Washing Machine Tragedy

[Mary Poppins]

I didn't have anything to do with it but I must agree.

My gosh what a handsome little guy!

I feel that this washing machine thing is criminal negligence, to be honest. I'd be sitting in jail right now awaiting a pre-trial hearing or whatever if it were me and a dc kid. Parents should be held to the same standards we are.

[Jenniferdawn]

Oh, reading this whole thing makes my heart break, for the poor mom who will be living her worst nightmare over and over in her head for the rest of her life, and in these responses, those who think she should be treated like a criminal. It truly makes my stomach sick to read the judgement. I understand you are all trying to look out for the child, but most of you on here are mothers (or fathers) too. Can you honestly say you as parents have never sat down to look at a magazine or the computer or whatever and even for just a minute lost track of your toddler?? I know I have. I am human. I make mistakes. We all do. This poor woman made a mistake. A child learns lessons best when they have natural consequences that follow a poor choice. I think adults do too. She has her natural consequences and I wouldn't wish this consequence on my worst enemy. If there is one lesson I hope to impart to my children is its not our place to judge. I've learned this lesson the hard way. Until we have walked in her shoes, I feel we need to be very careful about our opinions.

[Country Kids]

Oh, reading this whole thing makes my heart break, for the poor mom who will be living her worst nightmare over and over in her head for the rest of her life, and in these responses, those who think she should be treated like a criminal. It truly makes my stomach sick to read the judgement. I understand you are all trying to look out for the child, but most of you on here are mothers (or fathers) too. Can you honestly say you as parents have never sat down to look at a magazine or the computer or whatever and even for just a minute lost track of your toddler?? I know I have. I am human. I make mistakes. We all do. This poor woman made a mistake. A child learns lessons best when they have natural consequences that follow a poor choice. I think adults do too. She has her natural consequences and I wouldn't wish this consequence on my worst enemy. If there is one lesson I hope to impart to my children is its not our place to judge. I've learned this lesson the hard way. Until we have walked in her shoes, I feel we need to be very careful about our opinions.

Your response is right on and excellent. I agree with everything you said!

[saved4always]

Oh, reading this whole thing makes my heart break, for the poor mom who will be living her worst nightmare over and over in her head for the rest of her life, and in these responses, those who think she should be treated like a criminal. It truly makes my stomach sick to read the judgement. I understand you are all trying to look out for the child, but most of you on here are mothers (or fathers) too. Can you honestly say you as parents have never sat down to look at a magazine or the computer or whatever and even for just a minute lost track of your toddler?? I know I have. I am human. I make mistakes. We all do. This poor woman made a mistake. A child learns lessons best when they have natural consequences that follow a poor choice. I think adults do too. She has her natural consequences and I wouldn't wish this consequence on my worst enemy. If there is one lesson I hope to impart to my children is its not our place to judge. I've learned this lesson the hard way. Until we have walked in her shoes, I feel we need to be very careful about our opinions.

I am in total agreement with you. The pain that this poor mother must feel just makes my heart hurt for her. I have had that same sick feeling reading the responses on here today.

[Rachel]

This reminds me of when I was a child. I was the oldest of 5 and we went on road trips all the time. My dad raced motorcycles. We too got thrown in the back of my dads van, we had a full size bed in the back and no seats. We stopped at a gas station and all used the potty. Everyone got back in and mom and dad would have us count off. Well someone counted off for my brother he was 8 or 9 at the time. He got left at the gas station. We didnt notice until about a half hour down the road. We got stopped by the police on our way back to get him. They had him. My brother was consoled, put back in the back with us and we were on the road again. I dont really recall my parents feelings at the time but I am sure they felt aweful! My brother didnt have any lasting effects from it. On occasion it gets brought up jokingly and still no one has admitted that they were the one that called his number!

Guess this kind of proves my point. No one could say what would have happened, had something serious happened to my brother. But throwing my parents in jail and taking 4 other kids away from their family unit I am not sure would have been fair either.

For the record, those family road trips, were some of the best days of my life!

Dh was left also at a gas station when he was little. His parents and aunt & uncle went together, and each one assumed the other had him . No one discovered until the next stop 2 hours later that he was left at teh previous stop.