Careless Child, Inattentive Parent

I see this way too many times Gamer, and the parent standing only a few feet away yelling "come here" shutters at the fact that YOU almost hit their kids, not that they did anything wrong, oh no. So, I totally feel you! I was pulling out of a gas station one time, the way I was parked and the fullness of the lot with other cars in it getting gas forced me to drive past the front door instead of out the way I wanted and needed to go. Well the designer of this gas station placed the door right atop the lot, there was no leeway, it was the lot then the door. So once you stepped out of the door, you were where cars would be passing through. Well, I did notice this and I was taking my time going through there when a little girl just pushed the door and ran out. Not looking to see if any cars were coming or anything. I hit the brakes she looked my way and then she went down. I FREAKED! Im like oh Sh!t man I just hit a little girl. I threw the car in park and got out, she was getting up, luckily I DIDNT hit her, I guess she just got scared and tripped or something. Well she got up and ran directly to her mother who was pumping gas at a far pump, again not looking! The mother was staring me down, and I kept yelling after the little girl asking if she was alright, I had to basically follow her and when I got near her mother she started cussing me out. She was a rather large woman once I got closer and she came from around her car and the pump! LOL I sort of stopped in my tracks trying to explain that I didnt see her, and how she just came running out of the door, apologising repeatedly. She was clearly mad at me. Her size pursuaded me to go and get in my car, and not say anymore since the kid seemed ok. But I thought why doesnt she know to look both ways for cars in a parking lot? Did the mother expect her to know this without telling her? It really makes me wonder how people like this are blessed with kids. If I had a child, I wouldnt let him go anywhere without me right by his side, guiding him, protecting him since he isnt old enough to do it on his own just yet. I dont know Gamer, Im so happy that you didnt hit him. His parents are lucky such a great driver was behind the wheel! Bay xx

The better question is what kind of parent allows their kids to run around unsupervised when children can easily be grabbed and disappear. That is just as much of a danger as being struck by a car, and it happens all too often. I know kids can be excitable and hard to handle at times, yet they do need to be supervised until they learn about checking for traffic and things like that. Never should they be allowed out of your sight, and never should they be too far away from you that you can't prevent them from doing something foolish, because they don't realize the possible consequences. Too many parents think that the bad things can never happen to them or their children, that it is always the other guy with the bad luck. Anything can happen to anyone at anytime, and if people are not vigilant, it can happen to them as well.

If that had been me as a child and the man on the other side my dad, I'd have gotten my butt chewed right off for not stopping to look both ways. I feel ya on this one. Too often parents don't teach their children the simplest safety precautions, i.e. look both ways before crossing a street, even in a parking lot and don't talk to strangers. My hubs rarely if ever struck any of our boys and never our girl when she was still alive. However, Marky, the oldest once ran out into the street after a ball on a slick road and nearly got his little self creamed. Yep, he got a whippin' that day. He's 30 now and remembers both whippings he got in his entire life...the other was for peeing outside after being told repeatedly not to. You're right, I'd have wanted to smack the guy one myself. I probably would have chewed him a new one had I been in your place that day.

I absolutely agree with you. I have encountered this on more than one occasion and it is really a thorn in my side. It irks me to see that kids are not supervised, especially young ones who have no idea to look both ways before crossing. I never once let my daughter walk without me as a little one, even at 13, I barely let her walk in front of me without yelling at her to watch where she is going. I can't stand to see parents with kids just let them run herry kerry all over the place without supervision. I had a neighbor move in down the street and her 4 year old came to my door and asked if I had any kids to play with. I was wondering where her mother was! She was totally out of eye shot of her house. It happens all of the time and it really makes me mad as well.

Not sure how old this child was. However when I was avery young child my parents & grand parent had one of these wrist leashes. one end went around my wris & the other end whent around my parent's or grandparen's wrist. The leash was a few feet long. Long enough for me to run & skip a few feet ahead; but not to far ahead. Parenss need to be in control of their children.

Firstly, I think your expectations are on target. Secondly, how old was the child? While I do believe that parents are responsible for guiding their children in terms of safety and the difference between right and wrong, I also think that there comes a time when children do, to some extent, realize the consiquences of their actions--maybe not right away, but eventually. Hopefully, the child was disciplined--a kind of, 'this could happen if you don't...' sort of thing--at the very least.

People need to take responsibility for the children they create, and if they cannot take responsibility, then they should never be parents.

You're not expecting too much at all hon. That father should have made sure that he had both of his kids with him at all times, and he definitely should have taught his kid to be careful when crossing a street. I'd hate to think of the father's reaction if his child had been hit by a vehicle. He'd still either be completely dumbfounded, or spitting mad at the car that didn't stop for his kid that just darted out without looking. Parents like that need to go to parenting classes so that they in turn can teach their children the rights and wrongs in life.

Well there could have been many reasons this happened. And the top of the list would be inattentive parent and careless child. But it could also be the child was disconnected from the rest of the family in some manner beyond their control and happened to spot them across the street. And excitement overtook the mind, which is still careless. For now, let us just be thankful that in the end, no harm came to the child. We can not control others, but we can certainly make our voices hearde about this type of behavior.

I'm gonna put myself at risk of being a myLot outcast here. I'm going to say some things that will possibly make me unpopular here. Oh well. I just posted a response to a discussion and started a discussion of my own on this topic. First, let me say. I saw a similar thing happen in the parking lot of my grocery store, and I was not happy with what I saw. I was getting out of my car to head inside and I heard someone shout out a name and saw a little kid darting across the parking lot in front of the store. Luckily there were no cars, but what was most disturbing for me was that the mother (or adult that was with the child) looked very non-chalant about the situation. I didn't see any scolding or concern whatsoever. That bothered me. Okay, now, on to myself as a bad parent. I honestly don't consider myself a bad parent. (and I'm sure many parents don't consider themselves bad parents, but that's not my point). My point is, I've had some near disasters with my children. Children sometimes just GET AWAY FROM US. If you go into a store with two small children who are out of their strollers and they run in two different directions, guess what? One person can't run in two different directions! It isn't always possible to get someone to care for your children while you run errands. Sometimes we just have to get things done. We do the best we can and sometimes things (or our children) get away from us. Here's another little tidbit of information that some might be interested in hearing about. Ever hear of nursemaids elbow? This is what happens to some children when there parent's are trying NOT to let those slipery little boogers get away from them! My daughter suffered from nursmaids elbow. 3 times she had to be treated for it. The first time was with me. We were in a Home Depot. She was, ohhh about 18 months I guess. She was at the age were she had just learned that she could run! Once kids learn how to run, that's all they want to do for a while! So what do parents do? We hold their hands! What happens when the child doesn't want Mom holding their hand and stopping them from running? They pull! Some children are prone to this little thing that happens. Somewhere around the elbow something pulls aparent and a ligament slips somewhere and it causes them great pain, and it stays like that til you take them to a doctor or hospital and a doctor does a maneuver to pop that ligament back out! After it happened with me, it happend with her caregiver, then it happened with my Dad. We weren't yanking her, believe me. With my dad it was a gentle tug. Like when you take someone by the hand and say "lets go see this!". Thats exactly what my Dad did. I saw it myself. He felt horrible! Anyway, I'm babbling. I am really hoping that I get some genuine responses from parents on my discussion, because I KNOW I'm not the only parent that has had some near disasters with my children. Yes, sometimes these things happen because some parents are completely incompetent, but sometimes kids are simply a handfull and they do get out of hand. For those who think I"m one of the ones who shouldnt' have been procreating...maybe there is some comfort for you in the fact that at least I decided to stop at two. I realized I could barely keep up with the two I have, so I chose not to have any more.

Hey, things happen. You can't keep your eyes on the little drooling, sticky fingered rug rats all the time. They just do stupid stuff. And look at it this way, it's survival of the fittest. If you would have hit that clown's kid and killed him then that would just one less mouth breather in this world. Whoever the woman was who married that clown can't be that smart herself. We probably should get rid of everything that comes from that gene pool.

It is called common sense...Good thing you didn't hit the kid or you would have been blamed somehow..I think he should have had his kids right beside him, especially when a craft show is taking place..Some people do not pay attention to anything except where they are going. Anywhere that there is a chance for traffic, the kids should be beside the parent...

well i first of all think that the father should of been by his children at all times because it only take a second for something really bad to happen and then what,the children should be taught about crossing streets and when they see a car or anything to stop and look.parents like this need parenting classes to teach them to show their children better reponsibilities on life or it they dont then someting bad will happen and the parent will be guilty the rest of their lifes.

In parenting you can't avoid it sometimes. Its a part of it. But ofcourse being a parents you should know how to take good care of your child. ITs your obligations to watch over them. I understand why you reacting that way coz you were involved on that incident. ITs a natural reactions dear... Even me, i guess if i am in your position i will react that way also. :) BE cool!

well, these things happen a lot of times and i've seen a lot as well... parents are more interested in doing their own business rather than looking after their children which i think is very terrible... anyway, i'm glad that you and the child is OK... i really wish that parents can be more attentive when they are looking after their children to prevent accident from happen...

When I picked up my grandkids to bring them apple picking on Saturday, my 11-year old granddaughter was walking my 2-year old grandson to the car. I turned around to say something to their mother and when I looked back my granddaughter was walking between two parked cars and entering the street. I yelled at her. She turned around and smiled at me as if it wasn't anything to worry about. I told her that she should never, ever walk out from between two parked cars and into traffic. Of course I went on and on. Her mother said she tells her all the time about safety, but it goes in one ear and out the other. Children, no matter what age, think that an accident will never happen to them. I was so angry at my granddaughter and then at myself, and then at her parents. Grrrr. Breathe, Breathe, Breathe. Letting out a deep breath. Better now, until the next time.

No, I don't think you expect too much at all but unfortunately there will continue to be way too many who fail to meet your expectations! You didn't say how old the child was but no matter what her age she should have been taught not to dart out in any place where there may be traffic; OK, you can drill something into little ones and it still may not work but FOR SURE, as you stated, the father should've had both kids under his control, preferably by the hand or at the very least well within his reach! As for who would procreate with a moron like that - sadly I wouldn't be too shocked to learn she's as bad as he is! You're also right about the designers or zoners or whoever put that craft store in such a location. How many tragedies have occurred with the driver of the vehicle that hit a child being blamed because someone else was an irresponsible, negligent idiot! I've had close calls where kids either on foot or on a bike or some other "toy with wheels" darted out in front of me but when it happens with a parent right there it's really indefensible. I wonder, if God forbid you hadn't been able to stop, if charges would have been filed where they belong...on the negligent father? Anyway, I've types quite a bit myself now, so obviously this is a great discussion! Annie

It would depend on the age of the child as to whether she was being careless or not, but either way, the dad or whowever he was, should have had both kids under his CLOSE supervision. Why in the world was he looking dumbfounded when his kid is out running in dangerous places? He should have been looking relieved she wasn't flattened. Parents just don't realize sometimes how much you really have to watch kids, especially young children. At least you got stoppped in time, right?:)

I think that the parents are responsible to teach their kids the sense of safety about walking on the road where there are so many cars and trucks for the sake of the kids' safety. It is certainly their duty to do so. I am so sorry for the girl's parents, who are supposed to be responsible for their daughter's deed. She is really lucky not to be hurt by the car. You are such a good driver to have noticed this and braked the car so immediately when seeing the running girl without noticing anything around her. I hope that there will be no such thing happening again.

When my two daughters were little when we were out the rule was they had to hold my hand. And I was always careful when crossing streets to stop and make a big deal about looking both ways. Making sure there were no cars coming. You have to as a parent teach these things to a child. It should be comman sense things that you need to do as a parent. Watch your kids, teach them right and wrong. Some parents just don't seem to care. There are some people I think never should be parents.