Anonymous wrote:Setting aside this issue of whether it is right or wrong for the kids to be on their own in this park , I really don't know what the parents were expecting in this situation after what previously happened. They are well within their rights to advocate to have this law changed, but until it is, they've chosen to live in a place where this is the law, and by disregarding it after their kids were picked up by the police, they are the ones who have set the kids up for an unpleasant interaction with the police.

This has little to do with the "law." There is no specific law about how old kids have to be to be out in public alone. (locked in a car or left in the home, yes. In public, no) They are completely at the mercy of the judgement and discretion of busy-body strangers, the police and CPS.

I absolutely am certain that if these kids were black or hispanic and were playing in the same park or crossing the same streets, nobody would call the police and CPS would not get involved. I say this because I live in Silver Spring and see it all the time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

More likely... Breaking News... the "concerned citizen" that called the police ends up being the parents and their wacko free range attention seeking friends.

Well, as long as we're speculating, I think that the neighbor who called the police had it in for the parents, and this was a good way to get back at them. Because otherwise I absolutely cannot imagine why a neighbor would see elementary-school-aged children the neighbor knows, walking down the sidewalk on a Sunday afternoon, and think, "Hey, I know! I'll call the police!"

You are making a big assumption that it was someone the parents know. Multiple people would find it concerning to see unaccompanied, very young looking children, in an urban park. Also we have no idea how these kids behave. Maybe they looked scared or lost, or maybe they said something weird to a concerned bystander.

Setting aside this issue of whether it is right or wrong for the kids to be on their own in this park , I really don't know what the parents were expecting in this situation after what previously happened. They are well within their rights to advocate to have this law changed, but until it is, they've chosen to live in a place where this is the law, and by disregarding it after their kids were picked up by the police, they are the ones who have set the kids up for an unpleasant interaction with the police.

Anonymous wrote:Petula Dvorak wrote about it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/free-range-kids-and-our-parenting-police-state/2015/04/13/42c30336-e1df-11e4-905f-cc896d379a32_story.html

Damn right, Petula Dvorak.

Anonymous wrote:

No. I have no fear of CPS coming to my door. But, if I had a run in with CPS and it was a real fear of mine I would be more vigilant. The parents said, they were afraid something like this was going to happen. (Though I think they hoped something would happen because they are attention seekers.)

It's like your first DWI is a freebie... the 2nd time... not so much!

You should, though. Every rational parent should.

Anonymous wrote:
I now live in SS. My kids have roughly the same amount of freedom that I did. They are 10 and 7. I am totally comfortable with them going to a close by park (which is about a 5-10 minute walk away, no busy streets). This is the norm in my neighborhood. But I would not let them cross a very busy street (as a PP mentioned, too many crazy drivers going way too fast). I would not let my kids aged 10 and 7 cross Georgia or Colesville (which is apparently what the Meitivs were accustomed to do).

doing something for the first time =/= being accustomed to doing it

Anonymous wrote:

No, the argument here is you shouldn't let your 6 and 10-year-olds cross Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road alone to go play in a park after CPS had told you not to. Are you doing that? No? Good. You're fine.

These parents didn't do that either, and they weren't fine. Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road were involved in the January incident; not in this one.

Anonymous wrote:

More likely... Breaking News... the "concerned citizen" that called the police ends up being the parents and their wacko free range attention seeking friends.

Well, as long as we're speculating, I think that the neighbor who called the police had it in for the parents, and this was a good way to get back at them. Because otherwise I absolutely cannot imagine why a neighbor would see elementary-school-aged children the neighbor knows, walking down the sidewalk on a Sunday afternoon, and think, "Hey, I know! I'll call the police!"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't understand this argument! We all as parents shouldn't let our kids play in parks not because of any real danger but because CPS says so and they may take our kids?!

Yes, that is the argument, and from a practical perspective, it makes a lot of sense. It's just in the big picture that it makes no sense at all.

No, the argument here is you shouldn't let your 6 and 10-year-olds cross Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road alone to go play in a park after CPS had told you not to. Are you doing that? No? Good. You're fine.

Anonymous wrote:So I have a seven year old whom I allow to walk my tiny toy dog up and down my (quiet, residential) street. How far is she reasonably allowed to go? At what point on my street do we cross the line into child neglect?

I don't allow her to cross the street, but what if she goes around the block? Is that substantial risk of harm?

It's child neglect as soon as she's out of your sight, according to a recent thread on DCUM about a six-year-old walking to the school bus stop four houses away.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't understand this argument! We all as parents shouldn't let our kids play in parks not because of any real danger but because CPS says so and they may take our kids?!

Yes, that is the argument, and from a practical perspective, it makes a lot of sense. It's just in the big picture that it makes no sense at all.

Exactly. There seems to be consensus that these parents are neglectful because they let their kids go outside knowing there was a serious risk they could be snatched and taken against their will BY THE POLICE. This is some Orwellian shit, people.

Anonymous wrote:

I don't understand this argument! We all as parents shouldn't let our kids play in parks not because of any real danger but because CPS says so and they may take our kids?!

Yes, that is the argument, and from a practical perspective, it makes a lot of sense. It's just in the big picture that it makes no sense at all.

Anonymous wrote:So I have a seven year old whom I allow to walk my tiny toy dog up and down my (quiet, residential) street. How far is she reasonably allowed to go? At what point on my street do we cross the line into child neglect?

I don't allow her to cross the street, but what if she goes around the block? Is that substantial risk of harm?

You should have her walk the dog across Georgia Ave as often as possible.

Anonymous wrote:The parents are traumatizing these kids by being rigid with this fight. They would rather take a stand, despite being told it is frowned upon by the police and subjecting their children to being detained by the police and CPS. Their children will probably grow up to be anti-government radicals or worse.

Actually I think that CPS and the police are traumatizing these kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The neighbor didn't look out for the kids. The neighbor called the police.

That is a way of looking out for the kids.

But not a good way, or a neighborly way.