What would you do?

[Bini]

I don't want to de-rail this thread but I felt the need to speak up on this.

I've had my fair share of "clashing" for lack of a better word, on certain topics, specifically ones that are more liberal in nature (public nudity) where many have disagreed with me. Some of those posts have gotten pretty heated but overall everyone used a decent amount of tact. You can make a point and be direct without being snarky.

[Bini]

OK so here's a What Would You Do quiz for those that just don't know WHAT they'd do..

Go here.

[Suzie]

OK so here's a What Would You Do quiz for those that just don't know WHAT they'd do..

Go here.

I just took the test. In the three cases (except the breastfeeding one) I answered I would call the police.

[Vort]

I just took the test. In the three cases (except the breastfeeding one) I answered I would call the police.

A mother tells her squabbling daughters to get out on a suburban neighborhood sidewalk and walk two blocks home -- and you call the cops on her?!

[Suzie]

A mother tells her squabbling daughters to get out on a suburban neighborhood sidewalk and walk two blocks home -- and you call the cops on her?!

Where it says that they have to walk two blocks? The description:

A car pulls over a suburban street. A woman gets out, open the backdoor and orders her two young daughters to get out of the car and walk home. The girls cry and protest, but the woman slams the door and drives away.

So yes, I would call the cops and stay with the girls until they arrive.

[Gwen]

i can't get past the second one, there isn't enough info to say what i would do until i see the video. depends on how old the kids are. 4 yr old i would take the kids home and confront the mom, 9 and 10 for only a few blocks... not as concerning, teens you bet they can walk..... lol

[Vort]

Why is it that you assume people don't read your posts?

Possibly because of repeated exchanges similar to this one:

Vort: Let's do a gedankenexperiment. Imagine two men with virtually identical personality makeups... So even if we accept the idea that homosexuals are no more likely than heterosexuals to want to molest children, the very fact that they are willing to act out on their natural, God-given homosexual attraction suggests that they would be equally willing to act out on their natural, God-given sexual attraction to children.

Response 1: I agree that homosexuality does not fit into the "normal" cycle of life but I disagree that homosexual individuals are more prone to sexual relationships with children. [Of course, she is not disagreeing at all. I specified "even if we accept the idea that homosexuals are no more likely than heterosexuals to want to molest children".]

Response 2: But who is to say that he is prone to so many areas? [um...I am. It was a hypothetical situation that I brought up to illustrate the point.]

Response 3: Where are the documented sources for all these opinions/suggestions or are just personal views? [Was the very first sentence in my first post not sufficient to answer this?]

In each case, simply READING my post would have been sufficient to inform the responders that they were mistaken in their inferences.

Perhaps you can explain to me how these responses are reasonable in light of my statements to which they were responding.

Why is it that you don't give the possibility that you are just not expressing yourself properly?

Certainly I entertain that possibility. I am a technical writer by profession, and thus am always highly self-conscious about my writing. When I see that I have failed to express myself properly, I acknowledge it and try again. But the other side of that coin is that the reader assumes the responsibility to read what the writer writes without injecting unwarranted and spurious inferences.

This is certainly not the only thread where you seem to have this problem. Posters aren't mind readers.

No, but they are supposed to be readers.

[Suzie]

i can't get past the second one, there isn't enough info to say what i would do until i see the video. depends on how old the kids are. 4 yr old i would take the kids home and confront the mom, 9 and 10 for only a few blocks... not as concerning, teens you bet they can walk..... lol

Well, the girls are young (around 5-6 it seems) however, the description and video doesn't say anything about walking a couple of blocks, it's even more... in one part of the video the little girl says "But I don't know where it's home!"

[Gwen]

Well, the girls are young (around 5-6 it seems) however, the description and video doesn't say anything about walking a couple of blocks, it's even more... in one part of the video the little girl says "But I don't know where it's home!"

i went on the assumption that the girls were old enough for such a punishment and chose "leave it in the hands of the mom".... after watching the video that's not accurate. those girls are to young. it's not a neighborhood of houses that suggests a few blocks, its a business street (different) and yes the "but i don't know where home is" is a concern. in that one i would step up and get involved.

in a neighborhood where it's safe to assume home is not far and 10 yrs ish they are old enough to walk.

teens i would let them have the consequenses of their actions, might even applaud the parents.

one of my boys walked the mile to church without my knowledge at 5 yrs. had to walk several blocks down the main hwy in town. scared me to death. i found him on the hwy and as i pulled up the car in front of me was pulling up to check on him because the situation was so out of place. it's funny now but not at the time. lol

[Vort]

Where it says that they have to walk two blocks? The description:

So yes, I would call the cops and stay with the girls until they arrive.

Then I am very sorry for any of your neighbors who might happen to exercise some parental discipline within your sight.

"Young" doesn't mean three. My eleven-year-old daughter is young, and if she were fighting with her sibling, I might well tell them to hoof it home from a few blocks out. If you were there, I suppose I would get a visit from DSHS and probably have six months to a year of follow-up interference in my sacred family life, all because someone didn't approve of my discipline methods.

[Vort]

Well, the girls are young (around 5-6 it seems) however, the description and video doesn't say anything about walking a couple of blocks, it's even more... in one part of the video the little girl says "But I don't know where it's home!"

Typical bait-and-switch on the part of those who invented this. They say "young" without specifying how young and "suburban" without specifying it's a business district. Yes, dropping off a five-year-old in a business district is foolish, possibly even meriting a call to the cops. Dropping off a nine-year-old in a non-scary housing area is a completely different thing -- yet many would call the cops in that situation, as well.

[Suzie]

Then I am very sorry for any of your neighbors who might happen to exercise some parental discipline within your sight.

"Young" doesn't mean three. My eleven-year-old daughter is young, and if she were fighting with her sibling, I might well tell them to hoof it home from a few blocks out. If you were there, I suppose I would get a visit from DSHS and probably have six months to a year of follow-up interference in my sacred family life, all because someone didn't approve of my discipline methods.

Typical bait-and-switch on the part of those who invented this. They say "young" without specifying how young and "suburban" without specifying it's a business district. Yes, dropping off a five-year-old in a business district is foolish, possibly even meriting a call to the cops. Dropping off a nine-year-old in a non-scary housing area is a completely different thing -- yet many would call the cops in that situation, as well.

So you made up the story of the two block distance then out of the blue because as I explained in my post, the description doesn't state that, yet you felt confident enough to judge my choice about calling the cops based on something you added on the story that wasn't even there? lol You really like to make assumptions of all sorts eh? And even talk about my neighbors? lol

And for the first part of your post, what can I say Vort...more and more assumptions on your part.

Edited July 14, 2011 by Suzie

[Vort]

So you made up the story of the two block distance then out of the blue because as I explained in my post, the description doesn't state that, you really like to make assumptions of all sorts eh?

What? I didn't "make up" anything; I interpreted the situation described to me. What on earth are you talking about?

And for the first part of your post, what can I say Vort...more assumptions on your part.

Seriously, I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Gwen]

Typical bait-and-switch on the part of those who invented this. They say "young" without specifying how young and "suburban" without specifying it's a business district. Yes, dropping off a five-year-old in a business district is foolish, possibly even meriting a call to the cops. Dropping off a nine-year-old in a non-scary housing area is a completely different thing -- yet many would call the cops in that situation, as well.

i agree this one was a bait and switch. that's why i expressed frustration in not being able to answer, not enough info.

i know parents that have tossed teens out of the car before and would do it again any day. i know a family with a lot of kids that lived about 3 miles from church. once all their kids were teens mom told them once to get in the car it was time to go, if they didn't she would leave them to walk home or find a ride. i have no issues with that.

5 yr olds on a business street isn't ok.

[Truegrits]

There are so many other ways I can discipline my children, without putting them out on the street, to walk home. Unless I was following them in the car, there is no way I would put my child out. Who knows what deviant may be out there "hunting"?!

Soooo not worth the risk.

[applepansy]

Where it says that they have to walk two blocks? The description:

So yes, I would call the cops and stay with the girls until they arrive.

in my opinion that's an over-reaction, depending on the neighborhood of course. :)

[applepansy]

Applepansy, I have been debating offline and online for years. I think there are enough threads on this forum where I have participated where I strongly disagree on issues but remain civil (like other posters as well) so your suggestion is incorrect however, your opinion is appreciated.

I appreciate your response. It was an honest question.

[Suzie]

What? I didn't "make up" anything; I interpreted the situation described to me. What on earth are you talking about?

Bini provided a link. Then I answered and I said that I would call the cops in all the situations listed except the breastfeeding one. You replying by saying:

A mother tells her squabbling daughters to get out on a suburban neighborhood sidewalk and walk two blocks home -- and you call the cops on her?!

The story didn't say anything about walking two blocks home and I only replied based on the story provided in the link. You made it up. Understand? So what made you think I would call the cops if they had to walk two blocks home? You judged the fact I would call the cops based on your made up part of walking "two blocks". I didn't reply based on that but the story presented on the link and the fact that the little girl said she didn't know where home was.

Seriously, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Your rant about:

I am very sorry for any of your neighbors who might happen to exercise some parental discipline within your sight.

You don't know me or what I would do if I see my neighbors exercising discipline in front of me. lol . Ridiculous really. These are the kind of assumptions you seem to make very often on these forums.

[Vort]

The story didn't say anything about walking two blocks home and I only replied based on the story provided in the link. You made it up. Understand? So what made you think I would call the cops if they had to walk two blocks home? You judged the fact I would call the cops based on your made up part of walking "two blocks". I didn't reply based on that but the story presented on the link and the fact that the little girl said she didn't know where home was.

The link read:

A car pulls over on a suburban street. A woman gets out, opens the backdoor [sic] and orders her two young daughters to get out of the car and walk home. The girls cry and protest, but the woman slams the door and drives away.

This was what you responded to, not the video, which you could not even view until after answering the question. This story applies equally well to eleven-year-olds walking two blocks home as it does to five-year-olds being dropped off in a business district.

You don't know me or what I would do if I see my neighbors exercising discipline in front of me. lol . Ridiculous really. These are the kind of assumptions you seem to make very often on these forums.

No, I do not know you. I know only what you tell me about yourself. And you openly stated that you would call the cops in the above-described situation -- a situation which could well be fulfilled by a hassled mother dropping off her squabbling preteen kids few blocks from home.

[Suzie]

Vort, the story didn't say anything about pre-teens but young children. I don't go by assumptions and I certainly don't appreciate your remark about my neighbors. If you disagree with my position it's all good but saying you're sorry for any of my neighbors who might happen to exercise some parental discipline within my sight it's out of place and without basis. An apology should suffice but you don't seem to want to let it go. Fine, not interested. I'll move on.

Edited July 14, 2011 by Suzie

[Suzie]

perhaps confront the mom? but then that is impossible because she drove off right?

I was thinking the same thing, the option was there but how can someone confront her if she drove away? That part was kind of confusing.

[Vort]

Vort, the story didn't say anything about pre-teens but young children. I don't go by assumptions and I certainly don't appreciate your remark about my neighbors. If you disagree with my position it's all good but saying you're sorry for any of my neighbors who might happen to exercise some parental discipline within my sight it's out of place and without basis. An apology should suffice but you don't seem to want to let it go. Fine, not interested. I'll move on.

Then I apologize.

[Suzie]

We've all been in the grocery / park / somewhere and wanted to confront a mom before I think - hard thing... I am a parent myself, so I have sympathy for other parents (I think people who have never had kids, or have forgotten what it is like to have kids, might have less sympathy...) you might hear them yelling in the grocery store or something, it's always a hard call, and usually not something that you can really do anything about .

Well, I am a parent myself. I would definitely not leave my young children in a street and tell them to walk home. We're living in other times and I think it's too risky. If the child is a teenager then I don't see the issue.

[Suzie]

Then I apologize.

Apology accepted.

[Truegrits]

Well, I am a parent myself. I would definitely not leave my young children in a street and tell them to walk home. We're living in other times and I think it's too risky. If the child is a teenager then I don't see the issue.

(I have been accused (by family) of being over-protective....)

SO.... I would not put my 17 year old son out on any street, anywhere, any time. There are just too many crazies out there. I can, more safely and effectively, take away computer privileges, cell phone time, television...all things that do not put him in any danger, but do let him know there are consequences to bad behavior.

I would not confront another parent on their putting a teenager out of the car, I just think that there are other/better and safer options.