Child detained at the Lego store in Chinook (11.5 without an adult)

[Daradon]

I don't even know why you'd have a policy that is so strict to a certain age. If the kid is behaving themselves, let them be. If they're not, then do something about it. Maturity and common sense can vary wildly in kids, it's not all about age. As adults I guess, haha.

I mean I could see it if it was a 6 or 7 year old. Where's your mommy? That sort of thing. But if the kid doesn't look lost or scared and isn't causing any problems?

[Wastedyouth]

I blame Obama.

[Schraderbrau]

[Royle9]

When I was the age of 7 or so my mother used to send me to the corner store (3-4 blocks away) to buy milk & cigarettes to which she wrote on a piece of paper "my son is allowed to buy these for me" followed by the brand and quantity...

Crazy to think that was socially acceptable back then.

[Bobblehead]

Perhaps the Lego store just doesn't want to turn into a babysitter for parents who drop their kids off so they can go shopping?

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by Royle9

When I was the age of 7 or so my mother used to send me to the corner store (3-4 blocks away) to buy milk & cigarettes to which she wrote on a piece of paper "my son is allowed to buy these for me" followed by the brand and quantity...

Crazy to think that was socially acceptable back then.

All the time. Used to walk to the Macs across Memorial Drive to get dad a pack of Number 7s.

[troutman]

Have you seen the KidCheck program at Chuck E. Cheese?

http://www.freerangekids.com/chuck-e...make-the-call/

I so agree that the policy at Chuck E’s is not only overkill, it’s cultural pollution, spreading the idea that predators are always lurking near kids and ready to kidnap them if we don’t maintain a police-state-like vigilance.

[SportsJunky]

In the end, the mall folk were trying to do the right thing. Bad policy or not, they were probably just looking out for the kid. The parent sounds like a dick.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Perhaps the Lego store just doesn't want to turn into a babysitter for parents who drop their kids off so they can go shopping?

Listen to this man.....

[Cappy]

Whatever, the LEGO Store can set their own policies and it sounds like this lady's child rearing philosophy is in the minority so I doubt this will hurt them very much.

You have got to hand it to the media though; almost 30 years of scaremongering about abductions has left the public with a heightened fear of abduction. And now the media gets more viewers by making this a story.

With respect to the Chuck e Cheese policy, I wonder if this becomes a liability issue that the Corporation fears. What if a kid is abducted and killed? Would the parents sue the restaurant for negligence? I wouldn't count it out and I am sure when creating the policy, they didn't either.

[cKy]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

In the end, the mall folk were trying to do the right thing. Bad policy or not, they were probably just looking out for the kid. The parent sounds like a dick.

I disagree with the parent being a dick. Not all parents like parenting via the helicopter method. The mall may of tried doing the right thing, and had the best intentions (to not get sued), but they said and acted totally unnecessary.

If some mall cop told me I was a bad parent because I trusted this apparently well behaved child to go out in the big spooky mall by himself, I probably would have had the same reaction as the parent.

Our neighbors work on weekends, they let the 10 year old (very mature for his age) babysit his younger sister (7). They play outside, walk the dog, and do chores. ALL WITHOUT AN ADULT. Does it sound familiar? It should, you probably did the same thing 30 years ago when we were kids.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Royle9

When I was the age of 7 or so my mother used to send me to the corner store (3-4 blocks away) to buy milk & cigarettes to which she wrote on a piece of paper "my son is allowed to buy these for me" followed by the brand and quantity...

My mom did the same thing. Benson & Hedges Extra Light.

Originally Posted by Royle9

Crazy to think that was socially acceptable back then.

It's today's norms that are crazy.

[jtfrogger]

I personally have absolutely no issue with a parent letting their 11-year-old shop on their own if they feel they are mature enough to do so. I feel that responsibility should be granted to people over time, and not all at once when some magic age is reached. And I feel that parents are the best judges of how much to give their own children.

That said, this parent is not one I would stand behind for this fight. He has four demands: 1. apology, 2. apology, 3. apology, 4. post a sign so that customers see "the contempt in which the Lego Store holds them".

The wording of that letter is all about creating a fight and demanding that people acknowledge how awesome of a parent he is. The store has a policy that aligns with general societal norms. I disagree with the societal norms, but they are there. The letter writer is doing nothing to change the norms.

There is no acknowledgement from the writer that it is possible that some people may have an opinion different than him. I get the sense that he is teaching his son that if anyone disagrees with him then they are obviously wrong and you are allow to scream and shout whenever this happens. I believe this behaviour is at least as bad for society as being overly protective, potentially even worse.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by jtfrogger

I personally have absolutely no issue with a parent letting their 11-year-old shop on their own if they feel they are mature enough to do so. I feel that responsibility should be granted to people over time, and not all at once when some magic age is reached. And I feel that parents are the best judges of how much to give their own children.

That said, this parent is not one I would stand behind for this fight. He has four demands: 1. apology, 2. apology, 3. apology, 4. post a sign so that customers see "the contempt in which the Lego Store holds them".

The wording of that letter is all about creating a fight and demanding that people acknowledge how awesome of a parent he is. The store has a policy that aligns with general societal norms. I disagree with the societal norms, but they are there. The letter writer is doing nothing to change the norms.

There is no acknowledgement from the writer that it is possible that some people may have an opinion different than him. I get the sense that he is teaching his son that if anyone disagrees with him then they are obviously wrong and you are allow to scream and shout whenever this happens. I believe this behaviour is at least as bad for society as being overly protective, potentially even worse.

Not to mention, we only have his word that that is what the manager/guard said. I would honestly be a little surprised if that's what they said. If it is, it shows a lack of judgement on their part, but the father seems to have crafted a pretty good narrative here, and memory can be a bit selective and malleable.

Also, the child in question was 9. The father used an 11.5yo as an example. Same difference, imo...an age doesn't make one magically able to or not to deal with something. If the kid was acting responsibly, awesome for him.

I wonder if it's a question of responsibility though. With the lack of a parent present, is the store now liable (or would they be HELD liable) for anything that occurred? I'm not going to say an abduction, as that's unlikely...but what if one of the big boxes fell on the kids head? What if he choked on a small piece that they have laying around. The child went to the store himself...is the store responsible for him?

Seems like a bad situation all around.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by cKy

I disagree with the parent being a dick. Not all parents like parenting via the helicopter method. The mall may of tried doing the right thing, and had the best intentions (to not get sued), but they said and acted totally unnecessary.

If some mall cop told me I was a bad parent because I trusted this apparently well behaved child to go out in the big spooky mall by himself, I probably would have had the same reaction as the parent.

Our neighbors work on weekends, they let the 10 year old (very mature for his age) babysit his younger sister (7). They play outside, walk the dog, and do chores. ALL WITHOUT AN ADULT. Does it sound familiar? It should, you probably did the same thing 30 years ago when we were kids.

To be fair do we really know this was said? We have one version of events, from an individual that is presenting them in a way that will make himself look good.

I am not saying it was or was not said. I am saying this individual has a blog and is obviously social media wise.

I have had dealing with Chinook security. It is, well was, one of the best run security set ups in the city.

I will also say that I let me kids "run free". I am constantly trying to find my kids in the neighbourhood when it is meal time or time to come in.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Perhaps the Lego store just doesn't want to turn into a babysitter for parents who drop their kids off so they can go shopping?

Yeah, I'm all for kids being able to go out and do things on their own without people watching over them like a hawk, but why would the Lego store want to assume responsibility, and likely liability, for babysitting someone else's little brats?

Its a store not a daycare.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah, I'm all for kids being able to go out and do things on their own without people watching over them like a hawk, but why would the Lego store want to assume responsibility, and likely liability, for babysitting someone else's little brats?

Do stores have liability? Did they have liability 40 years ago? Has anything changed, legally?

Honest questions. I understand that social norms have changed (for the worse). But those who support the new norms often cite the law. Have laws changed? From my understanding, liability of the sort common in the U.S. does not apply in Canada. Our system is far less tolerant of personal litigation.

Also, it's dismaying how often kids are referred to as 'brats' in North America. People should get out and see a bit of the world. We live in an unusually child-unfriendly country. In most countries you see kids everywhere - stores, streets, buses, parks, restaurants - at all hours of the day and night. And most adults seem quite happy to have them around. They're not regarded as some troublesome annoyance best kept under close supervision and restricted to schools and private homes.

[Cuz]

Often policies that are meant for safety and intended to prevent that one in a million occurrence from happening, can seem silly.

[Regular_John]

I'm honestly pretty confused about the outrage here of why this is even a news story (or will be later today).

The store has a policy that the parent doesn't agree with, words are exchanged and now... lego store is evil?

Reading between the lines it comes across as more of a "how dare you talk to my child, you're not the parent! Facebook will hear of this!" vibe to it than anything else.

But I'm not a parent, so my opinion is 100% unqualified.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Perhaps the Lego store just doesn't want to turn into a babysitter for parents who drop their kids off so they can go shopping?

http://www.actsofgord.com/Chronicles/chapter27.php