group, but he had to make all his own arrangements and handle everything.

 

[JBean]

When I was 9 we rode the trolley all the time but that was a different time. At 13, with some friends, mapping out before leaving I might try it but not at 9 and alone. I make my 7 yr old carry walkie-talkies to walk half way up the block (yes, we talk the entire time he is walking) to knock for his friends. I am way to scared of the freaks that are out there. We had a 78 yr old man down the street that was molesting 13 yr old for over 3 yrs.

I wonder if he was at all familiar with what he was doing.If he had done this before supervised and at least knew what questions to ask and how to function in the subway, bus or train system, I am not sure this is so awful.

 

[Clearly Confused]

I wonder if he was at all familiar with what he was doing.If he had done this before supervised and at least knew what questions to ask and how to function in the subway, bus or train system, I am not sure this is so awful.

I just don't think I could do it. I would be sick the entire time. I know I am over protective but nine in NY...not my kid. I do believe my child would have no problem walking around alone asking how to get home without being scared for a second as I am puking from worry.

 

[lynie]

Anyone allowing their children to go to public schools today has to question themselves. it's not safe out there, let alone a metro ride.

Really now.....

Lynie

 

[ceeaura]

IMO when a child still needs a babysitter and at 9 a child does then that is too young to be dropped off to find your own way home.

There are better and safer ways to teach a 9 yearold indepedence and confidence.No matter the reward the risk is much greater.My child(ren) saftey comes first.

 

[colomom]

I have to say this son is going to be 23 this year and he travels everywhere. He is extremely independent and quite successful. he traveled literally around the world his junior year in college.He was with a group, but he had to make all his own arrangements and handle everything.

23....that sounds about right....

 

[JBean]

IMO when a child still needs a babysitter and at 9 a child does then that is too young to be dropped off to find your own way home.

There are better and safer ways to teach a 9 yearold indepedence and confidence.No matter the reward the risk is much greater.My child(ren) saftey comes first.

This is a good point. If the child still needs a sitter at 9, then yes I agree you shouldn't let them do things like this.
A lot depends on the child. Couple of my kids I think I could have done this no problem. But a couple of the other ones probably would have gotten into some trouble on the way home, if they even made it home, and I probably wouldn't have allowed it.

 

[JBean]

23....that sounds about right....

Well he was only 20 when he went around the world. As a matter of fact he celebrated his 21st birthday in Viet Nam! Now THAT was worrisome.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I have a friend whose 10 year old son took it upon himself to visit his father's place of employment in Philadelphia. So he boarded a bus to the speedline in New Jersey and well I am not sure how to do it...but anyway, he made it there.

His dad was not in the office and his secretary made him call his mother. He was so proud of himself, the secretary told her...till the *advertiser censored* whooping he got!

I would NEVER NEVER let mine do that.

 

[GlitchWizard]

Anyone allowing their children to go to public schools today has to question themselves. it's not safe out there, let alone a metro ride.

I don't have a choice but to send my kid to public school. She is smarter than me and I can't homeschool her anymore. I do think it's unsafe and I do question it.

However...

I flew from Florida to Indiana and back at 4 years old. (and 5, and 6, etc.) Mom paid full fare for first class with the understanding that I'd be escorted safely from plane to plane.

It wasn't until recently that she learned I was always the first off the plane and would take my ticket to a ticket counter (didn't matter which airline) and they'd put me on the next flight closer to my destination. Sometimes I even took a bus instead of a commuter flight when it was a short distance (Chicago to Indianapolis.) I'd just call Grandma when I got there to come get me.

Independant little bugger, I was.

 

[NewMom2003]

IMO when a child still needs a babysitter and at 9 a child does then that is too young to be dropped off to find your own way home.

There are better and safer ways to teach a 9 yearold indepedence and confidence.No matter the reward the risk is much greater.My child(ren) saftey comes first.

I agree with this.

I'm all for teaching a child confidence and independence, but what this woman did could have easily turned out very badly. I never would do something like that.