"My mums in doing the shopping ..."

[Hum]

There is no perfect way to be a parent, and everyone's rules are not the same for fostering a child. That being said, when a parent does something that seems wrong to the vast majority of people, that parent's possible error in judgment takes the spotlight -- and the primary concern is the safety and well-being of the child.

A photograph taken in New Zealand is causing quite an uproar around the world. The photo at the center of the controversy is of an infant asleep in a car seat locked alone inside a car. A note, seemingly written from the baby's perspective, is attached to the chest and reads, "my mums in doing the shopping, call her if I need anything." There is a phone number written at the end.

A couple who saw the baby in the car talked to the New Zealand Herald. "We waited there for a little bit, wondering if the mum was just going to be two seconds and come back," the man said. "And my wife said, 'I'm not going in without someone being here with the baby.'" The couple also noted that the baby did look well taken care of and that they know how difficult it can be to get an infant to go to sleep.

Someone did eventually call the mom, and the picture was uploaded to Facebook, where it quickly went viral due to people's outrage.

It is illegal in New Zealand for a parent or guardian to leave a child under 14 years of age alone for an unreasonable time or in unreasonable conditions. However, police are not looking for the mother, because no one has filed a formal complaint. Justin Rakena, senior sergeant for Porirua Police, said, "If they do call us, we'll be acting on it."

source

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Sweet lord. Look, I know we are in a different age now, and the days of my mum nipping to the corner shop when I was 10 and leaving me at home are gone - just as leaving me at similar ages in the car for 5 minutes when she popped in for milk are no longer acceptable. I can understand and sort of accept why.

But this is a baby!!!

[Richteralan]

Maybe she didn't want to wake the baby up?

[Hum]

I kind of applaud her -- too many times I listen to screaming babies in the stores. :s

[remixedcat]

OMG you never leave a baby like that poor baby :(

And really if people are that concerned with babies crying get some good IEMs and that will keep you from hearing them. I recommend Comply tips for those.

[Growled Member]

I swear, the stupidest people on the planet become parents these days.

[HawkMan]

Funny, there was an article here about how British and some other countries where horrified that in Scandinavia we leave the babies to sleep out in their carriages alone, during winter time. at least down to -10 or something, I think that's the limit. at the kindergarten you'll see rows of carriages outside during nap time with babies sleeping in them.

[Growled Member]

Funny, there was an article here about how British and some other countries where horrified that in Scandinavia we leave the babies to sleep out in their carriages alone, during winter time. at least down to -10 or something, I think that's the limit. at the kindergarten you'll see rows of carriages outside during nap time with babies sleeping in them.

Do they have someone watching them?

[HawkMan]

no, they will go out periodically to check if they're awake, or have a babycall. parents at home either go out and check regularly, or if they're at home where they have a babycall they put that in the carriage.

but a baby won't be scarred for life if it's left alone and awake for a couple of minutes inbetween checks.

[theyarecomingforyou]

I kind of applaud her -- too many times I listen to screaming babies in the stores. :s

Ever the contrarian. :pinch: If there's something rejected by society you're always there to defend it.