I think it's about time that the powers-that-be looked into the circumstances surrounding these cases where fathers have killed their kids. It's becoming all too common. As for the Mirror
There's a nice little estate up where my missus works, I pick her up every workday. It's refreshing to see young kids (maybe between the ages of 5-9) playing out in the street on their bikes and with their footballs. But I don't often see this elsewhere.
I know. She was too young to be outwith parental supervision. There will always be predators about, we can't do anything about that. But we don't have to make it easy for them. If she'd have been inside, or if an adult had been watching them, she'd have gone to school today as usual.
8 O'clock, school day tomorrow, 5 years old? She should have been in bed or at least in her room. I'm with jip, **** you kieran.
It isn't unavoidable. Don't travel in cars with them? Kids should be able to be out and about having fun with their friends, simple as that. the percentage of kids killed by randomers is so small it probably wouldn't register on any scale. Everything has a risk, life's **** sometimes. The best days of my life were running about as a kid getting up to all sorts, building huts, playing football etc and Ardoyne was a lot more dangerous than some sleepy Welsh village. Apportioning any blame on the parents in this case is appalling Jip.
Comparing accidental death in road traffic vs premeditated and perverse murder of a child is a bit off the mark isn't it?
The end result is the same and if you take it to the natural conclusion then both can be completely eradicated. Don't use cars and don't let your kids out of your sight to enjoy themselves untill the are 16. Both are ridiculous suggestions.
Whos even saying 16? how do you compare a 16 year old to a 5 year old? The 5 year old might be in nursery but chances are she hasn't even fully grasped the "don't talk to strangers" idea.
Don't be daft. You can't go through life never going anywhere beyond walking distance. But you can easily go through life keeping an eye on your kids when they're far too young to understand danger. I'm not saying kids shouldn't play out. I was out all the time when I was young. But not at the age of 5. The parents deserve some blame IMO. 5 is too young to play out without supervision. And expecting older kids to do it for you is just lazy.
I was taking what you said to its conclusion, I said as much above. Kids would have played out with their friends in that village for decades, maybe longer, that wee girls mother probably would have played out with her friends. If you were to take steps to eradicate all risks for your kids they wouldn't leave the house, not even for school. The girl was out with her friends, doing what kids do, and people here put blame on her parents. I hope you are all perfect parents.
What's daft? A child is far far more likely to die in a car accident than being abducted by a crazed randomer. It is feasible to always use public transport. Not doing so would be lazy.
The world I grew up in and the one I currently live in are very far removed, and that is probably true for everyone who doesn't have their head in the clouds. Nostalgia is no excuse for negligence.
