Parents and Neglect: When Will Parents Learn?

There is nothing in this world as sad as when a child is hurt or killed. But as I hear the stories every week, stories of abduction, molestation, abuse, and death; I always wonder where the parent or guardian was during this time. Just recently, a six year old little boy was killed while riding his bicycle in the street. He was hit by a woman driving a pickup truck. I can only wonder why there wasn't an investigation opened on the parents. I do not understand why any parent would allow a six year old to play outside alone. Not a day goes by that we do not hear or read about a sex offender hiding, disappearing, or being found near a school or playground, but parents still assume it is safe for very small children to be alone. And every time something absolutely horrible happens, we hear the same phrase; "I never thought it could happen to me!" Parents can prevent the majority of things like this. I have been told that it is wrong to question the parent during the loss of a child, but I can't blame the lady driving the truck. There have been numerous times I have almost hit a child while driving, children as young as five outside alone, darting between cars in the apartment complex. When little Maddy disappeared in a foreign country people became outraged when others like myself wanted to see her parents be held accountable for leaving small helpless children alone in a room. Why, as a society, do we ignore the neglect and offer pity when we should be disgusted by all of it?

Sadly, this isn't the only form of parental neglect. What about the parents that are being watched by Children Services because they choose to play Final Fantasy and social networking sites over the day to day work. Parents that would rather play a game or instant message someone they do not know over making sure their children are clean, fed, and safe? Recently, I read the blog of a twenty-something mom who apologized to her on-line friends for being gone all of one day. She wrote about being upset with her husband for not cleaning the house and it getting to the point where housing and Child Services was coming in. I do not understand how a mother can let herself and her children live in filth. This same mother was talking about how mad she was that others had stopped being her friend and talked about how disgusted they were. Of course they were disgusted! It's appalling, that a mother can claim to be upset with her husband for not cleaning the house when she is home all day everyday and decides to play games and chat. When do we stand up and remind people that their children are their responsibility? When do we start taking in the child's safety over "parental rights"? It is time to say enough is enough and stand up for all of the children! Instead of reporting the parents that spank, why not report the ones who don't watch their kids? The parents who let very small children roam around outside, with no cares as to who might see it as an invite to attack? I have found that the parents who say, "I never thought it could happen to me", are the ones that it always happens to.

Parents,
Please watch and care for your children, as nobody else will.