Parents board flight, forget toddler at airport

[angelmom]

I would normally be completely unforgiving of these parents, b/c I know how often my DH and I check with each other to be sure of where the kids are, BUT after reading in this latest link that the dad asked the flight attendant how many people were with his family in the back of the plane and she assured him there were six; then she went back and spoke with his family...I can see how he thought the little boy was with them. You'd think the flight attendant would have either said she wasn't sure or made sure before the plane took off!

I would have been physically ill the whole time waiting to be reunited with my child. What a nightmare! But stories like this are partly why I'm such a homebody and would never move to a foreign country with a toddler in tow in the first place!

 

[pixies]

Bad parenting? YES!
A mistake? yeah.

Regardless of this being a mistake, We travel to another country with our 4 kids (5 with our latest) and parenting 101 tells us that we should make sure beyond any doubt where the kids are! We do not accept strangers telling us our kids are OK without actually seeing the kids ourselves. That is just how WE do it because we love our kids more than anything in this world and we take our "jobs" as parenting these little beings seriously.

This dad failed his kid! Accident or not. (This mother did too!)
I pray this little child does not have issues later on because of this.

 

[sweetheart29]

Whatever became of toddler reins? i must admit to remembering them in the 60s, which ages me somewhat. they are a good idea, no?

or are they simply politically incorrect in these times?

surely they would be excellent for crowded places?

I was told in the state of Kansas a kid leash is consider child abuse. When my son was little we could not find one in any store. We bought a dog harness and leash it worked great. We only used it when we were hiking in Colorado, walking and playing in the river, or at a lake.

 

[Floh]

I was told in the state of Kansas a kid leash is consider child abuse. When my son was little we could not find one in any store. We bought a dog harness and leash it worked great. We only used it when we were hiking in Colorado, walking and playing in the river, or at a lake.

I think such a suggestion absolutely absurd. people can abuse children with or without reins! :furious::furious::furious:

 

[JanetElaine]

I think such a suggestion absolutely absurd. people can abuse children with or without reins! :furious::furious::furious:

Sadly I have witnessed a woman yelling at a mother-with-child-on-leash that she was abusing him, and 'your son is not a dog FFS'.

I haven't used one with my daughter but I never saw a problem with it either. After witnessing that though, I doubt I would ever use one, I'd hate to have to punch a stranger in the face for yelling at me and then me being cuffed and dragged away.

 

[Floh]

Sadly I have witnessed a woman yelling at a mother-with-child-on-leash that she was abusing him, and 'your son is not a dog FFS'.

I haven't used one with my daughter but I never saw a problem with it either. After witnessing that though, I doubt I would ever use one, I'd hate to have to punch a stranger in the face for yelling at me and then me being cuffed and dragged away.

Wise to avoid, for sure.

for goodness sake. people using them only want to make sure swift toddlers don't disappear on them.

 

[angelmom]

Are they no longer made and sold at all?

They do still make them, and now they are even cuter! My friend got this one http://www.securebaby.com/sb53860.html

for her very active DD who was a total escape artist. It is a harness and backpack in one. Her DD loved it, and it was much better than looking for her in the parking lot, employee break room at Home Depot, bathroom at our local pizzeria, and neighborhood pool!

I never needed one (TG!) b/c my kids were total slugs who cried when I sold the stroller at a garage sale (when the youngest was 4!), but I remember my mom using one for my totally hyper brother. For some kids, they are literally life savers.

 

[eve]

Sadly I have witnessed a woman yelling at a mother-with-child-on-leash that she was abusing him, and 'your son is not a dog FFS'.

I haven't used one with my daughter but I never saw a problem with it either. After witnessing that though, I doubt I would ever use one, I'd hate to have to punch a stranger in the face for yelling at me and then me being cuffed and dragged away.

The mother should have said, "That's right, most dogs could find their way home and bite potential abductors."

I unapologetically used one at the State Fair with my youngest, who was called "Speedy" by all the kids on the playground when he started school. He could (and would) disappear in a flash if something caught his fancy.

Thanks to the kiddie leash, he's still around (and a starting forward on the Varsity soccer team in 10th grade - still speedy!).

I feel for these parents. My brother once disappeared from my grandparents house - all of the adults thought he was with the other adults. We found him walking down a busy street wearing a diaper and carrying my grandma's purse, "Goin shoppin!" he said.

None of them were bad parents/grandparents. These things happen.

Eve

 

[sherri79]

The mother should have said, "That's right, most dogs could find their way home and bite potential abductors."

I unapologetically used one at the State Fair with my youngest, who was called "Speedy" by all the kids on the playground when he started school. He could (and would) disappear in a flash if something caught his fancy.

Thanks to the kiddie leash, he's still around (and a starting forward on the Varsity soccer team in 10th grade - still speedy!).

I feel for these parents. My brother once disappeared from my grandparents house - all of the adults thought he was with the other adults. We found him walking down a busy street wearing a diaper and carrying my grandma's purse, "Goin shoppin!" he said.

None of them were bad parents/grandparents. These things happen.

Eve

lol we called our son ricochet. i used 1 when we went to a amusement park with him. i thought it more cruel to expect him to sit in a stroller or be carried all day when my little ball of energy wanted to walk.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Boy, I have done the airport with my grands in tow! Even with 5 adults, it was still a challenge with the carseat, backpacks, carry-ons, etc. However, we never let them out of our sight until we knew exactly who had them if we were splitting up.

Accidents do happen, but the parents made the mistake of assuming. You don't "assume" anything when it comes to your kids. This isn't a lot different to me than the parents who have left their children in hot cars because they "forgot".

My DD bought a system which alerts if her child goes a certain distance away. Works like a charm.