However, I’ve found that if you show those bratty kids some quality attention on a frequent enough basis, even when their parents don’t, they respond well to you and develop a respect for you — a respect they obviously don’t have for even their own parents. So, I find it rewarding to spend time with those friends just so their kids can get at least some of the attention they need — and the kids love it when I come around.

Unfortunately, too many of those children who don’t get that attention give us cause to worry about our future. It’s really not their fault, though — it’s the parents’ faults. It’s just a shame that these parents don’t even realize how they could be scarring their kids for life. Even if you’re not mean to your kids and appear loving when it suits you, if your kids are not getting what they need out of you emotionally, you can rest assured it will have long-term negative effects on some level.

So, if you don’t have the means, time, patience, selflessness, and loving concern it takes to properly raise children, then you shouldn’t be out there making babies. Don’t give the excuse that you can’t afford birth control because there are all sorts of organizations around most of the globe that help provide it to those in need. If you can’t get your hands on some birth control, then maybe you should refrain from procreational practices. (Had to think of a way to put it that wouldn’t cause the words to be bleeped out…LOL!!)

For those, like cjn, who still manage to choose to be a good kid despite their parents’ faults, that says a lot about the strength of their character. I hope they’re the ones who have the most control over our future because they obviously know how to persevere and get the job done no matter what obstacles are thrown their way.

Okay, getting off my soapbox now…LOL!! The issues children face these days are just a passionate topic for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree with you that a parent needs to take certain measures to ensure her children’s safety, especially in a public place. My point is, almost everyone of you posters are making assumptions you have absolutely no proof to back up. Is she Mexican or does she just have a Latin name by marriage? Is she a deadbeat, unattentive mom? Was she 10 feet away from her kids? Were her kids out of her sight? Was the older kid pushing the baby around in a basket?

Please, show me where it specifies any of that and I’ll shut up. All I caught was, “the child was playing with his older brother in a laundry hamper while their mother was adding coins to the washing machine.” Were they sitting in the hamper together? Was he being rolled around in the hamper? I don’t know because it didn’t say, which means you don’t know either because you read the same article I did.

The officials even stated, “[they] suspect the baby was in the washing machine for nearly 1 minute.” That’s not much time for the mother to realize what happened, run next door, frantically ask for help, and run back with a group of guys who had to take time to pry the door open. That’s pretty quick action-taking if you ask me. She had to be standing right there to realize what happened, take action, and get help that fast, but that’s just an assumption based on the common sense you seem to think I lack.

It really blows my mind how fast people are to jump to all sorts of erroneous conclusions just so they can talk bad about somebody in some feeble attempt to make themselves feel better or look better to others. I guess there really are a lot more adults out there who still have rather active imaginations. Unfortunately, they’re only used to serve their own selfish purposes.

Like I said…get real, people.

Have you ever done laundry at a laundromat with your kids because you couldn’t afford a babysitter? If so, how easy was it to pour the right amount of laundry soap into that little cup while keeping both eyes on your kids every second? I’m sure that got a little messy. Did your fingers feel their way to the coin slots? I bet you lost a few quarters under the machines trying to pull that off.

Get real, people.

I live in Houston where the Mexicans far outnumber all other races. The funny thing is, whenever I’ve been at a restaurant, in a store, or at the mall where parents are letting their children run wild, they’ve included parents of all races. As a matter of fact, it is usually the white kids acting the most spoiled. Running circles around or crawling under the dinner table and talking, screaming and squealing at the top of their lungs like it’s their own little playground. All while their parents are completely oblivious to all the looks they’re getting from everyone around them — not to mention oblivious to their own children’s behavior.

Oh, please forgive me, my fellow Caucasians, for that racist comment, but it’s the cold, hard facts. Or is that really a racist comment because I’m white? Is any comment about whites considered racist, for that matter? Whateva…it is what it is…the truth.

However, no matter who is guilty of bad parenting (or a lack thereof), I think we can blame it on the times. Parents are too busy these days, and some are even caught up in their own selfishness, or both, to properly parent their children.

Take those parents at the restaurant…they were busy trying to socialize and drink with their two friends to bother with their kids. “Let the kids do whatever because I’m busy doing my own thing.” Even their own friends were embarrassed by all the commotion their kids were causing. I bet they never go out with them again…LOL!!

People either need to find ways to not be too busy for their kids, too selfish to care for their kids, or both. If they can’t handle it, then just don’t have kids. This world has enough to deal with without having to worry about what sort of future their kids are going to make for us. Eeww…that’s a scary thought.

LJ, your comment is just ignornant? How much have you paid to “support” a Mexican? Perhaps if you lent a helping hand and made donations to programs that help out families in need you could get a tax credit? I am baffled everyday when I encounter people who feel the need to make comments such as yours. What is it that bothers you? What compels you to spend time in putting others down? I will guess you were bullied on the playground or you were the kid no one wanted to play with so now that you are older you feel the need to pick on others to make yourself feel better. Honestly, grow up and go take some classes with “MS” to occupy your time.