A bill was rejected by a state legislative committee that would allow kids to be alone for more than 15 minutes at a time. In Arkansas a parent can still be accused of neglect for leaving there children unsupervised for a few minutes. The summary of the bill says it was designed to "protect a parent or guardian’s decision to grant his or her children unsupervised time to engage in activities that include without limitation playing outside, walking to school, bicycling, remaining briefly in a vehicle, and remaining at home”. The bill would have let a parent leave there child in a car for 15 minutes as long as it was to cold or to hot in the car. The people that agree with the bill are arguing that kids can walk home from the park or school inst a crime and childhood obesity could be a side effect of having so many restrictions on kids and what they can do alone. The people who don't agree with the bill say that kids can be kidnapped from a car in 37 seconds, and it must be easier to get them off of a bike specially if they are alone.
Question 1) Would you have passed this law or not and why?
Question 2) Did/do your parents go with you everywhere you go and do you think that has affected you for good or bad?
1) I would have passed the law, kids need to learn how to be on there own.
2) I have been going places without my parents since i was 7 years old, I believe it has affected me for the best and made me more of an independent person.
Replies
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I think this law has good sides and bad sides to it, so I don't know if I would pass this law. I think it would be good for like when you are getting gas and you need to run inside and pay because you will still be able to see the car and know that nothing is going to happen. I think this would be bad because in some situations the parent might leave the child in the car at a grocery store, where they have a higher risk of getting kidnapped. I have been doing things by myself for a long time now. I think this helped me because it made me more independent and I don't have to have others help me.
I would have passed this law. This would help kids learn independence for early on which is a very good quality to posses. It can also help with other problems like obesity and the kids' sense of freedom. The kids have to learn how to be and act on their own. This also gives parents more time too. I had a lot of rules ensuring I would be safe and ok. My parents did not go with me everywhere and this thought me independence for early on which is good.
I think that kids should be independent and do what they believe is right and wrong. If you had a parent with you all the time you can't learn to do things by yourself. No my parent didnt go with me everywhere
I would want this bill passed; I think it's kind of ridiculous for leaving your child for a period as short as 15 minutes to be illegal. I agree with you in that kids can't and won't always have their parents to protect them from everything. I have been pretty independent when it come to going places such as school and places in town throughout my life, and I feel it has benefitted me overall.
I think the bill is a great idea. However, I think some parents and children will abuse the bill and leave children alone too often. I think every child needs to learn independence and to figure out how the world works. There are so many dangers in today's society and children will never grow up if the parents are always holding their hands. I think age is a very important factor in this.
would i pass this law. kidnappings are horrible that is a fact but kids need to be on their own and learn how to be independent. ive been going places with out my parents since i was like 4 or 5 years old granted there was still adult supervision.
I would of passed the law people need to learn to be on there own mommy and daddy aren't always going to be there. My parents always watched out for me but I am independent.
I believe that kids can be independent and need to learn how to get through things themselves. I don't think I would've passed the law. My parents don't go everywhere with me but I always let them know where I'm going. I think it's a good thing because I've learned how to do things myself. Also probably some things that they wouldn't have taught me if we were always together.
I don't think I would have passed the bill. I mean I agree with some parts of the bill but I think it is a little extreme. Parents can't be with their children every second of the day plus children don't want their parents around all the time especially as they are growing up. They should have the right to be independent and handle themselves to and from school. My parents do not go with me everywhere and I think that has been a good thing. It shows me how to be independent and handle myself instead of my parents fighting all my battles for me.
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