Just returned from a couple of hours shopping and saw two women pushing pushchairs, and one of them allowing her 2/3 year old to wander aimlessly around the shopping centre. Most of the time the women were chatting to one another, completely oblivious that the little boy was nowhere near them. My wife and I were watching (we had our 3 year old grandson with us) and when the "littlun" walked past them, they were amazed and obviously scared that they couldn't see him behind them. When I spoke to the women to show where he was, I also said "That's what happens when you don't keep an eye on them" - the looks I got were like "If looks could kill". Was I wrong in having a dig ??
FBG40
I don't think so no. They obviously knew they had been irresponsible, and probably a little embarassed that someone had to point him out. It surprises me, particularly after the Jamie Bulger case that people aren't more sensible.
I don't think you were wrong - some people are just oblivious to what is going on around them. I 'caught' a little girl running through a supermarket car park. I didn't know what to do as I obviously couldn't physically restrain her and I kep asking her where her paretns were. She then ran off back to the store and when her mother appeared I said that the little girl had been running through the car park and she said 'No, she was with her father'. I said that she quite clearly wasn't and the woman gave me a filthy look (no one else who had seen this said a thing!).
I taught my kids that if they ever couldn't see me then stand still and start screaming. As a general rule they wouldn't leave my sight but it did happen once in MK...I soon followed the sound.
My daughter has reins for her toddler.I led by example there,my daughter was 8 years old when my son was born and she always saw me use reins for him when outdoors so it was natural for her to buy some when her son started walking.