Some people deserved to be kicked

[blue_lotus13]

Some fools left their children alone in the bookstore for three hours last night. The girl was about 9 and her brother was about 5 or 6. At first, I just thought the parents had just slipped upstairs for a minute, but then I realized they had been left. I tried to get the kids to call the parents, and alerted my manager. The girl was clearly embarassed, and told us that she had called the parents and they were going to come. We watched them like hawks, because there was no way that we were going to let the parents get away with that kind of shit without saying something.

My manager and I watched the door for the parents and got more and more furious about the situation. FInally, as we were closing the store, the parent pulled up and the kids went outside to the car where the woman was waiting. My manager, who by this time was envisioning slapping the woman upside the head went out to the car and said to her- Don't ever leave your children in here unattended again and if I see them in here unattended, I will call the cops!!

I was so furious at this incompetent fool of a woman that it took me about an hour to calm down after work. I was seething. As my co-worker said- I don't have kids, and I get worried when my cat gets lost in my apartment.

After we closed the store, I actually jumped up and down and yelled for a couple minutes to relieve tension. I really wish someone could issue parenting licenses.

Comments

[zooby.livejournal.com]

Nine isn't old enough to stay at home alone, why would it be old enough to take care of a younger sibling all alone in a public place full of strangers?

I don't have kids, and I get worried when my cat gets lost in my apartment.

Plus, like, when my cat is "lost" it usually means "is finding trouble and very likely eating something that will no doubt induce vomiting."

[meli-mello.livejournal.com]

I agree that there should be some sort of test people have to write before they are allowed to have children.

Example questions:
Do you think it is acceptable to have your nine year old babysit her younger siblings in a public place?
Answer: No!

People are stupid.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

[monkeyhouse.livejournal.com]

i have no words.

[arwenoid.livejournal.com]

I always thought it was weird when there were signs that said things like, "please do not leave your children unattended" because seriously, who would do that? Right, I forgot, idiots.

[kelly-yoyo.livejournal.com]

Holy shit. That's child abandonment, and serious. They should have been arrested.

[darkthirty.livejournal.com]

Next time, you need to intervene. The leaving of the children in the store put them in your care, to all intents and purposes. My partner and I called the police after 10 minutes when a couple kids the same age were left outside Tinseltown Mall. It was a painful process, but nevertheless, it made the abandonment and the acknowledging of responsibility clear. It was the same situation, more or less, and possibly the same people - the police (the social services car) would then know the ostensible care-givers. Point is, not to wait and get all exhausted mentally - just intervene.

Parents!!

[(Anonymous)]

My parents run a bed and breakfast and one week this summer a couple with a 10 year old child stayed there. The couple proceeded to do the following: they left the boy in the bedroom all afternoon while they went shopping. They left him in the living room on another afternoon (all afternoon) while they had sex in the bedroom (They instructed him to stay downstairs). They left him alone in the house all day every day. It got to the point where my mom almost adopted him - they were going on walks with the dog together, going for muffins, etc...

Will I be a better parent? I better be.

-Elfin_chick