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Harford County Sheriff's Office
Officials took this photo of the child left behind at a Chuck E. Cheese's in order to get her back to her parents via the media.
It's a case of mistaken responsibility that left a little girl in limbo for hours.
The 3-year-old, identified only as Harmony, was accidentally left behind by her mom and other relatives at a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant because the adults in the group each thought someone else was taking her home, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office in Bel Air, Md.
The girl approached staff around 8 p.m. Sunday night to say she was thirsty. When no parents or guardians were found with her, the sheriff's office was contacted.
A manager recalled seeing a group of some four adults and 10 children but had no way to track them down because they paid in cash and had not made a reservation.
The child told officials that her mom had told her to get her jacket because the group was leaving, but that she instead went to play another game.
Local media aired the story as well as a photo of the child on the 11 p.m. newscast, leading to phone calls from Harmony's mother and father, who share joint custody of the child.
The sheriff's department called it all an unfortunate mistake.
"Harmony was inadvertently left behind at the restaurant, by family members who thought she was in the company of other family members," the department said in a statement. "There are no charges expected to be filed."
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
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Good deal! Glad she was returned safe and nothing bad happened. But I suspect from now on, she'll listen when her mom tells her "Let's go".
Why is this news? Mistakes like these is pretty common. Parents made an honest mistake simple as that. Now if she would of been left behind due to pure negligence then its a different story.
hope so, 3 hours at Chuck E Cheese, talk about cruel and unusual. The kid is a cutie and thankfully didn't get hurt and snatched up. Nice to read a happy ending now and then.
read what I wrote snake09...nuff said.
Look at the smile on her face!!! LOL She loved every minute of it.
Now I see why the Father left the mom...
A three year old? You have got to be kidding, Lady M. A three year old is TOTALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENT! Charges should be filed. This is totally unacceptable. You don't make a "mistake" with a three year old.
Idiot adults!
Optomyst-
Agree! My youngest child is 13 and there is no way I would be leaving without her in my line of vision, let alone a three yo. Totally irresponsible.
How'd you know it wasn't the other way around?
Two moms in the news at different ends of the spectrum. There's one mom, who risks her life to save her children from a tornado. This one, who turns dizty at Chuck E. Cheese and forgets her own daughter. It doesn't matter how many kids...you don't forget your own daughter.
I hope she at least got her fill of pizza! You can eat a lot of pizza in 3 hours time. :)
Well at least the family didn't forget her completely, and left her home on Christmas while the rest of the family went off to Europe only to find afterward that they had forgotten her, but could not get back to rescue her because the weather turned and all of the planes were grounded all the while the house was being staked out by vicious, but somewhat inept robbers. Hmm sounds like a plot for a movie.
However, she was left at Chuckie Cheeses which in it self sounds like abuse in itself.
I'd bang Bristol 1.5
New puter? It is left click, right click, copy, paste. and then shut-up...........
I have found with my children, nieces, nephews, friends and grandchildren that the most dangerous time for little ones is when there are a lot of people around. Everyone assumes someone else has her/him. All the nasty posts are from people who probably just won't admit that their child ever got out of their site. Someone probably told mom and dad, "I'll take Harmony home" then didn't see her and assumed she went with mom and dad after all.
Instead of the nasty grams how about just being happy that she was safe? I imagine everyone was completely panicked when they found she was not with them.
With all the gang fights and shootings that happen at a Chuck E. Cheese; somewhere, every day......this family is lucky their forgotten daughter didn't get killed.
Enma, so true. The article specifically says they thought other adults had her. Just thankful this has a happy ending.
Shame on parents for leaving her, and SHAME on NBC for PUTTING HER PIC HERE!!!!!!
To those who are criticizing the parents, didn't you even READ the story and the conclusion of law enforcement? Each of the parents thought the other one had the child with them. That's not negligence, or irresponsibility.
If this would have been me I would have been scared. I would much rathe live on the streets than go back home to face my parents. My mom would have beaten me to an inch of my life.
Optomyst-
Not really optimistic are ya ... I was just saying, I'm glad she's safe.
I have a 3 year old and I can tell you she is the most stubborn of all my kids. I would NEVER intentionally leave her behind, but I could see it happening in a chaotic situation with a lot of family members in tow. I have been out with my husband, mom and sisters and we all got into different cars and each of them has assumed responsibility for one of my kids, so I can understand why/how the assumption was made.
That said, not sure why it took them 3 hours to figure it out and get back to CEC to get her.
This happened in Cincinnati, also. The mother, a recent widow with 14 children was at a store with several other adult relatives and her 3 year old was also left behind. She had thought her child was with relatives and called the police when she realized she wasn't. While you would think the authorities might have understood, they didn't...... They chose to make an example of her and prosecuted her.
"make an example?" 14 kids? i know. we need court ordered sterilization in this country. No?
Thanks for reporting this story, it’s a good reminder for those of us with kids who are also busy and sometimes forgetful to always make sure we double check if the little one is going home with a g’ma or g’pa or another relative or friend. I’ve certainly “lost” my kids already a couple of times but have thankfully always found them again. Good job on the part of the Chuck E. Cheese staff for taking swift action.
The parents acted stupid, but not neglectful. I know that with my kids, and my wife and I both driving, we always double check to see who is taking which children. I'm sure that by the time the Chuck E. Cheese people noticed, she was tired, a little scared, and thirsty. Smart move by the Sherriff in getting the media involved.
RwEvans, I can't speak for all Chuck E Cheese restaurants, but the two that I have been to with my daughter, I can say that I have never seen security quite as good anywhere else. They stamp you, and your child, with the same 4- or 5-digit number, and are REALLY good about checking that you only leave with your child, again, at least at the two I have been to.
The only thing "neglectful" on the part of these parents is not teaching their 3 year old what her address and phone number are. If she could ask for something to drink she should have been able to give her phone #. The staff a CC still should have called the authorities but having the child be able to give simple info would have resolved the problem much sooner. My kids knew the home phone number as soon as they could talk.
Backcountry164,
agreed on the kid knowing the phone number. In my family, we weren't allowed to go to a friend's house alone until we had memorized our phone number. We moved a lot, so our numbers were always changing, but my parents made sure we kids knew what it was. When mom went back to work, they made sure we knew that number as well.
Hey, if you have to be left behind what better place then Chuck E Cheeses? My sister and I got left a gas station once in the middle of nowhere on vacation when we were 5 of 6 years old. Apparently my parents forgot to check that we had got back into the car after using the restroom. Anyway I remember being scared to death at the time and thinking that the gas station man would now be our new father – kids don’t understand how things work in the real world. Fortunately they came back 45 minutes later to find us though.
I can see how this could happen, though I make sure I see my kids get into the car with the person they're riding with. And better Chuck E Cheese than a store or something- they won't let a kid leave without an adult with the same UV stamp given when you enter.
One would think that sending that mom home to stay with her 14 kids would be punishment enough.
The whole thing reminds me of the movie "Home Alone". I'm glad everything turned out well.
Violent little thing with the choke hold on that monkey!
At least it wasn`t a story of a toddler on the roof of a car;-)
Emma some people are truly not happy unless they're complaining about something.
NO
Where the heck do u live ?
How sad about this whole thing of a mother who didnt check with the family member who was to take this child home. This could of ended in a tragic and they maybe would of lost their little girl forever. I just dont understand how a mother didnt know where her daughter was. I have a child and also have grandchildren and at all times I know what they are doing and when out shopping they are not let out of my site because of how this world is anymore. All I have to say is thank goodness that the little girl didnt walk out side by herself and be outside waiting for hours for someone to get her at age 3. The mom is very lucky and should be thankful for her daughter to stay put and not go anywhere. Hope this mom opens her eyes alittle more to keep track of her children. Glad this ended on a postive note and the little girl got to go home.
I hope your children and grandchildren don't mangle English the way you write it.
Chris-629698
Not everyone is as perfect as you! Perhaps English is a second language for TayGoofy.
TayGoofy's comment was very well written, and empathetic, which, BTW, is sorely lacking in your comment!
@Chris, if you want to be such a POWER TRIPPING GRAMMAR NAZI, go get a degree in teaching, so that you can bully helpless students on their PETTY little mistakes.
Unless you're ready to do this, keep your pathetic jabs off the Vine.
isis and company,
Part of the problem with this country is people who think that spelling and grammar are irrelevant. Written communication is still communication and I cringe EVERY time I see someone who doesn't care enough to make sure his/her comments are clear. It's a pain to have to literally translate what people are trying to say. For the record I DO have a teaching degree, a dual certification, in fact, and a Master's Degree, not that that matters; however, I thought I'd throw that in before you gave me grief about it.
Valerie0902
.txt much? Grammar rules don't apply.
Your fingers must be very sore if you .txt in complete, grammatically correct sentences!
Just sayin' - LOL
Punctuation was created by elitists, so they could tell if something was written by an Aristocrat or a peasant.
Christian thugs were the first to use punctuation so the masses could more easily read the bull@!$%#.
Anyone who is that anal about small grammar mistakes needs to take the stick out of their ass.
I, glad ,and happy, small chid! was eeturned saf?
thank you John for proving my point! Auzzie girl, this isn't texting you moron!
Is spelling and grammar important? It's the difference between "knowing your @!$%#" and "knowing you're @!$%#".
I am happy to see the little one got home safe. However, I see so many comments directed mom: "How sad about this whole thing of a mother who didnt check with the family member who was to take this child home." How appalling, considering the news bulletin prompted "phone calls from Harmony's mother and father, who share joint custody of the child." It stated that she was with mom and family members- I'm assuming they are all responsible, as they are all adults, who communicated with each other, and more than likely dad was present at his kids b-day. Most moms don't willy nilly leave their kids at their own party. Geez. Keep looking down from your glass houses.
Just because somebody uses "bad grammar" doesn't mean that they deserved to have their comments and posts belittled like that. That was my point. People need to read the MESSAGE of the comment/post and stop worrying about little things.
Val, wow all your degrees impress me......NOT... I fear you're so self centered and self indulged that this story was not why you visited this page. You seem to be the English teacher that we all hated growing up, only you take it to a whole new level. Oh yeah, by the way, feel free to correct my grammar and spelling for like the others......I won't give a rats behind......
@John Bayner!!!
You are a master of humor!! Too effin funny!!
As for you Vaerie0902 your grammar issues really don't concern most of the human race. Something’s are best kept to ourselves.
Ya trick! Bet you understand that!
Glad the child is safe and sound.
Valerie - Thank you for expressing exactly what I was thinking. It's pathetic how this country has allowed our citizens to become ignorant in more ways than just being able to use proper grammar, punctuation, etc. Kids can't make correct change unless a cash register tells them how much to hand back to the customer. Heck, they can't even count the value of the coins given to them by the customer. People have no clue as to where various countries are located, etc. Even worse than the ignorant ones are those who shrug off the offenses as though it isn't important that people can't use proper English or do simple math. A country whose citizens can't read, write properly and do math is a country that is quickly spiraling in a downward direction.
Bob - you'll give a rat's behind when you can't get the job you want or are passed over for a promotion because you can't write a simple sentence that doesn't contain glaring errors. However, if you goal is to toss burgers at McDonald's for the rest of your life, then stay ignorant and uneducated. That will leave the better jobs for those who take pride in how they present themselves to the world.
Awesome that there is a happy ending to this story.
On the topic of grammar, yes, it is important. But...if you have a degree in anything and get tripped up and "literally have to translate" something due to a typo, or someone who does not excel in the English language, then you have some serious issues. Honestly, you lack the simple comprehension skills to be able to tell what someone has written down, unless it's perfect? That is just pathetic, and I would suggest handing your Masters back in, because you obviously didn't learn enough to honestly qualify for it. With few exceptions, typos and grammatical errors do not get so horrible online that you need a rosetta stone to figure them out.
You honestly find it so difficult to read comments that have a typo that you cringe, and find it to not be understandable? Take some comprehension classes, try some mind exercises so that you can think more quickly, and move on with your life.
A simple correction is fine, I think. It's how people learn, and if I'm making mistakes I'd like to learn what I'm doing wrong in order to correct them. But very often, people seem to decide that the proper course of action is to just straight up offend someone. And what is the sense of that?
Really...Critizing someone about grammar and communication skills, saying that they are going to be tossing burgers for the rest of their life...while including a typo in your comment. Really? Really?
Really. There is no excuse for poor grammar. You can argue it all you want, but you can't excuse it.
First of all, I am glad that this little girl got home safe. There are a lot of crazy people out there and this could have easily turned into a tragedy.
With regard to the argument over incorrect grammar being used in comments; I agree that grammar is important; I would even go so far as to say that in the proper setting and in the proper manner a person should correct someone if they notice incorrect grammar. That said, this is not the proper place, and the method used by Chris is definitely not the proper method. Belittling someone on a public forum over grammatical mistakes is not only rude, but it is also ineffective. Do you honestly believe for a moment that the person who wrote the comment is going to read a response like that and think, "Oh, you’re right I really should work on correcting my grammar"?
I agree that the slow demise of the English language that has been occurring over the last decade or so should be addressed, however, the lack of respect in our public discourse is just as big of an issue and comments like those above only add to this issue.
Baja,
I'm not saying grammar is unimportant. I think that the ability to communicate with each other is vital. With spoken and written language being the easiest forms of communication, good grammar skills are exceedingly important. However, to make such a huge fuss over it is inexcusable. To belittle other people because they lack certain skills even more so. To imply as some on here might that someone with poor grammar skills cause such discomfort that they shouldn't be allowed to participate in a general conversation? Well, that's just ludicrous. To say that you are a very well-educated person, and cannot understand what someone is trying to say because they lack your level of expertise? Laughable.
Yes, we should all value our ability to communicate with others. That also means being able to understand what people are trying to say, even if they don't come across as crystal clear. Being able to make deductions and reach logical conclusions is not hard, it is not time consuming, and is just as vital, possibly more so, than grammar.
Also, given your use of the word "Really" at the opening of your statement, I'm assuming that that you are replying to my quote of ABCzyx. If you'll notice, what I'm questioning there is that this person, going on about proper use of language having a glaring typo in their comment.
its good to know that from the heart warming message written, all you saw were grammar mistakes. get a life and something better to comment on.
So, all discussion of grammar aside, Taygoofy, I must say that I completely disagree with your assessment. These people weren't out shopping, or in some strange public place. They were in a restaurant where kids are supposed to be allowed to run free and just enjoy being kids. The child was left behind, not because her parent was negligent, but because of miscommunication between the adults. While it's sad and can end badly, it happens. And this time it's a happy story. Kid gets left at Chuck E Cheese for several hours unsupervised. I would have loved that at 3 years old.
Yes, the parents are lucky that she didn't wander out and get lost or kidnapped, or murdered or what ever. But honestly. Can't we just accept this story for what it is and move on? It's feel good, slightly humorous fluff.
Lern me sum gud engGlisch, soe i kinn be) kleer whun i maike lengwij sownds. meeBe get* betr job r sumthygnN.
r nott. ?hoo kairs rite
@Auzziegirl - I text in complete, grammatically correct sentences all the time. It really doesn't take any longer than using text language.
@Valerie - While I agree that proper grammer and spelling are important, when you reduce yourself to flinging insults, such as calling Auzziegirl a moron, you make your point completely irrelevant, all people are going to take from your comment is that you are a juvenile who calls names.
So from 8 to 11 the mother didnt notice she was missing.... 3 hrs!!! Hm... I say that's negligence.
Joint custody is mentioned. Seems the parents are separated and thought the other one had taken their daughter home.
This highlights another good thing about Chuck E Cheese. Although I CAN'T STAND IT when my son asks to go here, I appreciate their security measures. The child wouldn't have been able to leave the restaurant without an adult with a matching stamp (only viewable under a black light).
Bet she'll listen to her mom next time though!
In theory. In practice, the door is manned by a pre-college adolescent who more often than not is distracted by his/her cell phone.
Chris, I could definitely see that as a potential problem, but the one here is pretty strict. My two youngest look like CLONES of my husband but they still checked his hand. I joked about it and the teenage kid said, "He's definitely their dad but I just want to make sure he's allowed to leave here with them." Kind of shocked me that he said that, but in this day and age...
There's this other place by me called "Lollipop Park". It's like an indoor amusement park for 3 to 10 year olds. I still do not see how no child has been abducted from there nor hit by a car in the parking lot. The rides are RIGHT next to the main entrance and there is no one scanning who comes or goes. It's a parent's nightmare when you have a 2 year old that likes to walk just cuz he can. But my 5 year old's preschool parents just love to have parties here. So the last two parties, my husband and I have traded off on who gets to stay home with the 2 year old and who has to go to the party hell-hole. hah-hah!
The CEC I go to has always had a good attendant at the door. If it's slow, they may talk to the employee behind the register a few steps away, but as soon as someone is walking in that direction they're ready at their post.
I think that's crap!every part of it! PULEESE!
Yes take the child away and jail the parents! That's the only answer right? Get your head out of your butt already.
@UNKN13, that is NOT what he/she said, and you should be ashamed of yourself for having the audacity to assume and put words in another's mouth...how presumptuous.
Im glad this story had a happy ending, but why didn't anyone notice the empty carseat? I know 3 year olds and even older are required to be in carseats. Why didn't any family members notice the empty carseat?
I'll quote Dana, from above:
There was a large group of people, kids included. The adults were in separate cars, obviously. They all thought she was in someone else's car until I guess, they called on each other and found out that wasn't the case and she was left behind.
Hot in Miami,
It appears that nobody noticed until she was on the 11:00 news. I don't care how many adults, kids and cars were there; I can't imagine a mother not making sure she knew which car her child was or wasn't in.
I agree with Laura...if by eleven o clock at night, and nobody has noticed that a child is missing, then there is something VERY wrong with that picture.
These parents need to learn to stay sharp, a lot sharper, and OPEN THEIR EYES.
Please, you all don't know what was going on with the mother. Did she have a group of kids she was dealing with, while assuming her child was going home with someone else? Was it her night off from the kid, and assumed that the other person had taken care of it?
Misunderstandings happen. This certainly doesn't make her a bad parent. Is she supposed to call for hourly check ups on her daughter, because (obviously) she can't trust anyone else to be a responbile adult? Jebus H Crispies.
Yes, awful parents, what with trusting other people. Shame!
Just_some_guy,
My special needs daughter is in her late twenties. When we are away from home and she is to leave to spend time with her dad, I wait to see that she is ACTUALLY in his car and they are driving away.
I would never trust that there has been no miscommunication when it comes to my kids no matter how old they are.
My thoughts immediately went to Home Alone..."KEVIN!!!" Glad she's ok, though! :)
I am glad everything turned out okay; raising our children I can remember threating to leave them behind many times, never did it.
I wouldn't trust them to watch my dogs.
This exact same story was in the media a few years ago. Has it been recycled?
How embarassing for this mother!!! Who does this?!?
I have taken my 3 grandkids to Chuck Es many times, and they have always tagged us with how many we bring in, and how many we leave with. Somebody dropped the ball.
The last time I went to a Chuck E. Cheese the only thing they did was stamp everyone with the same number, and check to see that everyone had the same stamp when they left. There was no count, though it was a long time ago.
Umm no, on many levels. They don't normally keep track of how many you come in with. Just the number that matches. I worked there for a couple years, and never did we keep track of how many you came in with. There are just too many people coming in and out to do that.
Secondly, it's not the establishments fault that the PARENTS left the child. The parents are the sole people responsible for their childred. Chuck E Cheese IS NOT a babysitting service, regardless of what people think.
I actually had to stop people before who came in with their children then turned around to leave, to go do whatever, while the kids stayed and played. Kids are not allowed in without parental supervision, but people would be PISSED that I refused to let them leave without their kids. These people would literally just open the door and push the kids in.
However, I also couldn't keep track of all of them. I mean if the parents came in, ate with their kids, then left them there for a while, I may not remember them when they left. After all I've seen dozens of people come in and out, and especially if they are with a large party.
So no, no one at the establishment dropped the ball
the CEC near us actually does count the "members in your party" in addition to stamping your hand. while it may be a litteral zoo, they do take their security (at least at the one we go to) VERY seriously.
If I recall Chuck E Cheese has a good policy, each child is stamped on the hand with a number that matches the adult guardian's stamp with an ink that is seen under black lighting. Therefore, as far as the employees are doing their job checking kids and parents as they leave, she should have been pretty safe.
I'm glad it all turned out well.... I'm so sick and tired of hearing or reading about children getting killed and murdered.
Except the employees half the time don't do any check ups. I have been to Chuck E. Cheese with my daughter about 10 times. Only once during those 10 visits did we get checked. The rest of the time, the employee either waved us through or the exit had no employee in sight monitoring who left, and this is especially true as the place nears closing time.
which Chuck E Cheese? because both the Hialeah and the Kendall ones are very strict with checking the hand stamps.
Okay, i understand thinking another family member may have her....but, she didn't approach the staff until 8pm? so.. say from 6pm until 11pm, the mom never went to make her a snack, dinner, brush her teeth, put her to bed????!!!!
The mother obviously thought the father had her for the evening, and vise verse.
BTW, whatever happened to staying together & working it out for the benefit of the children? Guess the emotional well-being of the parents comes first these days.
Unregistered User, unfortunatly "staying together & working it out for the benefit of the children" doesn't always "benefit" children. My biological "father" was a drunk and a jerk. He had no interest in raising children. My mom divorced him and we never saw nor heard from him again. I am glad she did not stay with him. Had she stayed with him it would've been a more difficult struggle for my mom to put food on the table as he spent all the money on booze. He was a dead beat parent while they were together. Sometimes the best thing for the child is for the parents to split up. My parents fought all the time. When my mom remarried she married a wonderful man and they dealt with their problems like adults. (no screaming!!!) In many cases the "emotional well-being" of the parent affects the emotional well being of the child.
As for this story, I don't understand why the 2 parents wouldn't ensure the child is safe with the other parent. My brother walks his daughter to her mom's car and says good bye to her. I'm very thankful this child is safe and it turned out ok. I think the daughter will learn to listen and the parents will learn to be more vigilant.
Unregistered: The emotional well-being of the parents is EXTREMELY important to being a good parent. How many stories of parental violence against their children involve emotional STABLE parents? Come on now. Emotional well-being of the parents has a DIRECT affect on the emotional well-being of the child.
Unregistered User: Before making such an unfair statement you should try walking in the shoes of these seperated parents. I didn't want to be a single parent but my daughter is better off and much happier because of it. She would be miserable a child if we had stayed together.
You don't tell a 3 year old to "go get your coat". You go with her to get it! Who knows what could have happened to that poor girl? Maybe it was a "mistake", but it was a highly preventable mistake, and those people need to take parenting classes. Maybe get charged with child endangerment.
It's not child endangerment, please! People are sooooo quick to charge parents with a crime when a mistake is made or poor judgement is used. The child is fine and everybody learned a lesson. Just be happy for a positive story for a change.
Many a parent has lost a child because a "mistake" has been made. It is still inexcusable, Realistic woman
Optomyst
I gave birth to a Houdini and no matter what was done he could escape. I used to leash him to the house so he wouldn't run off. Now days THAT would be abusive never mind we had no fenced yard and a river behind our house. He demonstsrated his ability to open bolt locks on the doors more than once. AND he had siblings.
So, Lexi.............Then you were extra vigilant. Because obviously you both have survived very nicely.
I just don't understand how they wouldn't notice for HOURS that this girl was gone. There just seems to be something kind of fishy here. I'm glad it turned out okay, though! Glad she's safe!
So when one of your children goes to a friends house for a sleep over you run around your house looking for them? If you believe that someone is safe, not at your house, why do you think that the parents would think that something was wrong? I am sure that in the future the parents/grandparents will be more communicative, but unless you know more than what is in the story above there is nothing fishy that I can see. (or smell). :-)
@Todd- So when one of your children goes to a friends house for a sleep over you run around your house looking for them?
That is NOT what she said AT ALL. Sleepovers are different, and you know it, and she is perfectly aware of that. The fact that you would call her some crazy lady who freaks out when her child is at a friend's house is sheer stupidity. Sounds like you were looking for an opening to insult someone, and jumped at the chance.
Maybe if you stopped making such stupid assumptions like that, you wouldn't feel so compelled to post outrageous crap like that.
sheesh isis, practice what you preach.
The point Todd was making that I think 2/3 of the readers completely missed in this story is the Father thought the girl went home with the Mother and the Mother was under the impression the girl went home with the Father. Maybe a grandparent was involved and they thought she was going home with them. What Todd is saying is when your child is going to someones house that you trust you do not call and check up on them. So now when they get to their respective homes and think their daughter is safe at home WITH THE OTHER PARENT or at a grandparents house why would they think anything was wrong with her when she was not at their house? There are two homes, Mom thought she was at Dads house and Dad thought she was at Moms house. No going in to check on her or to put her to bed when she isn't even with you! Where do you see Todd saying anything about calling anyone crazy? Looks to me and everyone else on here that YOU are the one looking for an opening to jump all over someone. What the HELL, there isn't one single thing in Todds post that is outrageous or insulting. Yours on the other hand, BINGO!
Todd did not call anybody crazy.
Just because he didnt' directly say "you're crazy" doesn't mean that it wasn't insinuated.
...and after everything dies down, Harmony is going to quietly suggest that they go to Disneyland next.
Why not? Only, this time put a tracking device on her.
When I was little my family stopped at a road side rest and when everyone got back in my siblings were asked if everyone was in and they said yes, I was not in the car. They got a few miles down the road until they fessed up that I was not there. I was sitting on a bench with an elderly woman when they got back. For some reason I was not too frightened. It has been a funny story in the family since then.
This reminds me of a trip we made many years ago with our 3 boys in our camper. Two boys with up front with Dad and the other was asleep with me in the camper. When we stopped for gas, I thought I make a quick bathroom run, and when I came out, they were gone. This was before cell phones, so there I sat waiting for someone to notice I was gone. Maybe I was not a little girl, but boy was I scared. Twenty min. later here they come, and I really got in trouble. I asked them how did they know I was gone? My son yelled through the boot and said Mommy fell out. I got instructions from then on, when you get out, tell someone. I never rode in the back again.....
@gramgigi, I'm sorry that your siblings were liars.....God only knows what might've happened if nobody had found you by yourself....I hope your siblings were punished, and made aware that something could've happened to you because of their "clever" little joke.
@Jerry, I don't think you should've gotten in trouble...yes, it's true you should've told them you were using the restroom, but ULTIMATELY, it is the parents' responsibility to make sure all children are accounted for.
My husband told me a story about a trip his family was taking, parents, kids, dog, & Babci (Polish for Grandma). Same deal, stop at a rest stop, everybody out to use the facilities & stretch their legs, then everybody back in the Vista Cruiser (remember those?) & back on the freeway, hut two three four.....only this time it was Babci that got left behind. She'd started talking to someone or the other, & missed the boat ( land yacht, if you will ). He said they'd gotten a few miles down the road---his dad was something of a lead foot---when they realized, Where's Babci? So back around they went, & sure enough there she was. "Oh, there you are, I was wondering if you'd left w/o me". I thought, & still think, that was a great story.
@isis..I don't think you understood my account of the story. I was the MOM who got out, and yes I should have told my husband, and I did get in trouble! Like I said, I never rode in the back again, we sold the camper and bought a trailer. Problem solved!
Oops, my mistake....well then, you should not have gotten in trouble, you are an adult, and your husband needs to address you that way.....you don't tell your wife "You're in trouble"...you are far too old to be punished by your spouse. If it were me, I'd have put him in his place.
Your children are the ones who should have gotten in trouble for lying to your husband. Even though you should have told him, there is no excuse for their behavior.....that's not the kind of thing you joke about.
After three hours she was immediately rushed to the hospital to have her cholesterol checked.
My wife's family of six kids crossed the US twice in a station wagon. Once they left one of the boys at a gas station. It happens. They realized he was gone within a mile or two,or three or four. Probably worth a few extra percentage points when the inheritances get divied out one day.
Lol, honestly I can think of worse places then Chuck E. Cheese for a kid to be left at. Glad it was all sorted out.
6 kids in a station wagon, all the way across the country, twice? Boy, her parents must've been gluttons for punishment.
Yep. I don't know how they did it either. One trip they had an infant, and kids who were 2,6,9,11, and 12 all in the wagon. The next time they were maybe all three years older I think. My wife is the oldest. I by contrast am an only child, and my family hardly traveled anywhere. Never more than a 10 hour drive max.
I guess if you're 3 and gonna be left somewhere, that's the place to be.
3 hours and no one noticed the three year old was missing? Too bad it's harder to get drivers license than becoming a parent
I agree....I can't help but wonder how zoned out these parents are during normal circumstances.
Did you all actually read the story?
YES I READ THE STORY. And for your information, that has absolutely NOTHING to do with keeping track of children!!!!!!!!! I do NOT CARE if you are at home, shopping, or at a restaurant, there is NO excuse to lose your kid! The fact that these parents CLEARLY did not know what they were doing when taking the child home, shows that they are too easily destracted to make plans and set them in place. Distracted parent=lost kid. There is no excuse for a parent to be THAT distracted and zone out...and they seriously need to get that in check.
Stop being such a jerk.....and lose the holier than thou attitude. This "superior complex" of yours is little more than an EXCUSE to post random petty jabs.
Isis, I stand by the fact that you didn't actually read the story. The mother didn't lose her kid. She left in the care of another trusted adult, and that person lost the kid. That's pretty well spelled out in the story, as well as in the comments throughout, where you decide that you get to pass judgement on this women and the other adults involved.
Seriously, you're saying I have a holier than thou attitude, all the while you're passing judgement on these people? Seriously? It's not so much that I feel superior to you, it's that I feel I actually comprehend what I read, while you apparently lack that particular skill. I'm sure you're great at other things.
To a point, you discuss that they were to distracted to make plans on where the children were going, and to actually act on those plans. But given the context of the story, you cannot possibly reach that conclusion. Let's see...a three year old being told she's not going home with mommy? I can certainly see the child crying and the Mom saying "Well..." So, the other person thinks, when they don't see the kid "hey, plans changed. Kid went home with mommy." The mom thinks the other person took her. In this scenario, the reactions of the adults make far more sense than the conclusions that you are jumping to.
I think that you need a better understanding of what the word "random" means. My jabs at you aren't random. They are directly related to your over-reaction, judgmental attitude and the hypocrisy you present when saying that I feel superior while you take petty jabs at the people involved in the story in question. Absolutely not random. Critical of you? Yes. Showing a bit of disdain for your opinion? I could see that. But random?
Also, when I am making direct points to the fact that your comments seem to not gel with the facts of the story at all, I wouldn't call them petty. But then, of course, you have already demonstrated a lack of comprehension with regards to the story, so why should I expect you to comprehend the words that you use?
Before you think that this is a personal attack, it's certainly not. It is a direct response to the attacks that you made on me. Please be aware of the difference.
For your information, I was talking about ALL of the adults that should've been watching this kid, NOT just the mother. This was a situation that could have EASILY been avoided, but happened anyway. It is inexcuseable. End of story.
I am NOT jumping to any conclusions "The adults each thought she was going with the other"....hmmmmm sounds A LOT LIKE MISCOMMUNICATION AND UNCLEAR PLANS. Jumping to conclusions, MY ASS!
Just because I feel that ALL of the adults need to be held accountable, has nothing to do with "reading comprehension". Please be aware of THAT.
And yes, the way you worded your post made it look like random jabs.
Isis,
I have seen, in this seed alone, you jump at people for assuming that someone meant to say something (when they didn't), and for things that you felt people seemed to say. You need to decide what side of that particular argument you want to take, because trying for both really isn't working for you.
As for all adults should always be aware of where any given kids are...well, that's just an impossibility. Kids are little people, minds of their own. They tend to wander off, and unfortunately most people don't have ESP or any other super power allowing them to be omniscient. Which is what you're asking for here.
Could this have been avoided? Sure. Is it just as understandable how it happened? Well, maybe not to you, but honestly, yes. This is a matter of miscommunication, though it doesn't seem to be unclear plans. It's a case of @!$%# happening, as it tends to. And given that the facts are fairly stated out in the article, and that you most likely weren't there, you are in fact jumping to conclusions. All of you, not just your ass.
While I'm sure that if you'd been there, you're super powers would have made you aware of where all the children were, no matter what, the people in this case did as well as anyone can reasonably expect. What exactly do you think should be done to all of these adults? What should the consequences of what is actually a perfectly reasonable, though unusual, situation be?
As for how I worded my post, I've explained it again, and you've admitted that it "looked like" random jabs. I'm fairly certain that my single sentence question could really not be taken as a random jab. Especially given the ludicrous and over the top reaction that you've been giving. You'd think the story was that the parents were knowingly playing in the ball pit while Chuck E. himself sacrificed the child on an alter made of pizza crust. You stop just short of calling for criminal justice in this case. You misrepresent the facts, and wonder how someone might not believe that you actually read the story?
So, yes, I do still think that most of your "feelings" and "opinions" are based off of a lack of reading comprehension, as well as your just being a negative person, in regards to this. The fact that what happened is fairly well-spelled out for you (in fact, given that it's a written story, it is literally spelled out for you), but that you seem hell-bent on forming your own opinions based on no evidence and what you assumed happened really shows this negativity off.
What you see as miscommunication and unclear plans is in fact jumping to conclusions. If I say to you "I'll go ahead and take your kid home with me. You go home and have a glass of wine and a nice bath", this is both clear communication and a clear plan. If I say to you "Maybe I'll do this" or "I might do that", that would be an unclear plan. If I say to you "Hey, I'm going to take your kid..." and later say "Oh, wait, I can't..." and assume that you heard me but you didn't, that's miscommunication.
At worst, you could say that these people did the same thing you are doing: jumping to conclusions. I don't see the kid that's supposed to be there, so I jump to the conclusion, for whatever reason, that she's with someone else. Again, comprehension skills are important.
Perhaps this is what you meant with what you called "miscommunication". That they were jumping to conclusions themselves. In which case, you miscommunicated.
I have to ask, at this point, what exactly makes you react so strongly to this story? I understand a "well, thankfully it ended well. It could have gone wrong..." But you've just kind of flown of the handle on this. Normally people don't over-react like this without feeling a personal connection. What has happened to you that makes you read more into this story than there actually is, and pass such severe judgement on the people involved?
I'm not overrreacting...nowadays, you can NEVER be too careful with kids.
The fact that they didn't know who was taking the child shows unclear planning. You are NOT going to convince me otherwise.
Super powers....wow, screw you.
"super powers" oh my GOD! That has NOTHING to do with WATCHING YOUR KID and KNOWING whose taking them home! It is NOT that hard, and that is why there is NO excuse for this, and that the parents need to get this in check.
If it is THAT difficult to keep an eye on your child, then you are taking a RISK by taking them in public. Seriously.
Just because I have no tolerance for parents who lose their kid, when it could have been avoided, does NOT mean that something "happened to me". Get over yourself. End of discussion.
This happened to my brother when we kids on a trip ..we had a station wagon and he would hide in the back and we would all pretend he wasnt there..well this time he was in the bathroom while we all piled back in ..dad asked everybody in? we all smiled, thinking scott was hiding in the back..about ten minutes down the road dad nervously said" are you sure scott is there"? By now he would be making noise..he wasnt!!! we raced back and there he was sitting on the curb looking so sad ..we all laugh now but I still think of his 10 year old face .he looked so sad..
Our family had a similar situation except I was the one left behind. We had a big family outing at the zoo with all the cousins, about 2 vans and 2 station wagons. Being a kid I wanted one more look at the sea lions. When I realized I was left behind I was in a panic. The first time I saw my 6'4" dad with tears in his eyes. He hugged me, than I was grounded for a week. That was years and years ago.
It's easy to sit in judgment when we don't have all of the facts. Even Jesus got left behind when his family left the city. They didn't notice he was gone for a couple of days.
Yes, but Jesus wasn't three years old at the time, and Jerusalem is not Chuck E Cheese.
Well, if you are going to be left anywhere, I would bet CEC is better than jerusalem anyday. :)
But he was Jesus. He could have just made a donkey appear "poof" and ridden out of town.
Well Mike, I suppose he could. But he did not consider himself lost. His parent thought he was lost, but he didn't think so. Typical teen. :)
Aye God! Did anyone actually read the story? The mother thought she was with the father and the father thought she was with the mother. That's why no one noticed she was missing. Argh! Besides there's worse places than Chuck E Cheese for a 3 year to be stranded.
I've seen this before at Chuck E. Cheese one of the guys that worked there was asking everyone who came out of the door to leave if this little girl was theirs it's so easy for a kid to get left or for a parent to loose track because there are so many kids and after a while they all look alike.