I'm such a bad mother........

[alteer]

Have you ever forgotten your kids? Like left them somewhere?

 

I did it yesterday. Every Thursday afternoon I pick my 11 yr old son up from the library on my way home from work. And yesterday I completely forgot.....I left him there!!!! I didn't even realise that he wasn't at home until he waltzed in the door at 6pm. It was dark and he'd walked home.......a 20 min walk in the dark!!!!

 

I feel terrible.

[avman]

I think it happens to the best of us. You completely spaz out and totally forget something that you usually just do automatically.

 

Spoil him rotten for the next week or so and apologize. No harm was done thankfully. Just be prepared to never hear the end of it when he grows up

[annie24]

my mom used to do that to me as a kid. she'd fall asleep and forget to pick me up from elementary school

 

and no, your kids won't forget!

 

sorry, I bet this isn't helping...

[melrich]

LOL...yep we left our eldest in a coffee shop once. It had one of those play areas for kids where they go while you have a coffee. Anyway we finished coffee, waltzed out, spent 10 minutes walking down the street before we realised we were missing something.

 

We were going to keep walking but decided we should really go back and get him. He was still there happily playing.

 

Don't worry, you're not the first.

[CluelessGuy321]

Was he upset or did he not care?

 

 

I remember when I was about 11 or so, my mom was late picking me and my sister up from the tutors. So we walked home. Took about 3 hours to walk accross the city and by the time we got home, there were police waiting.

[AwdreeHpburn]

alteer - I'm so sorry that happened. I think Avman is right, apologize, kiss butt, and he'll be ok.

 

Better at 11 than 4 right?

[alteer]

Thank god I'm not the only the one then.

 

Actually it's not the first time I have forgotten him. I did when he was about a week old........he was so quiet I left him in a shop!! I didn't realise until 10 minutes later dragging my daughter up the street that I was missing something!! But at least he won't remember that! Bad, bad, bad.

[annie24]

where do you live that it is dark at 6 PM?

[alteer]

Was he upset or did he not care?

 

 

I remember when I was about 11 or so, my mom was late picking me and my sister up from the tutors. So we walked home. Took about 3 hours to walk accross the city and by the time we got home, there were police waiting.

 

OMG!!!

 

He didn't seem to care. He just walked in and said 'hi mum. I waited for you and when you didn't come I walked home'. I said 'what?' and then it me! And then I took him for icecream.

[alteer]

where do you live that it is dark at 6 PM?

 

Australia. Day light savings has just ended so it's dark at about 5.30.

[CluelessGuy321]

You aussies are tough.

 

I remember Mad Max. I saw it last week. Mel Gibson was so young back then.

[melrich]

You aussies are tough.

 

I remember Mad Max. I saw it last week. Mel Gibson was so young back then.

 

LOL...yeah every day on the way to work there is a gang of bikies trying to kill me!!

 

In the US I guess you have to constantly think about the perils of a giant meteorite hitting LA?

[alteer]

I used to live down the road from the Mad Max house.

 

And I love Mel......he just gets better with age!

[annie24]

I used to live down the road from the Mad Max house.

 

And I love Mel......he just gets better with age!

 

I think Mel is starting to get loonier with age!

 

but yeah, that is neither here nor there. 6 PM for an 11 year old isn't so bad. Just make sure that he knows not to talk to strangers, even if they have a lost puppy or etc.

 

I was just watching a special on TV. It was an undercover investigation with strangers "testing" to see if they could convince a child to go with them somewhere, while the parents were watching on a TV monitor. One man even convinced a 10 year old girl that he was a local security guard and that he needed to go inside the house to check something out. The little girl let him in!!!

 

The show said that the mistake the parents made was only to tell kids what they shouldn't do, but they didn't teach them how to behave in the situation.

 

Make sure to role-play with your child. Don't just say, "don't talk to strangers" but have a plan if a stranger approaches him.

 

Sorry for my rant, I just watched that very interesting episode last night...

[alteer]

If he gets as looney as Tom Cruize.....I'll no longer be a fan.

 

I watched a show like that once and thought it's fine my kids wouldn't do that......I've always talked them about stranger danger. And then they went and let a workman in who was fixing my security shutters and I wasn't home yet!! I was absolutely horrified.

 

We've done a few things since then and had a few more talks. Don't know if it's made any difference though. It's something I'm always worried about.

[annie24]

Hmmm.... you could always ask a friend from work that they don't know to come and try to get into the house again, pretending his car broke down and needs to use the phone.... see if your kids have learned the lesson yet.

[Q10]

haha yes that happens, don't worry about it much, we're all human lol

[RayKay]

Ah...try not to beat yourself up over it.

 

We lost my little brother at the department store once when he wandered off....my mother was flipping! Security found him fortunately!

 

When I was little, my mum kept me on a harness and leash (ha!) but people give you funny looks these days....they have those wrist ones but that does not do much for teenagers

[annie24]

If I have kids one day, I'm buying a leash. I'll take my kid out for walks and let him poop on lawns. LOL. Seriously - leashes are good for small munchkins.

[RayKay]

If I have kids one day, I'm buying a leash. I'll take my kid out for walks and let him poop on lawns. LOL. Seriously - leashes are good for small munchkins.

 

Like the kindergarten rope...I always get a kick out of that...a gaggle of little munchkins holding onto a rope with teachers at front and back.

 

And I never get it but....they just don't let go of the rope! Apparently you tell them not to, and they don't! I was never that obedient! LOL

[alteer]

Haha I did actually have mine on leesh when they were little......

 

When I travelled with them and camped in caravan parks my son was about 2 and he used to like to run off. So I got a belt, a bit of rope long enough for him to run a bit and tied him to the car. People looked at me strange.......but it was beter than him getting run over!!

 

My grandmother used to tie my father to the clothes line so he wouldn't leave the back yard......he spent his childhood running around in circles!!!

[Tigris]

Has your son got a mobile phone? If he has why didn't he ring you?

[alteer]

Has your son got a mobile phone? If he has why didn't he ring you?

 

He doesn't have one yet...no. That was going to be his next Christmas present. But I may have to give him one earlier.

[annie24]

I think that would be a good idea.

 

I've seen some new cell phones for kids with only 5 buttons! you can program in 5 numbers, and that is it. So, he won't be calling his school buddies and talking to them for hours on the phone and running up a bill!

[Tigris]

Is he your youngest child?

 

I know you said he's 11 so isn't it time he was given a little more responsibility so he can become more independent? Couldn't he get a bus home?

 

At 11 I had to walk to the next village to catch the bus to school.

 

I'm just being curious. I don't mean to offend in any way.