MoCo Mom Arrested for Leaving Kids Alone at Rehoboth Beach

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:She just went down the street to grab food? Thats terrible she got locked up. I was home alone at that age.

It wasn't just down the street. She was about 5 miles away. They weren't in their own home. Those differences really matter.

This. Were they home and this was a neighbor, none of this probably would have happened. But in this case, the dogs got out for whatever reason, and the kids didn't know what to do so they chased them into traffic. W

The article says only the dogs were in front of a car. Not the kids. My dog is terrible and runs into the street all the time without being chased.
People are really extrapolating here.

It says the driver encountered the kids after the dogs ran out. Surely in a vacation home the dogs aren't just allowed to roam freely unfenced in the yard, so the kids must have let them out. Whether they ran out in the road after them or opened the door to the stranger who brought them back doesn't really matter. There is no scenario in which mom is away, dogs are running wild outside, and kids are dealing with strangers in order to handle the dogs that is OK.

Yeah There is the scenario in which my 9 year old is problem solving and perfectly capable of checking the street for the dogs, who could easy have gotten out through no real fault of the kids. This is just not a big deal.

Okay, explain the scenario in which the dogs open the door and escape into traffic on their own.

But you're right. Mom should have been charged with animal endangerment instead.

Why does anyone assume that the dog was able to get out of the house. Perhaps he was being walked and slipped his harness. Any number of things could have happened, including escaping a fenced yard because the gate wasn't securely latched. But go ahead and make the leap to charging the parent with animal endangerment without knowing any ... you know ... actual facts because it somehow feels good.

ALL of the dogs slipped out? There was more than one. But even if that was the case, then the issue is that mom left the kids alone not in the house, but to wander around outside in a strange neighborhood. That is 1000x more reason for CPS to get involved so you're right - maybe that is what happened.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Hindsight is 20/20. Policing parents like this is a way to teach mothers that their place is in the home.

No, but it "teaches" mothers AND fathers that their priority should be their children--whether in their home or away from home. Good parenting decisions matter.

Curious how old you are. Parents used to feel like they didn't have to be next to their kids constantly. People used to think that kids learning to navigate the world without parents was a part of learning how to grow up.

Not Pp, but How old are YOU? Because I'm in my 30s and when I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals.

Also, please remember that back in the day when there was less helicoptering, kids learned early on not to let the dogs out in traffic or run in the road. The problem nowadays is that parents helicopter 90% of the time and then expect the kids to be able to figure it out when they throw them out on their own.

Nonsense. I'm a NP and also in my 30s. People (including me and friends) were definitely left alone in vacation rentals while parents went to get food, stayed at the beach a little longer, etc.

Agree. That was part of growing up back then.

Do kids these days not get left alone until the day they go off to college?

Yes, because there is no difference between 8 and 20.

You sound really wise. Would you mind telling me what the cut-off age is?

For the purposes of NOT BEING ARRESTED it is whatever the law of the state is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hindsight is 20/20. Policing parents like this is a way to teach mothers that their place is in the home.

No, but it "teaches" mothers AND fathers that their priority should be their children--whether in their home or away from home. Good parenting decisions matter.

Curious how old you are. Parents used to feel like they didn't have to be next to their kids constantly. People used to think that kids learning to navigate the world without parents was a part of learning how to grow up.

Not Pp, but How old are YOU? Because I'm in my 30s and when I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals.

Also, please remember that back in the day when there was less helicoptering, kids learned early on not to let the dogs out in traffic or run in the road. The problem nowadays is that parents helicopter 90% of the time and then expect the kids to be able to figure it out when they throw them out on their own.

Nonsense. I'm a NP and also in my 30s. People (including me and friends) were definitely left alone in vacation rentals while parents went to get food, stayed at the beach a little longer, etc.

Agree. That was part of growing up back then.

Do kids these days not get left alone until the day they go off to college?

Yes, because there is no difference between 8 and 20.

You sound really wise. Would you mind telling me what the cut-off age is?

In Delaware, it's apparently 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hindsight is 20/20. Policing parents like this is a way to teach mothers that their place is in the home.

No, but it "teaches" mothers AND fathers that their priority should be their children--whether in their home or away from home. Good parenting decisions matter.

Curious how old you are. Parents used to feel like they didn't have to be next to their kids constantly. People used to think that kids learning to navigate the world without parents was a part of learning how to grow up.

Not Pp, but How old are YOU? Because I'm in my 30s and when I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals.

Also, please remember that back in the day when there was less helicoptering, kids learned early on not to let the dogs out in traffic or run in the road. The problem nowadays is that parents helicopter 90% of the time and then expect the kids to be able to figure it out when they throw them out on their own.

Nonsense. I'm a NP and also in my 30s. People (including me and friends) were definitely left alone in vacation rentals while parents went to get food, stayed at the beach a little longer, etc.

Nonsense? Huh? I didn't say no one did it. I didn't know anyone who did it. Were you smart enough to know not to let the dogs out?

Should I quote you? "When I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals."

And no, I probably did stupid things like let the dogs out.

Sorry, that was supposed to be where I was growing up, not when. Which was DMV suburbia, but YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hindsight is 20/20. Policing parents like this is a way to teach mothers that their place is in the home.

No, but it "teaches" mothers AND fathers that their priority should be their children--whether in their home or away from home. Good parenting decisions matter.

Curious how old you are. Parents used to feel like they didn't have to be next to their kids constantly. People used to think that kids learning to navigate the world without parents was a part of learning how to grow up.

Not Pp, but How old are YOU? Because I'm in my 30s and when I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals.

Also, please remember that back in the day when there was less helicoptering, kids learned early on not to let the dogs out in traffic or run in the road. The problem nowadays is that parents helicopter 90% of the time and then expect the kids to be able to figure it out when they throw them out on their own.

Nonsense. I'm a NP and also in my 30s. People (including me and friends) were definitely left alone in vacation rentals while parents went to get food, stayed at the beach a little longer, etc.

Agree. That was part of growing up back then.

Do kids these days not get left alone until the day they go off to college?

Yes, because there is no difference between 8 and 20.

You sound really wise. Would you mind telling me what the cut-off age is?

NP: it's not 8 and 9 at a vacation rental.

I'd use double digits as a starting point. 10 and 11? Maybe.

I'm guessing something else triggered this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I suppose I should never be left one because mors than once, I have opened the door to get the mail or something left on the front t porch, and my asshole dog has squeezed by me. Or my dh hasn't locked the front door and my cunning escape artist knows how to use the door lever and flees.

In my house, EVERYONE knows how to retrieve our stupid animal because he is often smarted and quicker than our control systems.

I may be terrible at dog containment, but my kid can absolutely wrangle my runaway dog

Your dog needs training before it gets hit by a car or you get ticketed for a dog without a leash.

The kids shouldn't have been opening the door at all.

Everybody, PP here knows how to get your dog to always behave like you want it to! I'm so excited! Tell me where your dog learned to behave perfectly. I'm dying to take my dog to that same particular trainer! Contact info please!

[Anonymous]

I think the law is stupid. I can't say for sure if the kids were really too immature or not because the story doesn't provide enough detail. But it is the law, so the fault is on the mom.

[Anonymous]

Has it occurred to any of you there might be more to the story? The link says she was 5 miles away getting food at a restaurant. Maybe she was gone a long time and the kids told someone. Maybe when they found her they saw she had been sitting at the bar of the restaurant drinking and had been there for quite awhile. I find it hard to believe the entire story is "good mom goes to restaurant real quick for food, immediately arrested for leaving kids unattended on beach." There surely were mitigating circumstances and details to result in arrest and being charged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I suppose I should never be left one because mors than once, I have opened the door to get the mail or something left on the front t porch, and my asshole dog has squeezed by me. Or my dh hasn't locked the front door and my cunning escape artist knows how to use the door lever and flees.

In my house, EVERYONE knows how to retrieve our stupid animal because he is often smarted and quicker than our control systems.

I may be terrible at dog containment, but my kid can absolutely wrangle my runaway dog

Your dog needs training before it gets hit by a car or you get ticketed for a dog without a leash.

The kids shouldn't have been opening the door at all.

Everybody, PP here knows how to get your dog to always behave like you want it to! I'm so excited! Tell me where your dog learned to behave perfectly. I'm dying to take my dog to that same particular trainer! Contact info please!

Most people know how to keep their dog in the house or at least from opening the door itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has it occurred to any of you there might be more to the story? The link says she was 5 miles away getting food at a restaurant. Maybe she was gone a long time and the kids told someone. Maybe when they found her they saw she had been sitting at the bar of the restaurant drinking and had been there for quite awhile. I find it hard to believe the entire story is "good mom goes to restaurant real quick for food, immediately arrested for leaving kids unattended on beach." There surely were mitigating circumstances and details to result in arrest and being charged.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hindsight is 20/20. Policing parents like this is a way to teach mothers that their place is in the home.

No, but it "teaches" mothers AND fathers that their priority should be their children--whether in their home or away from home. Good parenting decisions matter.

Curious how old you are. Parents used to feel like they didn't have to be next to their kids constantly. People used to think that kids learning to navigate the world without parents was a part of learning how to grow up.

Not Pp, but How old are YOU? Because I'm in my 30s and when I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals.

Also, please remember that back in the day when there was less helicoptering, kids learned early on not to let the dogs out in traffic or run in the road. The problem nowadays is that parents helicopter 90% of the time and then expect the kids to be able to figure it out when they throw them out on their own.

Nonsense. I'm a NP and also in my 30s. People (including me and friends) were definitely left alone in vacation rentals while parents went to get food, stayed at the beach a little longer, etc.

Agree. That was part of growing up back then.

Do kids these days not get left alone until the day they go off to college?

Yes, because there is no difference between 8 and 20.

You sound really wise. Would you mind telling me what the cut-off age is?

NP: it's not 8 and 9 at a vacation rental.

I'd use double digits as a starting point. 10 and 11? Maybe.

I'm guessing something else triggered this.

Okay. So not nine. But ten is okay. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hindsight is 20/20. Policing parents like this is a way to teach mothers that their place is in the home.

No, but it "teaches" mothers AND fathers that their priority should be their children--whether in their home or away from home. Good parenting decisions matter.

Curious how old you are. Parents used to feel like they didn't have to be next to their kids constantly. People used to think that kids learning to navigate the world without parents was a part of learning how to grow up.

Not Pp, but How old are YOU? Because I'm in my 30s and when I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals.

Also, please remember that back in the day when there was less helicoptering, kids learned early on not to let the dogs out in traffic or run in the road. The problem nowadays is that parents helicopter 90% of the time and then expect the kids to be able to figure it out when they throw them out on their own.

Nonsense. I'm a NP and also in my 30s. People (including me and friends) were definitely left alone in vacation rentals while parents went to get food, stayed at the beach a little longer, etc.

Agree. That was part of growing up back then.

Do kids these days not get left alone until the day they go off to college?

Yes, because there is no difference between 8 and 20.

You sound really wise. Would you mind telling me what the cut-off age is?

NP: it's not 8 and 9 at a vacation rental.

I'd use double digits as a starting point. 10 and 11? Maybe.

I'm guessing something else triggered this.

Okay. So not nine. But ten is okay. Got it.

She said starting point. Obviously it depends on the kids.

Kids who are outside, with their dogs running in front of cars, telling strangers they're home alone - NOT READY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hindsight is 20/20. Policing parents like this is a way to teach mothers that their place is in the home.

No, but it "teaches" mothers AND fathers that their priority should be their children--whether in their home or away from home. Good parenting decisions matter.

Curious how old you are. Parents used to feel like they didn't have to be next to their kids constantly. People used to think that kids learning to navigate the world without parents was a part of learning how to grow up.

Not Pp, but How old are YOU? Because I'm in my 30s and when I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals.

Also, please remember that back in the day when there was less helicoptering, kids learned early on not to let the dogs out in traffic or run in the road. The problem nowadays is that parents helicopter 90% of the time and then expect the kids to be able to figure it out when they throw them out on their own.

Nonsense. I'm a NP and also in my 30s. People (including me and friends) were definitely left alone in vacation rentals while parents went to get food, stayed at the beach a little longer, etc.

Agree. That was part of growing up back then.

Do kids these days not get left alone until the day they go off to college?

Yes, because there is no difference between 8 and 20.

You sound really wise. Would you mind telling me what the cut-off age is?

NP: it's not 8 and 9 at a vacation rental.

I'd use double digits as a starting point. 10 and 11? Maybe.

I'm guessing something else triggered this.

Okay. So not nine. But ten is okay. Got it.

Um, try again, pp. Not *8.*

Those kids are 8 and 9. Too young. 10 and 11 might not have triggered the same response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hindsight is 20/20. Policing parents like this is a way to teach mothers that their place is in the home.

No, but it "teaches" mothers AND fathers that their priority should be their children--whether in their home or away from home. Good parenting decisions matter.

Curious how old you are. Parents used to feel like they didn't have to be next to their kids constantly. People used to think that kids learning to navigate the world without parents was a part of learning how to grow up.

Not Pp, but How old are YOU? Because I'm in my 30s and when I was growing up, no one left 8 year olds alone in vacation rentals.

Also, please remember that back in the day when there was less helicoptering, kids learned early on not to let the dogs out in traffic or run in the road. The problem nowadays is that parents helicopter 90% of the time and then expect the kids to be able to figure it out when they throw them out on their own.

Nonsense. I'm a NP and also in my 30s. People (including me and friends) were definitely left alone in vacation rentals while parents went to get food, stayed at the beach a little longer, etc.

Agree. That was part of growing up back then.

Do kids these days not get left alone until the day they go off to college?

Yes, because there is no difference between 8 and 20.

You sound really wise. Would you mind telling me what the cut-off age is?

NP: it's not 8 and 9 at a vacation rental.

I'd use double digits as a starting point. 10 and 11? Maybe.

I'm guessing something else triggered this.

Okay. So not nine. But ten is okay. Got it.

Um, try again, pp. Not *8.*

Those kids are 8 and 9. Too young. 10 and 11 might not have triggered the same response.

10 & 11 year olds also would likely not be letting their dogs out and/or in the road themselves, nor would they be telling strangers they're home alone. A couple of years DOES make a big difference at this age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I suppose I should never be left one because mors than once, I have opened the door to get the mail or something left on the front t porch, and my asshole dog has squeezed by me. Or my dh hasn't locked the front door and my cunning escape artist knows how to use the door lever and flees.

In my house, EVERYONE knows how to retrieve our stupid animal because he is often smarted and quicker than our control systems.

I may be terrible at dog containment, but my kid can absolutely wrangle my runaway dog

Your dog needs training before it gets hit by a car or you get ticketed for a dog without a leash.

The kids shouldn't have been opening the door at all.

Everybody, PP here knows how to get your dog to always behave like you want it to! I'm so excited! Tell me where your dog learned to behave perfectly. I'm dying to take my dog to that same particular trainer! Contact info please!

Most people know how to keep their dog in the house or at least from opening the door itself.

Now I'm sad.

You're not going to share the name of your miraculous dog trainer?