Do People These Days Have to Fear Busybody Do-Gooders?

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
Location
USA
This isn't the first story I've heard of busybody 'do-gooders' sticking their noses in other people's business and calling the authorities when there is no sign of child harm or violation going on. Someone saw a couple of kids, brother and sister walking down the block together, the parents were well aware of where they were and what they were doing, but already some nosybody was calling the cops.

When this happens for no good reason, child services are called and the parents are suddenly involved with an investigation and put on a list whether there was anything wrong or not. This case was in Canada. A mother was home and her kids were playing in the back yard when someone called child services, I'd be furious if I was this mother. What do you think? http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/mother...n-playing-in-backyard-1.2870845?autoPlay=true
 

I agree Shalimar, or at least a warning. I understand and agree that if there is any abuse going on whether it's related to children or pets, it should be reported. But things like this shouldn't be taken so lightly, and the one who makes the call should be aware that a real concern must exist. What about a neighbor that might just not like her for some reason? That's a good anonymous way to get revenge I would think.
 

It makes steam come out of my ears the things people report to child services. With the obligation to report laws the social workers are so glutted with bogus stuff, they have too much in their caseloads. Then a child is really being abused and they might fall through the cracks. A few years ago it was the last day of my daughter's summer camp. She had a great time with no problems.

That same afternoon child protection was knocking on our door. At first they weren't clear about why they were there or what the problem was. Then after talking to my son and daughter they asked to speak to me. They wanted to know if we have a problem with vermin. I quickly thought sure there might be the odd mouse in the wall but we rarely see them.

No not really, I couldn't tell them the cats or Sophie would dispatch any vermin in one bite. Then the light bulb went off...the rats. Knowing that I gently explained the rats are pets. Yes my daughter has rats in her bedroom but they don't sleep with her. They have a nice big shiny split level cage on the dresser. She took a look and case closed.

So they take a special needs kid talking about her pets and twist in into rats trying to eat her in her sleep...
 
Obviously someone was supervising those kids....the neighbor.

Simple solution: weave some opaque plastic strips into the cyclone fencing.
 
I saw the playing in the backyard thing as well. Then what was it the kids walking home from school last year?

Some have good intentions either being paranoid or ginned up by the barrage of news stories about abused kids. And others the investigators and agencies over react, especially after the first complaint & incomplete investigation. At least it's documented although that could be just as bad. It should be a slow escalation as to the investigation & any penalties.

That being said I know of someone who was turned in because an 11 year was left home alone after school and at night. I know who this person is and they deservedly had to fight for custody. I was surprised it took that long to find out about crap like this knowing things about that person. The child was already failing and an attendance problem at school(which added to the process). Apparently not one of the mom's kids want to be with her. After a year long series of interviews etc she retained custody. From what I understand she still has not quite learned her lesson. That teenage child was/is basically a juvenile delinquent.
 
The tattlers are rule-obsessed and make trouble for people about every little thing. I've seen whistle blowers at work get fired for squealing on their bosses for very minor things.

However, if someone sees something that is obviously a problem, its a good idea to report it. When we were kids no one was watching us playing outside in the open fields at a very young age. My mom was busy in the house and us kids were running around getting up to things, lucky that I even survived my childhood considering the lack of supervision.
 
Similar thing for elders. Our state initiated an anonymous hotline for people to call if they think elders are being abused. My mother's favorite thing was mowing the lawn (riding mower). She would mow twice a week sometimes, and was mowing right up to the fall before she died. I didn't discourage it, because she like it so much, and it was good exercise. But I was really afraid someone would drive by and see her mowing and report me for letting her do this.
 
NancyNGA said:
Similar thing for elders. Our state initiated an anonymous hotline for people to call if they think elders are being abused. .
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Somehow I ended up with a black eye, along with all the bruises on my body, caused by my blood thinners. When my daughter took me to the store the other day she said that she hoped that no one thought I was being abused. When anyone looked at me...I just smiled.
 
Another example of my kids throwing me under the bus with child services. The eldest daughter had it in for her eldest brother. The same one who bailed her and sister when we wouldn't. " Oh my brother has weapons in his room and they scare me". Sounds pretty bad right? They were a wall display of weapons his grandfather brought back from WWII. Not anything that would shoot. All had been disassembled and just German artifacts. But yeah they were knocking on the door over the "guns".
 
Here several days ago a do-gooder called the police because a mother had left her TWELVE YEAR OLD son in the car with his dog while she went in the store. It wasn't hot, and the boy was just happily reading his book and petting his dog while waiting for his mom; he could control doors and windows from inside. Along came the cops and child services and made a big deal out of it and it even made the news.

The kid was TWELVE, for crying out loud -- since when can't you leave a twelve year old boy in a car for a little while while you dash in the store??

I think we've gone way over the edge with some of this stuff. I can't believe do-gooders can make so much trouble for a person without good cause and just get away with it.
 
SeaBreeze said:
This isn't the first story I've heard of busybody 'do-gooders' sticking their noses in other people's business and calling the authorities when there is no sign of child harm or violation going on. Someone saw a couple of kids, brother and sister walking down the block together, the parents were well aware of where they were and what they were doing, but already some nosybody was calling the cops.

When this happens for no good reason, child services are called and the parents are suddenly involved with an investigation and put on a list whether there was anything wrong or not. This case was in Canada. A mother was home and her kids were playing in the back yard when someone called child services, I'd be furious if I was this mother. What do you think? http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/mother...n-playing-in-backyard-1.2870845?autoPlay=true
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This is outrageous. I'd be furious if I was this mother. I'd want to have a chat with the person who phoned as well.
 
I hate to say this but that is one reason I am glad I never had children. Nosey idiots trying to get someone in trouble for no good reason should have to tell who they are so they can be investigated for calling the child services.
 
Butterfly said:
Here several days ago a do-gooder called the police because a mother had left her TWELVE YEAR OLD son in the car with his dog while she went in the store. It wasn't hot, and the boy was just happily reading his book and petting his dog while waiting for his mom; he could control doors and windows from inside. Along came the cops and child services and made a big deal out of it and it even made the news.

The kid was TWELVE, for crying out loud -- since when can't you leave a twelve year old boy in a car for a little while while you dash in the store??

I think we've gone way over the edge with some of this stuff. I can't believe do-gooders can make so much trouble for a person without good cause and just get away with it.
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Amazing !!! A twelve year old is capable of getting out of the car or calling for help, if needed. He, more than likely, wanted to stay in the care with his book. Vs going into a store with Mom. That it should it even be newsworthy is even more amazing.
 
Yes do gooders are a problem but I'm just as leary as the 'do gooder' government types who are quick to label, judge and punish without an complete investigation or abuse their authority. What should be quickly classified as unfounded frequently escalates or expands into a scandal or nefarious plot. Government agencies like child services are there to protect those who cannot protect themselves but that's what is NOT being proven in a lot of these cases.
 
ndynt said:
Amazing !!! A twelve year old is capable of getting out of the car or calling for help, if needed. He, more than likely, wanted to stay in the care with his book. Vs going into a store with Mom. That it should it even be newsworthy is even more amazing.
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I think it made the news because it was so outrageous that child services got involved and made it such a big deal because of some nosy tipster. I've read that here if they get a tip, they have to respond. I just wish people would mind their own business in cases like this. A child in a hot car is one thing, but a 12 year old staying in the car with his dog is quite another.

On the other hand, we currently have a case in the courts where a woman and her "boyfriend" kicked her young child to death in their apartment and apparently all the neighbors were deaf and blind.
 
That's the problem...for all the bogus reports. There was a foster family two towns over. There were investigations that the children were thin, seen salvaging garbage cans. But only after they were found dead did they seek to prosecute. Maybe if they weren't checking out my kid's pets they might have saved those poor starving souls.
 

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