Do you know where your child is?

[Pooh Crew]

If so, you are not my neighbor. My neighbor that I have never met. My neighbor that has a very sweet son, but a son that I do not want to babysit ALL day long.

Sigh. He showed up yesterday at noon and stayed until dark when we went inside. He showed up again this morning right after breakfast and hasn't left yet...and is showing no intention to. He's a sweet child, but I have four of my own and don't want another. Besides all that, how do you let your ten yr old son be gone all day and never check on him??? We've never laid eyes on the parents! There is a registered child molester in this area...how can this child's parents just turn him out?!

Ok, rant over. I just don't understand some people.

 

[DVCLiz]

If so, you are not my neighbor. My neighbor that I have never met. My neighbor that has a very sweet son, but a son that I do not want to babysit ALL day long.

Sigh. He showed up yesterday at noon and stayed until dark when we went inside. He showed up again this morning right after breakfast and hasn't left yet...and is showing no intention to. He's a sweet child, but I have four of my own and don't want another. Besides all that, how do you let your ten yr old son be gone all day and never check on him??? We've never laid eyes on the parents! There is a registered child molester in this area...how can this child's parents just turn him out?!

Ok, rant over. I just don't understand some people.

Walk him back home, introduce yourself to the neighbors, and tell them you will be glad to call and invite the child over for a playdate the next time it is convenient for you. Then leave him at home with his parents.

Otherwise, you might as well put a neon sign above your house that flashes, "Free babysitting all summer long!!"

 

[FayeW]

Have you asked him if his parents are home and if they know where he is? 10 yr olds don't actually need babysitters so as far as they are concerned he's just out playing with his friends.

 

[sms]

I don't understand it either. My DS7 had a friend that was just dropped off at my house after school one day. I had never met his parents before. They just dropped him off to play with my child for a couple of hours. They were going to drop him off again one day and I told them he could stay that day but to not do it again without making plans!! I would NEVER leave my child with someone I didn't know!!! I don't even let him go next door to my aunts house without asking them if its okay!

 

[agnes!]

Take the little cherub back home, coughing a bit while doing so and saying "so sorry, we've had such a bad spell of sickness at our house..." (heheheheh)

agnes!

 

[JessicaR]

Years ago I had the same situation happen to us! One day this little boy appeared at our fence watching us swim in the pool. He was 8-9 at the time. (he is 18 now!) For days he played here, swam here ate here for hours at a time. We found out that his parents owned the local farm, were never home and just basically let this kid raise himself. The parents were thrilled when he found a neighbor that let him latch on for a while...then NEXT! Sad.

He is a really great kid that we know better than his own parents do.

I would get his story, talk to his parents and go from there. Maybe you are a blessing for that little boy.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Walk him back home, introduce yourself to the neighbors, and tell them you will be glad to call and invite the child over for a playdate the next time it is convenient for you. Then leave him at home with his parents.

Otherwise, you might as well put a neon sign above your house that flashes, "Free babysitting all summer long!!"

I think 10 years old is a few years too old for "playdates". Don't kids just get together at that age? If I need a neighborhood kid gone, I tell them. It's really not that hard.

 

[abdmom]

At age 10, my children were quite capable of going to a friend's house and asking if so and so can play. They always let me know where they were going. Did he ask you if he could play with one of your children? Their friends would also come over to play and ask at the door if my children were free. We had no trouble saying yes or no or "It's time to go home now" when necessary.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I think 10 years old is a few years too old for "playdates". Don't kids just get together at that age? If I need a neighborhood kid gone, I tell them. It's really not that hard.

I totally agree with this. We have a boy a couple houses down who comes over whenever he feels like it. His parents just let him wander around. This has been since he was around 9 years old or so. It doesn't bother me at all that he comes here. I just tell him that its time for him to go home if I want him to go home. He always leaves then, but I'm not sure if he goes home.

 

[Pooh Crew]

Honestly, the boy seems to be a good kid. I just don't understand how someone turns their ten yr old out and doesn't check on them all day long. I mean, seriously? If some had grabbed this child on his way to our house at 9am (we are not next door) no one would know and it is now almost 3pm.

For the record, this is not our primary home--it is just a place we own on the water. We do know the people near us.

It's just sad that this child's parents don't seem to care. I don't know, maybe they just don't know any better? Is that possible in this day and time???

 

[OceanAnnie]

Take the little cherub back home, coughing a bit while doing so and saying "so sorry, we've had such a bad spell of sickness at our house..." (heheheheh)

agnes!

You are wicked! I love it!

 

[OceanAnnie]

Honestly, the boy seems to be a good kid. I just don't understand how someone turns their ten yr old out and doesn't check on them all day long. I mean, seriously? If some had grabbed this child on his way to our house at 9am (we are not next door) no one would know and it is now almost 3pm.

For the record, this is not our primary home--it is just a place we own on the water. We do know the people near us.

It's just sad that this child's parents don't seem to care. I don't know, maybe they just don't know any better? Is that possible in this day and time???

It is sad. I can't imagine not checking and not knowing the parents where my child is staying. Can't imagine.

It's good that he can come over with you guys. It doesn't seem like he's missed.

 

[Magic Mom]

I think 10 years old is a few years too old for "playdates". Don't kids just get together at that age? If I need a neighborhood kid gone, I tell them. It's really not that hard.

That's us too. DD goes to her friends and spends hours over there and vice versa. I send kids home when I'm tired of them (which is rare) and the other mom does the same. DD has her cell phone and I call her to see what she's doing and let her know when I need her home.

If you don't want the kid there, just nicely let him know your kids can't play with him today.

 

[Pooh Crew]

It is sad. I can't imagine not checking and not knowing the parents where my child is staying. Can't imagine.

It's good that he can come over with you guys. It doesn't seem like he's missed.

And he just seems so hungry for attention--not in a bad way, but dh was working on the dock and this boy is right there handing him stuff. If I tell one of our kids that something needs to be done, he's on it before they are! He seems starved for attention. It just makes me so sad!

 

[smb6]

Is he coming inside your house? If he is outside, maybe they are peeking on him from the window?? Just a thought......

But many parents don't keep a good check on their kids; unfortunately.

Last year my ds had a friend with parents like this (they were 9 at time). They didn't live in our neighborhood thankfully. One day at school my ds and they other boy made plans to ask if he could come over after school and ride the bus home with my ds. I reluctantly said yes. I figured the boys parents would call me. They did not, but they let their son come home with me from school and after a few hours I got their # from their son and for hours could not get an answer. They never once called to see if I had their son or when he would be coming home. The little boy didn't know directions to his house for me to take him home and his parent's would not answer phone. Finally he told me his street name and I mapquested it. I drove to his street and the boy was able to recognize his house. I dropped him off and someone waved from the backyard and I left. There are several other stories involving this child similar also..... They didn't know my name, where I lived, or anything; CRAZY! You better believe when my son asked to go over there one day, I gave a quick NO.

 

[Pooh Crew]

Is he coming inside your house? If he is outside, maybe they are peeking on him from the window?? Just a thought......

But many parents don't keep a good check on their kids; unfortunately.

.

He's been inside, but mainly out. They are down the road so there's no way they can see him from their place. Believe me, no one is looking for this child.

 

[bumbershoot]

And he just seems so hungry for attention--not in a bad way, but dh was working on the dock and this boy is right there handing him stuff. If I tell one of our kids that something needs to be done, he's on it before they are! He seems starved for attention. It just makes me so sad!

Could just be that he's a good, helpful, kid?

Are you sure he doesn't have a cellphone on him? He could be calling his parents on his way over.

But you should just talk to him, and talk with them!

 

[Pooh Crew]

Could just be that he's a good, helpful, kid?

Are you sure he doesn't have a cellphone on him? He could be calling his parents on his way over.

But you should just talk to him, and talk with them!

Definitely helpful, but like an old soul--if that makes sense. And there's no phone because he's been in the water all day.

 

[Sorsha]

I think 10 years old is a few years too old for "playdates". Don't kids just get together at that age? If I need a neighborhood kid gone, I tell them. It's really not that hard.

I totally agree with this. We have a boy a couple houses down who comes over whenever he feels like it. His parents just let him wander around. This has been since he was around 9 years old or so. It doesn't bother me at all that he comes here. I just tell him that its time for him to go home if I want him to go home. He always leaves then, but I'm not sure if he goes home.

I totally agree with this! I mean, i guess I agree with it, with a LITTLE more supervision - a lot of the kids in my neighborhood are younger - in the 5-8 year old range, so there's a little more supervision - but still a lot of wandering up and down the street.

All the kids in our neighborhood just wander around and ask if so-and-so can play. If they can't, then the kiddo just moves on to the next house.

When my kids head out to play, they have to tell me whose house they are heading for. They always ask "When should we be home?" and my response is always "4 o'clock (or whenever) or when Zoey's mommy tells you its time to leave". If Zoey can't play they stop back by the house and tell me "Zoey can't play so we are trying Ethan's house now." Conversely when they show up at my house, someone says to me "Mom, can we play here for a while? Zoey has to be home by 5."

When I get tired of the hub-bub, or when the kids stop getting along, I either tell them, "Ok, time for Zoey to head home now" or "All right guys, why don't you all go play at Zoey's house for while." (Throwing Zoey's mommy under the bus for a while *evil giggles*) We have a pretty relaxed neighborhood.

I know that Ethan's mommy (right next door) is having a baby in about 3 weeks, and I would imagine I will be seeing a LOT more of Ethan for a while till school starts up again. That's OK - I don't mind - she will need her rest, and he will need somewhere to come de-compress.

 

[Mandychelle79]

While I understand the whole I dont want to raise a neighbors child vibe, maybe YOU are the only thing stable in his life. My parents never had a problem with my friends basically moving in because of that. One of my best friends in high school was at my house from the time school left out until I took him home around 11. I would then pick him up for school in the am and the cycle would start again. This went on from 10th grade until graduation. His father had no idea where he was and quite frankly didnt care. Im sure this scenario didnt just pop up in 10th grade, just when he and I became friends, but was how he was raised. On weekends he would sleep on our couch. My family was the only stable thing in his life and my parents couldn't let him down like his family did.