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given the choice between both being placed with foster parents CreekDog Jun 2014 #1
I was that 10 year old, and it was overnight a couple of times... Humanist_Activist Jun 2014 #2
You'd need an "it depends upon the 10-year-old" for me to vote in this poll. ScreamingMeemie Jun 2014 #3
There is a difference between what is best BainsBane Jun 2014 #4
Exactly. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2014 #10
yup, and even with our criticisms of Duggars and others nobody is saying the cops JI7 Jun 2014 #14
The other poster was in Illinois -- 8 hours alone is felony child abandonment. moriah Jun 2014 #15
And? BainsBane Jun 2014 #16
If they're committing felony abandonment routinely to go smoke dope.... moriah Jun 2014 #19
I don't think you've read that thread very closely BainsBane Jun 2014 #21
I agree those are spurious reasons, but it boils down to abandonment.... moriah Jun 2014 #22
*SHE* says the kids are home alone all night laundry_queen Jun 2014 #29
and even more important if she wants to help why doesn't she pay for her utilities JI7 Jun 2014 #30
sounds like she is just Niceguy1 Jun 2014 #70
And CPS will investigate now to determine if it's still happening after this or not. moriah Jun 2014 #31
why can't you get that she doesn't have the fucking money for a babysitter ? JI7 Jun 2014 #38
There is free child care available in Chicago, along with Head Start. moriah Jun 2014 #66
Switching shifts isn't that easy gollygee Jun 2014 #105
Per the other poster, graveyard is for the shift premium. moriah Jun 2014 #107
I having seen personal attacks so much as calling out contradictory claims magical thyme Jun 2014 #86
that's right. A landlord isn't a social worker... magical thyme Jun 2014 #81
Hmm depends gollygee Jun 2014 #96
Of course there is etherealtruth Jun 2014 #88
+1 gollygee Jun 2014 #95
this is a case of a single mother who is struggling, one needs to consider all the factors JI7 Jun 2014 #5
Still, it's not right to force kids to grow up faster than they should. moriah Jun 2014 #23
it was wrong to report it because i don't believe the intentions were good JI7 Jun 2014 #25
I know they certainly wouldn't be growing up any faster boston bean Jun 2014 #85
I had to watch my sister overnight alone at that age. LeftyMom Jun 2014 #6
I was that 10 year old, Uncle Joe Jun 2014 #7
I babysat for other kids when I was ten BainsBane Jun 2014 #11
Some ten-year-olds are more reliable and more interested in taking care of babies or JDPriestly Jun 2014 #27
You had the 19-year-old sister. That's adult supervision. Not all moms have that option. arcane1 Jun 2014 #8
Yes, I was very lucky. moriah Jun 2014 #12
Indeed, the system should've already been there waiting for her. arcane1 Jun 2014 #13
Hard to believe social services wouldn't have some type of help treestar Jun 2014 #102
Depends on the 10 year old aint_no_life_nowhere Jun 2014 #9
There are no pat answers to the question. defacto7 Jun 2014 #17
At nine I was allowed to littlemissmartypants Jun 2014 #18
That was me. I was 10 and my sister was 6. I did it for two years riderinthestorm Jun 2014 #20
When I was 10, I took care of a very young baby after school, but my mother was JDPriestly Jun 2014 #24
Sounds about like my supervised babysitting at that age. moriah Jun 2014 #26
Children and babies really liked me, and I adored them. Still do. JDPriestly Jun 2014 #28
What was amazing about that thread? Le Taz Hot Jun 2014 #32
So all single parents should hand there kids over to others? If the spouse abandons them... Humanist_Activist Jun 2014 #34
If you think it was about being a single parent, wow. moriah Jun 2014 #35
My issue is that some don't have a choice, even after trying everything.... Humanist_Activist Jun 2014 #36
It is exactly about being a single parent in most cases. Gormy Cuss Jun 2014 #90
I'm with you. 840high Jun 2014 #114
you don't know her situation, why she ended up the way she has, and just handing off kids could be JI7 Jun 2014 #40
I see two children being unloved and neglected. Le Taz Hot Jun 2014 #42
No you don't, those are your assumptions. n/t Humanist_Activist Jun 2014 #43
i see 2 children whose mothers love them so much she is doing all she can JI7 Jun 2014 #45
What about the creepy person.... moriah Jun 2014 #46
put some bars or alarm system in place, talk to the mother JI7 Jun 2014 #50
I live in Florida. What sometimes happens to children who are sucked into the Florida djean111 Jun 2014 #74
10 and 5 year olds should NEVER Le Taz Hot Jun 2014 #78
The Amish down the road routinely allow 7-10 year olds operate tractors hexola Jun 2014 #33
What about drain cleaner? Rat poison? An electrical fire? Someone breaking into the house? moriah Jun 2014 #37
Actually yes, I remember learning a lot of that stuff in school. Were you not taught that? Humanist_Activist Jun 2014 #39
Message auto-removed Name removed Jun 2014 #65
In that society they are surely taught from a young age treestar Jun 2014 #104
I was a very mature 10 year old. Ad it depends on where you live, too. McCamy Taylor Jun 2014 #41
And in this case, there was abviously an adult watching this woman's living arrangements all the djean111 Jun 2014 #75
We know our neighbors all around us - TBF Jun 2014 #79
Was that ten year old. Egnever Jun 2014 #44
My mom also worked at an answering service and was similarly available to call riderinthestorm Jun 2014 #89
No davidpdx Jun 2014 #47
As a struggling single mother, I refused to leave my child overnight with a ten year old... Violet_Crumble Jun 2014 #48
Going for a night out is different from going to a job -- your only source of income. pnwmom Jun 2014 #49
So it would have been okay to leave my daughter with that ten year old if I was working that night? Violet_Crumble Jun 2014 #52
so how would you pay for home, food, etc if you didn't work ? JI7 Jun 2014 #55
Did you turn your friend in to the police because she was leaving her children alone pnwmom Jun 2014 #56
I did report her promptly to the Thought Police... Violet_Crumble Jun 2014 #59
Well, no one would have cared if the OP had reported the woman to the Thought Police. pnwmom Jun 2014 #62
also she kept mentioning the 5 year old but left out the 10 year old JI7 Jun 2014 #57
The complaint was leaving the five-year-old alone to take the 10-year-old to school.... moriah Jun 2014 #69
If she was wrong, DCFS should be able to determine that. moriah Jun 2014 #68
a night out for fun is different than working to provide for the family JI7 Jun 2014 #51
So a ten year old isn't a suitable option as babysitter for a night out? Violet_Crumble Jun 2014 #53
it's not about whether the kid is suitable, but needing to work JI7 Jun 2014 #54
I was poor and needed to work... Violet_Crumble Jun 2014 #58
the US doesn't have a good system in place, most likely the Kids ARE best off JI7 Jun 2014 #60
In the US we do not have "sole parent pensions." Welfare is for a very limited period of time, pnwmom Jun 2014 #61
In the United States you work or you go homeless... Humanist_Activist Jun 2014 #64
There is little or no help for the working poor in the US etherealtruth Jun 2014 #91
People who need to work are in a different level of desperation than people who want to gollygee Jun 2014 #99
What keeps going through my mind is a house fire a few years ago ucrdem Jun 2014 #63
And lighters. A 12-year-old babysitter was sued by the insurance company.... moriah Jun 2014 #67
Electric space heaters, candles, Christmas trees ucrdem Jun 2014 #71
10-year-olds are more mature than 7 or 8 gollygee Jun 2014 #103
Their Spawn, Their Life, Their Choice Exposethefrauds Jun 2014 #72
So society has no responsibility to ensure the welfare of children? moriah Jun 2014 #77
That was not the question you asked Exposethefrauds Jun 2014 #80
You said that parents could chose to do as they wish no matter the consequences to the kid. moriah Jun 2014 #82
where is the choice that states "10 year olds should not care for 5 year olds overnight" DrDan Jun 2014 #73
I thought it was choices 1-3... sorry. moriah Jun 2014 #76
Sure, they're "responsible," until something goes wrong... then it's your butt that's on the line. TheBlackAdder Jun 2014 #83
Thank you. n/t moriah Jun 2014 #84
good point about the 10 year old suffering guilt treestar Jun 2014 #100
In Minnesota, the age is 12. Younger than that is not considered MineralMan Jun 2014 #87
There's a huge difference with the Duggars et al. Mariana Jun 2014 #92
Overnight and getting the kiddo ready for school in the morning.... moriah Jun 2014 #108
Under no circumstances a 10 year old should be left with a younger sibling to baby sit. Harmony Blue Jun 2014 #93
Crime rates are down from when we were kids gollygee Jun 2014 #101
This is obviously related to yesterdays thread etherealtruth Jun 2014 #94
sorry, this is not a cut and dried situation Kali Jun 2014 #97
I would say 12 - that is the age at which we were hired to babysit treestar Jun 2014 #98
If you have some knowledge of how the system works. Wash. state Desk Jet Jun 2014 #106
If the parent has confidence in the child, a 10-year-old can babysit a younger sibling... AngryOldDem Jun 2014 #109
in wisconsin 2 12 year old girls are being tried as adults for attempted murder dembotoz Jun 2014 #110
Depends on the 10-year-old, really no name no slogan Jun 2014 #111
too young for overnight. couldnt make appropriate decision if emergency occured Liberal_in_LA Jun 2014 #112
I spent about an hour alone everyday after school, entering my home with my own key, at 5. morningfog Jun 2014 #113
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