Some woman asked a stranger to watch her child at BB today

[Stepharoonie!]

 

[disneychrista]

Do you know for sure that this was a stranger?

 

[snoopy]

We had an odd sort of thing like that happen to us when we were in Busch Gardens a few months ago. We were standing in line for this roller coaster, and this woman and her husband asked if we would mind taking her little girl on the ride with us. They said they had ridden it once and didn't really like it. We said sure, expecting them to wait in the line with her until she got on. Nope, they wanted to "drop her off". She was my youngest son's age, 5. I consented, mainly because as someone else said, I was afraid she would be placed in the wrong hands if I didn't. The whole time I was worried sick that her parents wouldn't be there when we got off. I felt sorry for her, I cannot imagine how she must have felt being left with perfect strangers.

I told some people at work about it and they all seem to think that what the woman did was fine, that if I were evil, how far could I have taken the child? People are just naive I guess. The parents were there waiting when we got off the ride, of course, but I still wonder how they could be so trusting of complete strangers. Yes, we look like the typical nice family, but you just never know!

 

[MAC3]

Originally posted by CEDmom
Parents like this drive me crazy. But you know what the real kicker is? Nothing bad will happen to their children. It's those of us that watch our children carefully that still have things happen.

Ditto! I say this to myself everyday that I drop my DD off at school (walk her to the door non the less) to appease my security with watching her walk through the door, as I watch some of these children walk to their schools, alone and they are about 4or 5 yrs old.... I pray that all children are safe!

I don't get it.

 

[epcotfan]

Snoopy, the same thing happened to me on Big Thunder Mountain. As I was boarding the car (by myself) a woman came rushing by and shoved her kid in my car. She says, "Can he ride with you? I don't want to ride" This child was 4 tops. I was in shock. Then the doors closed. If I had more time I would have said no. I didn't know how this child would react. I certainly didn't want him freaking out or barfing on me. Needless to say I didn't enjoy that ride. I was afraid she wouldn't be there when I got off. I don't understand some people Why would you leave your child on a potentially scary ride with a stranger?

 

[lindajo]

 

[HollyJoy]

That's just nuts.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Originally posted by Pop Daddy
was the stranger sexy

Alright, P-Daddy, why is it that you can post stuff like this and nobody takes you to task, but if someone else were to post it, all heck would break lose?

By the way, it's very hard to take you seriously with Jake and Elwood staring out at me.

 

[Claudia1]

Several years ago (when I had a retail candy shop), I had a local pre-school class in for a tour. The only sponsor was a volunteer firefighter and his pager went off. He quickly used my phone and imformed me that another staff member would be right in to cover for him...... then he ran out of the door saying, "I've got to go..... I can't stay..... they will be fine." !!!!! I was horrified! I had 5-7 preschoolers that I had never met, that I was suddenly in chrage of! Within 5 iminutes, a frantic supervisor appeared and assured me that the incident would be dealt with in the harshest manner. I knew her and I'm sure that the fire would not be the only hot spot of his day!

To the OP, YES, I think it was not appropriate.

 

[janette]

One of the most disturbing things I saw on our last trip was 3 kids in the play area at the exit of Mission Space. There was a little boy about 5 consoling a baby (under 2). He kept crying and finally someone asked where their mom was. He said their sister was watching him, went and got his sister out of the play tubes. She looked to be about 8, definately not more than 10. She complained at the baby put him back in the stroller and said something about she didn't know why it was taking her parents so long. I can only guess that they were on the ride and left her in charge of her brothers. She went back to play leaving the baby there with the brother, at least he seemed to be a better babysitter. I didn't say anything but kept thinking I should have found someone to keep an eye on them until their parents finally showed up.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Just yesterday a stranger came up to my DD11 at the beach and asked her if she "wanted to make some money". DD or course way like "yeah, sure!"...but I said "doing what?" The woman pointed to the edge of the water where there was a pretty deep hole in the sand where her DD was playing....she wanted my DD to watch her kid! We didn't know her or the child at all! She was going to "walk on the beach for a while". I of course said no my DD could not do that. THEN, I saw DD pop out of the hole...this kid must have been maybe 18months-2yrs old. Way, way too young to have been left at the edge of the ocean on her own.

It was very odd and we were relieved when that family left.

 

[Hillbeans]

After reading these stories i'm in complete shock. I think all of us parents have been in a situation where we need to cut ourselves in quarters and be in 4 places at once, however not once would I ever leave my DS unattended with a stranger. I'd just forgo the other things I needed to do. She should have brought her other child to the slide area. Unreal.

 

[coliebird]

Originally posted by Hillbeans
After reading these stories i'm in complete shock. I think all of us parents have been in a situation where we need to cut ourselves in quarters and be in 4 places at once, however not once would I ever leave my DS unattended with a stranger. I'd just forgo the other things I needed to do. She should have brought her other child to the slide area. Unreal.

ITA.

I was on line in Macy's the other day and there was a little boy about 13 months sitting in his stroller screaming for his mother in the middle of the clothes racks. Where was the mother? In the fitting room! She came out and gave him a sippy cup and walked away again to go shop some more. The kid kept crying for her. I felt so bad for him. How do people do stuff like this?

 

[welovedisneyx4]

One of the most disturbing things I saw on our last trip was 3 kids in the play area at the exit of Mission Space. There was a little boy about 5 consoling a baby (under 2). He kept crying and finally someone asked where their mom was. He said their sister was watching him, went and got his sister out of the play tubes. She looked to be about 8, definately not more than 10. She complained at the baby put him back in the stroller and said something about she didn't know why it was taking her parents so long. I can only guess that they were on the ride and left her in charge of her brothers. She went back to play leaving the baby there with the brother, at least he seemed to be a better babysitter.

WOW!!! This thread is making me want to go hug my kids right now. I wouldn't think about having DD8 watch DS3 anywhere but our yard and that is w/ me there in the house w/ the windows open. DD and DS would be really upset if we left them somewhere like that. I think that would really hurt their feelings. I am all for teaching your kids independence and responsibility, but this is way too much!!!

 

[luvwinnie]

The mom is crazy and so is the stranger. NO WAY would I agree to watch a stranger's child.

 

[HappyMommy2]

All these stories are just shocking to me, and so sad!

Recently I was at a busy play area at a mall in a nearby city with my kids. We were there for about an hour before noticing that there was a little girl there--4 years old--who didn't seem to have an adult with her. She had been there when we arrived so I know she had been there alone for a LONG time, and she was starting to cry for her mother. Another mother and I spoke to the little girl, confirmed she was alone--she said her mother had gone shopping--and then alerted security. Security took the little girl into the mall office and we heard the child's mother being paged over the mall's PA system several times, but we had to leave and never did find out the end of the story.

Any one of us at that play area could have walked right out of there with that little girl and could probably have been 100 miles away by the time the mother came back and found her child missing. So very sad.

 

[Hillbeans]

Unfortunately there are so many stories like the OP's...i've heard other people say they've found kids alone at Chuck e Cheese.

I hope security found her mom and let her have it. Could you even imagine leaving your 4 YO unattended for an HOUR?? I'm sure she made up some story that she ran off, etc.

Sad.

I wonder what CM's are told to do when they see unattended children?

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

At IOA last fall, I was getting on Spiderman, and I heard sobbing. As I sat down, I realized the sobbing was from a little girl, around 6 years old, sitting down next to me. Her mother wanted to use the single rider line so that they could get on faster. As we pulled away, I saw a smiling woman wave to us.

She was scared to death, asking me questions like "does it have a lot of loops?" and stuff like that. I tried to reassure her, and put my hand near hers on the bar and told her that anytime she wanted to, she could hold my hand. And boy, did she! TIGHTLY! And WET! (runny nose...eek) She was such a cutie. She did enjoy the ride tho in the end.

When it was over, I waited with her until her mother arrived. Her mother just took her...never said a word to me.

Takes all kinds...

 

[KimR]

We were at univerasal a few months ago waiting out a rainstorm in the Barney play area. My 3-year-old DD was playing next to another girl about the same age when the mother asked me if I would keep an eye on her little girl while she went to get her stroller. I was a little taken aback, but reluctanctly agreed since I figured it would only take a minute or so to get the stroller (I assumed it was right outside the entrance). Well, she was gone quite a long time (maybe 5 or 10 minutes, but it seemed like longer!). I was beginning to get concerned and was starting to wonder where in the heck that stroller was anyway (EPCOT, maybe??!!). She eventually returned but by then I was quite nervous becuase the girls had gotten tired of playing together so I was having to keep up with the 2 of them (I didn't want to let either one out of my sight). That is the last time I do that for a stranger, even for a very short time. I don't know why she couldn't have just taken her with her, but at the time I was so surprised that she would ask me, I didn't even think it through.

Another trip at IOA, were were in line to ride Storm Force and a little girl of about 5 or so asked if she could ride with us since she was by herself. Her parents had left her in line and then gone on to ride Hulk I said sure, no problem, but I could not believe anyone would do that. I would NEVER leave a child that age alone in line even if I was waiting at the exit, much less go and get on another ride!!! People are nuts!!

 

[Az Pirates]

Originally posted by MaryAnnDVC
At IOA last fall, I was getting on Spiderman, and I heard sobbing. As I sat down, I realized the sobbing was from a little girl, around 6 years old, sitting down next to me. Her mother wanted to use the single rider line so that they could get on faster. As we pulled away, I saw a smiling woman wave to us.

I can't even imagine! Poor little thing. My DS 8 has discovered the single rider line for Mulholland Madness at DCA. I let him do that only because I can see him the whole way onto the ride and then meet him at the exit. DD 6 wanted to try it too - but I said not until she's older and that is a ride she has been on dozens of times and loves!

I'm all for fostering independance - but these stories are just scary!