Over in South Carolina a working mum has had her 9 year old daughter taken into care while she was arrested for letting her play in the park while she was working. The Atlantic covers the story here where you can read more of it. The comments being left on the Facebook link to the story are ranging from ‘give the mother a break’ to ‘never ever do that’. I don’t know all the facts nor do I know this lady so I have no right to say if she did good or bad. Everyone’s situation is different just as every town and country is different. Over here in the UK there are places you wouldn’t leave a 9 year old and there are plenty of places you can. Also no to 9 year olds are the same. She may be very mature and street wise or she could be the complete opposite.
What got me thinking though was what she should have done differently so not to receive such a negative backlash from the public.
First off if she wasn’t working she would be able to take the child to the park herself. But then there are those who would have bad mouthed her for not working. This is assuming she is a single mum as there is no mention of a father in the whole article. From experience I can tell you if you’re a single mum you get it in the neck if you work and get majorly bad mouthed for not working.
If she couldn’t afford child care she could have decided to leave the child at home. But then again that would be wrong too.
If she took the child with her and left he in the car, that too would be wrong.
There will those saying her original plans of taking the child to work was wrong as well.
What it seems to me is that no matter what you do there will be people saying you did it wrong. What do you think?
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