To KateTheShrew: Re the kid 'on a leash'...I had to chuckle on that one! My 2 youngest kids are exactly 12 months apart [ya, ya, I know :-D ] and once in a store the 2 yr old walked away in just seconds while I was adjusting the 1 yr olds stroller belt. By the time I stood up, my 2 yr old was gone! In a panic, looking quite like a freaked out mom, I started running all over with the stroller, screaming my sons name. Store folks helped and we found him crouched down and hiding behind a counter. He was scared and didn't know where I was. After that, I got a wrist strap for him and he stayed smartly 'wrist strapped' to the stroller and NEVER wandered off again! I never cared if anyone thought it was cruel...I loved him to the depths of my soul and cared more about keeping him in my life! Fast forward to a month ago. That same 2 yrd old boy, now 15, saw a man with a child wearing a harness. My son whispered to me, "Mom, can you believe that? He's got a leash on that kid like a dog! How awful!" I turned to him and said, "Son, first off, that's not a leash...it's a harness. Second, you had something similar to that when you were little too." You should have seen the look my son gave me!!! He understood once I told him the above story. Ah! What a good laugh that was... To amberlover13: Yes, I understand what you're saying . Some are worse off than others. Those kind of folks should get/really need help. But the couple in the story that started this thread? They are pathetic! That poor little girl started crying when 'mom' said no cough syrup. I wish I was bigger...I wish I was stronger...I wish I could have stolen that girl and brought her home with me...Hmmmm...I bet they would have sold her to me for a few more cases of beer! To brynna: Here Here! Kudos on your ranting! By all means...rant some more! Maybe if we all rant more often, folks like them would get the message!

Message edited on: 05/22/2005 22:20