Sunday, June 28, 2009

NZ Parents Under the Microscope

A 9 and 4 year-old left to play in a park by their father, George Kenton. Would I do that? Probably not because I am an overly anxious parent. I envy the parent that can make that decision, who is confident the 9 year-old is able to adequately care for the 4 year-old. Maybe if the park was nearby I would be comfortable. The 9 year-old is no problem but 4 year-olds can be unpredictable.

But surely it isn't the business of the state to scrutinise parents to this degree? Sure, we can go on about "what-if". But what-ifs rarely happen and if we proceed on the basis of what-if, nobody would be doing anything. We would all be in a state of paralysis.

I am bloody sick of the state and the evolving law it devises to impose a suffocating strait-jacket culture on parents. I really don't know what those of us who feel this way can do.

(At least it looks like this guy had the benefit of being cleared by CYF before the police got involved. Last weeks dad was prosecuted for shoving before CYF had chance to clear him. So, to make matters worse, in its zealous need to interfere, the state and its institutions are bungling the process.)

3 comments:

Lucia Maria said...

This is a very disturbing case.

No harm was actually done to the children, but, because of the possibility of harm, the family was investigated.

This is under-14's law is another one of those stupid laws that we in NZ seem to be so good at accumulating. Can't trust the parents to make an adequate judgement as to the capabilities of the child - slap on a law.

NZ is a different place now than it was in the past because of such laws and interference from government.

Anonymous said...

It's as safe out there as ever really, when I was nine I was often going to parks, neighbours, etc on my own, or with a group of friends, we didn't think twice and nor did our parents. They lived in a decent time, now Big Brother truly is with us. Really sad.

Mark said...

As a kid I went down the road all the time to play in the park under 10.

In fact that there were no parents there added to the felling of responsibility and fun for myself and younger siblings.

In those days no-one cared if your parents went there.

To take that away from children today is wrong.