A kid with a box of matches?
- Thread starter keyodie
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Who knows how the kid got the matches? Kids are smart. He could have stolen them. If he was 10, they might not have been locked away. I don't think my parents kept theirs locked away when I was that age.
10, yes, he should have known better, but he couldn't possibly have imagined the consequences. As for the parents, frankly, kids are clever, use that cleverness to get into trouble, and this time something truly horrible happened.
Destroying the family with damages will not help . . . they'll be imporverished, and anything they own is just a drop in the bucket. Also, as all the fires show, CA was ready to go up. Kid with matches, lightning, sparks from a machine . . . fires were starting everywhere. Although that particular fire might not have started right there, and might not have burned those houses, this is pretty different from if someone had doused a section of forest in gasoline and lit it . . . its just not the same thing . . . not only was it an accident, it was an accident commited by a fairly young child. I suspect the guilt and shame is all the punishment that family needs . . .
10, yes, he should have known better, but he couldn't possibly have imagined the consequences. As for the parents, frankly, kids are clever, use that cleverness to get into trouble, and this time something truly horrible happened.
Destroying the family with damages will not help . . . they'll be imporverished, and anything they own is just a drop in the bucket. Also, as all the fires show, CA was ready to go up. Kid with matches, lightning, sparks from a machine . . . fires were starting everywhere. Although that particular fire might not have started right there, and might not have burned those houses, this is pretty different from if someone had doused a section of forest in gasoline and lit it . . . its just not the same thing . . . not only was it an accident, it was an accident commited by a fairly young child. I suspect the guilt and shame is all the punishment that family needs . . .
Seems society always has to blame someone everytime a major catastrophy happens,and why not a kid? Those areas,for hundreds of years, were known by native americans to catch fire every few years by natural causes.Most of the houses were built on slopes.The vegetation and brush etc. had to be replanted and left for "erosion control" to keep the homes from sliding away.Due to the vegetation maturing and becoming dry(maybe from global warming?), it was just a matter of time before this would happen.
I have always been protective of Arielle and have definately taught her to not play with matches among other dangerous things. But guys... don't be so quick to judge the parents of this kid. Arielle still managed to find a book of matches and even managed to light up a few matches in that book. Thankfully, I never let her roam around without me knowing where she was and when I noticed she was real quiet I checked on her and caught her in the act. I have no idea where she even obtained this book of matches she had... neither TJ nor I smoked.
I'm not sure of all the circumstances on this whole fire thing other than how tragic it is. This kid will one day grow up and realize what he caused. He will have to live with the guilt of his actions. And maybe his parents did teach him not to play with matches and he was just too curious. Kids are very inquisitive and you can be the best parent you can be and your child can still get into things you've taught them not to.
That's just my 2 cents on this.
I'm not sure of all the circumstances on this whole fire thing other than how tragic it is. This kid will one day grow up and realize what he caused. He will have to live with the guilt of his actions. And maybe his parents did teach him not to play with matches and he was just too curious. Kids are very inquisitive and you can be the best parent you can be and your child can still get into things you've taught them not to.
That's just my 2 cents on this.
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Surely you have seen the world we live in today? Kids aged 10, 11, 12, getting pregnant, doing drugs, being initiated into gangs, committing crimes, killing animals, people. Parents, or a lack thereof, are to blame for this. No, not all parents are bad, but the world is not getting any better.
Perhaps its because I live near one of the worst gang-infiltrated cities in the USA. Or, perhaps it's because I was far from sheltered from what goes on in the smaller parts of the world, but I am not naive to think that the USA is a super duper, happy-go-lucky place, safest place to live.
Kids are dangerous, people are dangerous. Kids are raising kids. Idiots are raised kids and multiplying by the dozens. So, no, it's not "a little but much." I'd enlighten you, but I'm sure you know it all anyway.
Perhaps its because I live near one of the worst gang-infiltrated cities in the USA. Or, perhaps it's because I was far from sheltered from what goes on in the smaller parts of the world, but I am not naive to think that the USA is a super duper, happy-go-lucky place, safest place to live.
Kids are dangerous, people are dangerous. Kids are raising kids. Idiots are raised kids and multiplying by the dozens. So, no, it's not "a little but much." I'd enlighten you, but I'm sure you know it all anyway.
Curiosity killed the cat.
But if you include guidance and knowledge within a child's curiosity, then just maybe kids wouldn't have to sneak around to learn about interesting things. Fire. Guns. Those untouchables. Things that need respect.
My eight year old son can build a fire with a magnifying glass, or a battery and steel wool, he doesn't need matches or a lighter. Am I afraid to go to sleep at night? NO! Do I worry he will burn our land? NO!
He can load almost every gun we own. Am I afraid to go to sleep at night? NO! Do I worry he will "play" with guns? NO!
When my husband was in boy scouts he was taught these things. My son just joined and I assume "things have changed", but if you teach... CAUSE AND EFFECT it can have a great influence on how a child learns and behaves. Give them knowledge and teach them respect for things that can be bigger than them. Teach them..... And be actively involved in their lives!
And that "Wake Up America, your kids are destroying the world" statement was rather offensive to me.
I do feel badly for this kid and his family..... whether it was due to lack of teaching or knowledge or ignorance in "cause and effect" , nobody here knows what really happened... and to try to be judge + jury on a forum with little facts is unfair.
I also agree that the guilt and living with this forever should be enough punishment.
I would also like to add, You could be the best parents in the world and your child could still end up messing up! Sometimes it is just not the parents fault. The main thing to do is be involved, teach, and supervise your kids.
But if you include guidance and knowledge within a child's curiosity, then just maybe kids wouldn't have to sneak around to learn about interesting things. Fire. Guns. Those untouchables. Things that need respect.
My eight year old son can build a fire with a magnifying glass, or a battery and steel wool, he doesn't need matches or a lighter. Am I afraid to go to sleep at night? NO! Do I worry he will burn our land? NO!
He can load almost every gun we own. Am I afraid to go to sleep at night? NO! Do I worry he will "play" with guns? NO!
When my husband was in boy scouts he was taught these things. My son just joined and I assume "things have changed", but if you teach... CAUSE AND EFFECT it can have a great influence on how a child learns and behaves. Give them knowledge and teach them respect for things that can be bigger than them. Teach them..... And be actively involved in their lives!
And that "Wake Up America, your kids are destroying the world" statement was rather offensive to me.
I do feel badly for this kid and his family..... whether it was due to lack of teaching or knowledge or ignorance in "cause and effect" , nobody here knows what really happened... and to try to be judge + jury on a forum with little facts is unfair.
I also agree that the guilt and living with this forever should be enough punishment.
I would also like to add, You could be the best parents in the world and your child could still end up messing up! Sometimes it is just not the parents fault. The main thing to do is be involved, teach, and supervise your kids.
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I'm not sure why the comment is so offensive and a bit much to people? Is it not true? People- who are someone's children- are ruining the very world we live in. The gangsters- they belong to someone, the 10 year old with matches, he belongs to someone, the 19yo who murdered a nun last week belongs to someone. They are someone's kids, may not be yours, but they belong to someone. And that's fact.
Surely you have seen the world we live in today? Kids aged 10, 11, 12, getting pregnant, doing drugs, being initiated into gangs, committing crimes, killing animals, people. Parents, or a lack thereof, are to blame for this. No, not all parents are bad, but the world is not getting any better.
Perhaps its because I live near one of the worst gang-infiltrated cities in the USA. Or, perhaps it's because I was far from sheltered from what goes on in the smaller parts of the world, but I am not naive to think that the USA is a super duper, happy-go-lucky place, safest place to live.
Kids are dangerous, people are dangerous. Kids are raising kids. Idiots are raised kids and multiplying by the dozens. So, no, it's not "a little but much." I'd enlighten you, but I'm sure you know it all anyway.
Perhaps its because I live near one of the worst gang-infiltrated cities in the USA. Or, perhaps it's because I was far from sheltered from what goes on in the smaller parts of the world, but I am not naive to think that the USA is a super duper, happy-go-lucky place, safest place to live.
Kids are dangerous, people are dangerous. Kids are raising kids. Idiots are raised kids and multiplying by the dozens. So, no, it's not "a little but much." I'd enlighten you, but I'm sure you know it all anyway.
Well, if the bleeding hearts of the world would offer a hand up, rather than a hand out... Perhaps kids would learn to be responsible for their actions. But no, that would be cruel. Lets not teach them the truth, lets sugar coat it in politically correct bullsh!t. "Everybody is a winner" and all that drek.
Now that I have a daughter, I begin to understand how important it will be, when the time is right, to practice a little tough love. You know, actual discipline. Something we must be afraid of doing these days, lest some know it all lib take our child from us.
I am well aware I don't know it all, but I do know a lot. I've seen parts of 4 continents. For better or worse, I KNOW what suffering and hardship is.
How about instead of looking for blame, just like you libs always do, lets look for answers. How about we actually let parents be parents... Free of the ignorant fools in government and the public schools.
What a shocker....
You are such a genius... The great fact you bless us with is that kids all belong to someone. Wow!! Thanks for that tidbit.
I have offered my answer. Get the "experts" off our backs and allow parents to actually parent. What's YOUR answer? For once don't look to blame, give a actual answer. You never know, we might just find some common ground. That would be a good start, eh? Instead of looking at where we differ, lets look for where we agree. That would be a good start.
You are such a genius... The great fact you bless us with is that kids all belong to someone. Wow!! Thanks for that tidbit.
I have offered my answer. Get the "experts" off our backs and allow parents to actually parent. What's YOUR answer? For once don't look to blame, give a actual answer. You never know, we might just find some common ground. That would be a good start, eh? Instead of looking at where we differ, lets look for where we agree. That would be a good start.