Comments on: Telling 11yo to walk home from McDonalds = felony child abandonment?

By: David Townsend

David Townsend — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 06:07:48 +0000

I have a question that has occurred. If he had sent the child out on his own to get his own meal in the first case, would he have been charged?

By: Blitzer Vance

Blitzer Vance — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:08:47 +0000

I am just wondering if in fact Texas law enforcement is so concerned for a child’s safety that they charged this father with such an inconsequential act, are they now descending on the SE Texas coast? If in fact this father was endangering his son, what of all those parents who kept their children in the path of Ike? Particularly what of the parents of the 12 year old in the photograph televised nationally playing with a deadly ocean surge?

By: Tammy

Tammy — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:06:12 +0000

This is ridiculous..whoever called the police should feel like a complete idiot. I would have done the same thing and the police should have backed up the father. I think the police are setting a horrible example by charging the father. I just saw this story on Fox News and could not comment there so came here…the lady [guest on the show] completely agreed with the charges and I would be shocked to find out if she has kids and if she ever does what little tryants they will turn out to be…the same goes for the police officers that came to this stupid conclusion. This is a prime example of the high cost of our legal system…complete stupidity!

By: kathryn

kathryn — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:19:47 +0000

Hello people. What ever happened to loving your child and giving a hug. Possibly telling them you love them? I can’t take it. The young generation is one that believes We Owe Them Something. It never ends. Rude manners. I want more, more, more of your money, cars, household, etc. Electronics have ruined the young kids. I will bet you not many of them even watched any of the Olympic Games in China. They don’t care and they are lazy. Give me. Give me. That is what they have become.

Grow up parents. Don’t give them…….make them work for it like we all had to. We have values. They do not.

By: Lauren from NRH

Lauren from NRH — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:15:14 +0000

I think the kid was out of line – and so was Leiber. Your kid acts like a spoiled jerk and your response is to try and bargain with him, then leave him at a restaurant and drive away as the is trying to open the car door???? Sounds like a teenage lover’s spat, not an argument between parent and child. How about, pick up your remaining breakfast and take it home – along with the brat. No more restaurants for him for awhile. For that matter, take away the cellphone, Wii, new expensive athletic shoes, the computer and house phone – you owe the kid a roof over his head, food, clothes and schooling. Period. If he doesn’t respect you enough to act decently and obey the rules, then you don’t give anything extra. It works – but you have to be fair, consistent – and MATURE. The only lesson taught here was that an adult couldn’t handle an argument with a child, so he acted like a child himself. It wasn’t criminal, it was idiotic. Punishment and discipline doens’t have to be a mind-screw to work. You can be a stable parent and be effective (it blows me away that people think this act was okay – act like that on a job and you would be fired). While not a crimainal offense,the citizen that called authorities and the police that arrived did what they should have done – which was to make sure a kid was safe. And for the closing, it wasn’t about the kid walking home in the daylight in a safe area, it was about BEING A PARENT. Jeez, grow up already.

By: Cecil

Cecil — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:53:51 +0000

If they lived next door to mcd’s could a parent direct the child to go buy a meal or walk home? A block away? Two blocks away? At 12? At 11? At 10? Where do you draw the lines? Who has the right to make the determination? Ask that question to ten different parents and you will probably receive ten different answers. The distance and age will vary usually dependant on the parents beliefs and the perceived capabilities of that parent’s child(ren). There is a middle school across the street from my home, they permit children from the neighborhood to walk home. Since this sub-division is fairly extensive, that may involve as much as a mile or more walk. Is the school criminally abandoning those children since they are responsible for them once placed in their care?

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:07:09 +0000

Sorry for the typos everyone. I meant to say ‘our’ kids, not ‘ur kids, and ‘behaved badly’, ‘walk’ instead of ‘wak’ etc. I’m simply amazed that a parent can be charged with felonies (we’re talking felonies here everyone, this isn’t jaywalking) because he told his kid to walk home. Unless they live in south central LA or some other super dangerous neighborhood, all walking home will teach a child is that there are consequences for bad behavior and maybe the walk will teach the kid some self-reliance and maybe even burn a few calories (which after eating at McDonald’s wouldn’t be a bad thing).

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:43:34 +0000

Criminal charges? Has everyone gone both stupid and insane?! When I behaed badluygrowing up there were consequences. having consequences teaches you manners, respect and how to take care of yourself. So now what, your kids can yell at you, scream obscenities at you, throw their food at you, kick you and if you yell back or wak them out of a public place or make them walk home you go to jail?? Are you kidding me? That is so far beyond being totally insanity it defies description. No wonder our society and this country are doomed. It’s only going to get worse. ur kids are rude, fat, lazy, stupid and spoiled and to top it off that have this amazing sense of entitlement; and they do it all with no class and they get rewarded for it. Sad, this is just beyond sad.

By: gitarcarver

gitarcarver — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:34:20 +0000

Decent quality 11 year-old kids get into arguments with their parents all of the time. This is often “self centered, inconsiderate, rude and selfish.” It is also being 11.

I agree that is it part of being 11. It is not, however, a part of a moment of triumph or a step to adulthood.

By: Todd Rogers

Todd Rogers — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:33:48 +0000

Ron. I think I’ve made it clear that your arguing capability is not nearly as poor as your reading and analytical ability. Do your humility a favor: re-read my posts. Next, investigate the various fallacies currently available in the market of linguistics. Then, after you pick up on my clues, figure out which ones apply to your writing. Then, revisit this thread and report back your errors. Given that the written word sometimes lacks tone, inflection, and other sundry non-verbals, I’ll toss you a bone. For the third and final time, you’re missing something that I’m confident the rest of the readers saw quite clearly. I’ve not, nor will I offer an opinion about abuse of animals. I made a parallel between two threads using the absurdity of one to demonstrate the absurdity of another. The fact that this is isolated to the treatment of animals has no merit in this venue. LAY OFF THE SAUCE!