Strollerderby

Wow -- this seems really weird and really wrong. Definitely not good parenting. I have a strong aversion to this, but at the same time, I'm not sure why I feel this is so different from a parent putting a kid in a play pen while she vacuums or does other potentially dangerous things around the house. If a kid can't get out, it's kind of like a cage, right?

Please note, I am not saying that this Dad did the right thing. It's just puzzling to me why I think play pens are OK, and cages are not.

ow could anyone do that to their children? I feel bad for those poor girls.

Sarah, I've never really used play pens or cribs myself, but there is a big difference between them and what this dad did. These girls were strapped in with belts and left alone in a truck. It sounds like it was for long periods of time. My understanding is that parents who use play pens put their babies (not 2 and 5 year old children) in for no more than 15 or 20 minutes. That way the parent can go to the bathroom or make a meal while the baby is safe and playing with toys. The parent can also usually hear their child cry. It's not like parents are putting their kids in playpens for an entire work shift.

There's a lot more to this story. How about asking how these people were supposed to afford good childcare on those wages? Would it be better for them to send their kids to cheap, dodgy day care? He's working and keeping the kids safe, is there actually an issue of neglect or abuse here, or is it larger issues of class and snobbery?

I agree with Sid. I live in Chicago and it was a big story here a few weeks ago. I think this poor father was trying to do the best he can with what resources he had (which really = nothing). He collects scrap, and at least he was trying to keep them safe from sharp, rusty metal. I'm not saying what he did was admirable, or legal, and I feel bad for the kids, but I don't think he's a monster. Just a dad trying to get by.

Greg at daddytypes.com had a much better objective post on this story. Reminds me of a guy at work I was talking to about how, being at work each day, he really only spends 1.5 - 2 hours with his kids each day. At least this guy is giving his kids some time with him...

I see a lot of, what appears to be middle class, parents driving with their kids not in car seats. At least this guy knew to keep his kids secure.

Maybe if the gov't is going to require everyone to put their kid in a carseat, they should provide free car seats.

The cage looks pretty sketchy, but I can see where the guys's thinking had gone on this one. I know what it's like to not be able to afford daycare, and if my husband hadn't made enough money for me to only work p/t when he was home... I really don't know what we would've done. I'm not saying it's a great solution to the problem, but unless the kids were left alone in the car in heat/ without food and water/ bored out of their skulls, I wouldn't call it abuse.

While what the father did was unorthodox, I can certainly see the logic of it. Mind you, I'm not saying it was right, but you must look at the reasonimg behind it. No daycare. Moms place of employment would frown on kids running around. He does scrapping, which is dirty, and lots of sharp dangerous objects involved. He is close by, so he's not abandoning them. He is at the truck every time he puts metal in the back of the truck. Please don't make me say this, but they are SAFE.  Crude? yes. Effective? Yes. He made the best of the situation that he had.  I agree with Sid about the class and snobbery bit.  If he is providing the girls with food and drinks and the ability to go to the bathroom, and it isn't hot in there, jeesh cut the guy a break.(like AllisonWonder said)  

I think this is a great business opportunity-- the kiddie cage.  Do you know how tough it is to find reliable, affordable childcare?  But it needs to be more kid friendly-- what if it was pink for girls and blue for boys and had a built in entertainment system, a DVD player for movies and an X-box?  Kids would be begging their parents for a cage of their own...  It's all in the marketing and packaging.  I think this guy is onto something...