This is not my first post about children running loose in parking lots. Probably won't be my last.
I was at the local supermarket this evening, and had to come to a screeching halt. Walking to his car, ahead of me, was a man with a full cart of groceries and a small girl by the hand. The girl was walking, and not in the cart where she should have been. I'd say she was no more than two. she pulled away from Daddy, and ran directly into my path. He let go of the cart, and reached for the child. She darted away, and he TURNED BACK and GRABBED THE CART, as it was fixing to run into the back of HIS CAR!! Meanwhile, his little girl is still right in the path of my car. Of course I stopped, but still.
In a flash, I knew where his priorities were!
He then beckoned to his wife, who was sauntering casually across the lot. She fractionally increased her speed and corralled the little girl.
I am still shaking my head over a father that, given a choice between his daughter's safety and a dent in his car, would opt for the car.
What are we becoming?
I've seen the same thing many times, Ronni. It really concerns me and breaks my hear at the same time.
ReplyDeleteToday I saw a woman walking along a busy street with her little girl on a "leash". Now I know a lot of people would probably criticize her for that, but at least her child isn't going to dash into the street and be killed. I'd much prefer seeing a sight like that than what I saw last week.
A woman and her toddler standing on a corner waiting for the light at a busy intersection. The woman was very intent on her cell phone conversation. The toddler ran out in front of cars no less than four times while I waited for the light in my car. Only ONCE did this woman actually take the child's hand to keep her from going into the street. I've seen a lot of things, but that was just over the top.
The drivers approaching this intersection were paying more attention to this little girl than her mother was.
This is such a confusing time. Parents are, on one hand, paying too much attention to their kids, in that they are tryong to teach them to read before they can walk, etc. But, when it comes to the basics, like keepiing them safe, there seems to be a brain-freeze going on.
ReplyDeleteI just don't get it.