Toddler abducted

[The Wookiee]

I just feel the parents who left 3 kids under the age of 4 un supervised where wrong to do so. I do not have my own kids its true but have had step kids and would like to think I/we would not have left 3 kids unsepervised.

Exactly right !!

 

[Hampden Park]

The pictures of the Portugese police who were supposed to be checking cars that were leaving Portugal were disgraceful-sitting in their car until it stopped raining, hanging around talking while vehicles just went by without them so much as looking in the direction of the road.

I'm glad they're not looking for anybody in my family who has been abducted-makes me feel even more for the kid's parents.

having served in portugal (based there and living in a portuguese house) for 18 months i am afraid that this is what their police force is like. very laid back and everything can wait till tomorrow. they would be the same if it were one of their own. they will not rush for anyone

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Everyone is praying she is found alive and well and maybe comments should be withheld until we know the outcome but the blatant facts are the parents left 3 kids 3 and under unsupervised. Anyway I can understand both sides of the argument and the saddest thing is that this can happen at all with all the weirdo's in this world.

 

[withdeanwombat]

The parents HAVE done something wrong.They have left the defenceless alone whilst they went out to eat.It was something my wife and I would never have done,being paranoid about our kids safety.On our holidays with little 'uns we accepted this,and ate as a family,or self catered.

Do I feel sorry for the parents involved? Of course I do.They are probably experiencing not just fears about their little girl,but also massive guilt about their own actions.

They've lost their child for the sake of dinner.Good swap,eh?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

but the blatant facts are the parents left 3 kids 3 and under unsupervised.

US, you know that, I know that, and with the power of hindsight the parents know that more accutely than anyone. That is precisely why they deserve your sympathy.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

I would imagine the police are looking into the possibility that the abductor had access to the room as no forced entry is suspected.

Really? That is interesting.

 

[Bozza]

Mr Sheen shines umpteen things clean.

Including the halos of many posters on this thread, it seems.

I wish I could live such a perfect life.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Really?

Obviously if you read into it an inplication that 'anybody with a tatoo is a bad parent' then fair enough - that's clearly not the case, and I apologise for any offence caused.

My point was that these are educated people, who ought to have known better.

Your comment just seemed to typify the view in this country that because someone might have left school with no qualifications and is on benefits they are automatically a bad parent. Whereas if you earn £30,000+ a year and drive a Shogun you are the model of parenthood.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

The parents HAVE done something wrong.They have left the defenceless alone whilst they went out to eat.It was something my wife and I would never have done,being paranoid about our kids safety.On our holidays with little 'uns we accepted this,and ate as a family,or self catered.

Do I feel sorry for the parents involved? Of course I do.They are probably experiencing not just fears about their little girl,but also massive guilt about their own actions.

They've lost their child for the sake of dinner.Good swap,eh?

karen and I were discusiing this yesterday and we came to the same conclusion ( without your last comment)

When on holiday, we only ever left our kids when there was a kids club. The couriers on sites normally provided a baby sitting service which we only used once or twice. Again, we were not paranoid, however we never really took the chance of leaving our kids at all!

I have the utmost sympathy for the parents, and because of one lapse, it would appear they have paid the ultimate price which none of us could ever wish on our worst enemy

 

[Nibble]

Really? That is interesting.

I'm sure that fact was revealed near the start of the investigation, lots of mixed info though.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

...view in this country that because someone might have left school with no qualifications and is on benefits they are automatically a bad parent. Whereas if you earn £30,000+ a year and drive a Shogun you are the model of parenthood.

Its always dangerous to make assumptions, but in my own personally experience, I've witnessed a lot more 'questionable' parenting from the former than the latter. That's not snobbery, its fact.

I haven't seen many middle-class mothers swearing at their kids in the street, or giving their kids a hiding in the supermarket.

A disgusting one-off case, I grant you, but the recent 'nappy slappers' weren't exactly intelligensi, were they?

 

[Bozza]

karen and I were discusiing this yesterday and we came to the same conclusion ( without your last comment)

When on holiday, we only ever left our kids when there was a kids club. The couriers on sites normally provided a baby sitting service which we only used once or twice. Again, we were not paranoid, however we never really took the chance of leaving our kids at all!

I have the utmost sympathy for the parents, and because of one lapse, it would appear they have paid the ultimate price which none of us could ever wish on our worst enemy

Good post Dave and it illustrates the moral maze around this. There are many parents that would also not use a kids club and/or babysitting service because the children would not be directly under the eye of the parents, and 1 to 1 supervision.

Another forum I use touches upon this subject from time to time. In Orlando there is a 'Fairy Godmothers' babysitting service where a babysitter will come to a hotel room or villa armed with books and toys and the like and look after the wee ones whilst the parents grab some adult/kid-free time for an evening. Debate always gets heated when discussing this between those that would/have used it and those who wouldn't.

 

[Nibble]

Its always dangerous to make assumptions, but in my own personally experience, I've witnessed a lot more 'questionable' parenting from the former than the latter. That's not snobbery, its fact.

I haven't seen many middle-class mothers swearing at their kids in the street, or giving their kids a hiding in the supermarket.

A disgusting one-off case, I grant you, but the recent 'nappy slappers' weren't exactly intelligensi, were they?

I don't think it is too out of order to suggest that a lot of bad parenting comers from ill-educated people seeing as one of the main causes for bad parenting is lack of education. A lot of middle class parents are over-protective if anything.

 

[surrey jim]

Another forum I use touches upon this subject from time to time. In Orlando there is a 'Fairy Godmothers' babysitting service where a babysitter will come to a hotel room or villa armed with books and toys and the like and look after the wee ones whilst the parents grab some adult/kid-free time for an evening. Debate always gets heated when discussing this between those that would/have used it and those who wouldn't.

the fact comes down to who these people are,, as a holiday maker you would not know these people from adam, and you are trusting your children with them.

in many cases people have good refrences etc but it has been shown recently how many padeophiles have slipped through the net

 

[Nibble]

I suppose it comes down to the fact that in this day and age if you choose to have kids then you also must be prepared to look after them 24hrs a day at home or on holiday - in any situation.

 

[Simster]

Everyone is praying she is found alive and well and maybe comments should be withheld until we know the outcome but the blatant facts are the parents left 3 kids 3 and under unsupervised.

No they didn't. They were on a Mark Warner holiday. Mark Warner offer baby patrols where staff members go round the hallways which connect rooms and listen out for any unusual noise. I've been on a Mark Warner and *everybody* on the resort uses this service because the resort is in its own compound. Unfortunately for this couple, their room appears to have been too close to the road outside the resort and it appears that an intruder has got wind of the way children are left, and opportunistically ducked into the compound and nabbed the girl.

Those parents did nothing wrong IMO, especially given the fact they were eating no more than 30 feet from their room.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

ok, I respect your view but I don't think I would have been comfortable with that situation that is all. Anyway I think it is best people stop posting until the outcome is known imho

 

[Spunk Bubble]

Let us pray that she is found safe and sound. But with each passing day it seems more unlikely.

 

[Simster]

I don't think it is too out of order to suggest that a lot of bad parenting comers from ill-educated people seeing as one of the main causes for bad parenting is lack of education. A lot of middle class parents are over-protective if anything.

I'd say that the worst kind of middle class parents are the ones who let their kids get away with anything because they can't be arsed to constantly pull them up for their behaviour. And there are plenty of that sort about.

IMO, middle class parents are rarely over-protective.

 

[tedebear]

No they didn't. They were on a Mark Warner holiday. Mark Warner offer baby patrols where staff members go round the hallways which connect rooms and listen out for any unusual noise. I've been on a Mark Warner and *everybody* on the resort uses this service because the resort is in its own compound. Unfortunately for this couple, their room appears to have been too close to the road outside the resort and it appears that an intruder has got wind of the way children are left, and opportunistically ducked into the compound and nabbed the girl.

Those parents did nothing wrong IMO, especially given the fact they were eating no more than 30 feet from their room.

Sadly in this day and age, personally I don't think that sort of supervision is good enough. I couldn't do it, thats not to say there haven't been times when we have been in need of a few child free hours to enjoy life like we used to, but we've had to work around it, whilst keeping Arthur safe, sound and supervised.

I feel utter grief and sympathy for these parents though. They did what they felt was right and its had horrible horrible consequences. Having said that - there are sick people out there who given 10 seconds would take a child, and there isn't anything many of us can do about that!