Did your DH take your 2 daughters to the Caps v. Bruins game yesterday?

[Anonymous]

Replace "dad" in the original scenario with "nanny" and watch how the responses change...

[Anonymous]

ThatSmileyFaceGuy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's assume, for argument's sake, that OP was accurate and correct in what she described - that is, a dad, alone at the game with his girls ages 3 and 5, left them in their seats for 10-12 minutes to get popcorn. Let's assume (again, for argument's sake), that he went only for popcorn and did not go to the bathroom, that he did not ask a spectator sitting nearby to watch his kids for him.

Do we all agree that this scenario, as presented, represents negligence on the part of the dad?

Sure but only if the scenario went the way that the OP with her limited knowledge of the situation and wanting so badly to condemn a man, saw it.

Let's also assume that the dad who was there with his FIL and therefore has no resemblance to the dad announced that he was going to get popcorn for the loves of his life and asked FIL if he would keep an eye on the girls. FIL is a major Capitals fan and while he was focused on the game he also watched the girls (who were also into the game) out of the corner of his eye.

Do we all agree that this scenario, as presented, represents an OP that is a busybody and should know what the situation truely is before she gets so smug and rightous.

I didn't see anything in the OP's post that would indicate that she wanted so badly to condemn a man. The parent who left the children happened to be a man, but could have been a woman just as well. In this case, it happened to be a man. I also didn't see anything smug and self-righteous about her post. I hope she comes back to clarify some of the questions some of us have about what she saw. If you're talking about the fact that she posted it here as evidence of a strong desire to condemn the DH, well, could be...but more likely that she said to herself, "if my spouse was leaving my kids unsupervised like this, i would want to know about it." Granted, it's a long shot that the mom would actually come to DCUm and see this thread, but then again, lots of local parents browse these boards...so it's possible. Honestly, if I were the OP, I may have done the same thing.
It is entirely possible that a FIL was there, but seems unlikely. If the OP was so observant that she noticed these people in the first place, I am guessing that she was sitting pretty close by, in which case I feel reasonably sure that, if the grandpa were present at the game with them, she would have been able to discern that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You guys actually think there was another adult watching the kids, yet not interacting with them? Give me a break.

Yes. That is far more likely the case than the DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER! scenario OP leapt to. For all you know these people have season tickets and know the people who sit around them well enough to say "hey will you keep an eye on Madge and Agnes here while I go pinch a loaf?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
No. How far away was the popcorn? OP was too busy watching the girls to see how far dad went. It could have been 5 rows up and he had them in sight the entire time.

If he only went 5 rows up and kept them in his sights, I agree that it might not have been a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Replace "dad" in the original scenario with "nanny" and watch how the responses change...

Replace "dad" with "mom" and see how the responses change.

[ThatSmileyFaceGuy]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys actually think there was another adult watching the kids, yet not interacting with them? Give me a break.

Yes. That is far more likely the case than the DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER! scenario OP leapt to. For all you know these people have season tickets and know the people who sit around them well enough to say "hey will you keep an eye on Madge and Agnes here while I go pinch a loaf?"

This is even more likely

[Anonymous]

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked to watch a kid or two in the checkout line (for example) while mom runs back to grab something she forgot. And she's never done a criminal background check first.

Take a breath, people. Your kids will be fine.

[Anonymous]

I am shocked at how many of you think thie dad's behavior was okay. I'll bet none of you would shrug this off were it your precious snowflakes who were left alone for so long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked at how many of you think thie dad's behavior was okay. I'll bet none of you would shrug this off were it your precious snowflakes who were left alone for so long.

See, you did that wrong.

Those of us who are skeptical of the OP are not from the tribe that regard children as "precious snowflakes." THAT tribe is populated by people like the OP and, evidently, you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Replace "dad" in the original scenario with "nanny" and watch how the responses change...

Well, if I paid someone to watch my children at my home with limited outings (playgrounds, museums), yes I would be disturbed that they took my child to the Verizon Center, regardless of whether they left my child alone or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's what we know about OP:

1. He or she says that he or she went to a hockey game yesterday.
2. He or she says that he or she saw a dad leave two girls, age 3 and 5, alone there for 12 minutes.
3. He or she posted about it on DCUM.
4. Assuming that OP is posting in good faith, we also know that s/he thought that maybe the mom would see the post.

A. From 3 and 4, we can deduce that OP is not very smart.

B. Because OP is not very smart, we cannot trust his/her judgment about the ages of the girls, nor the time that the dad was gone.

C. It's possible that the dad got up to get popcorn for his 6 and 8 year olds from a vendor in the stadium, and could still see his kids, but then could not return to his seat for 3 or 4 minutes because they don't let you do that while the game is in progress. Dumb, outraged OP couldn't tell the difference because s/he's dumb and because his/her judgment was clouded by pointless rage.

You have written a very powerful argument.
You are possibly a lawyer/ economist/businessman/lobbyist.
You are much smarter than OP.
You probably earn enough for great tickets to a Caps game.
You are DAD!
Don't worry we won't tell your wife.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of season ticket holders in that section. If that were the case, they would definitely know the people sitting around them and wouldn't feel awkward asking someone to keep an eye on the girls. Probably not something I would do but everyone is different. It wouldn't be the safety issue it would be the burden of asking others to watch my kids while they were supposed to be enjoying themselves at the game. We know the families of most of the seats around us in our section.

[Anonymous]

Do we really think a THREE year old would sit calmly in a seat for 10-12 minutes? Next to a FIVE year old? My guess is that the kids were older, had been to multiple games because dad is a season ticket holderand the family knew the people around them. Perhaps they were also in dad's line of site.

[Anonymous]

OP, you are right. That is too young to leave them alone. I would want to know if it was my husband who did that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I were the mom, I'd wonder why you were paying so much attention to my husband and think you were a piece of shit. OP obviously has no life and looks to start drama.

In an arena, how can you tell that there weren't any other adults watching them? I probably wouldn't have left them in their seats but I don't think its alarming either. I certainly wouldn't want to take them to the mens bathroom with me.

Because OP was watching the dad and girls from a box at the top of Verizon Center.