COMMENTS

• Zodwa - commented on Mar 1, 2012

  what a good girl...it's clear that her mother has taught her well. in my country children are taught to travel long distances on their own, they are sent by their parents to the shop unsuppervised and they are taught not to entertain or jump into strangers cars....if attacked, they will jump and scream to attract attention and get help from adults in that area (be it a mall or shopping complex....our community of people will jump to the childs aid if she / he is being attacked....the police will only be called once the kidnapper has been dealt with or if they fail to catch him)

• Mary - commented on Feb 22, 2012

  Thank Goodness the little girl is ok and wasn't taken. How dare that mother leave her 7 year old. That is very irresponsible of her. I have 3 children and don't allow any of them out of my sight. I tell them if I can't see them we have a problem. My oldest is an 11 year old boy and I don't allow him out of my sight. She needs to be told to keep an eye on her children. They are precious gifts from God. How lucky that the little girl knew what to do. Maybe the mother has learned a lesson from letting her child out of her sight.

• ADELE - commented on Feb 19, 2012

  I dont think the mother should have left the child in another Isle while shopping. But I think this 2nd grader did the wright thing to tantrum when a stranger tried to take her. Me and my sisters actually teach our cildren to give a mega tantrum when and if some one tries to steel them, it's very difficult to drag a kicking / screaming child from a store and it draws attention

• Lorrie - commented on Feb 18, 2012

  Has anyone ever tried mindsooth jr its a for ADHD a natural homeremedy?

• Siobhan - commented on Feb 18, 2012

  I don't think you can have a blanket rule on whether children should be allowed to go and look at the toys while you are elsewhere in a store. It depends on so many things, the age and maturity/common sense of the child, the location of the toy aisle, how big the store is, etc. My children hate food shopping with me so I do sometimes let my 10 year-old and 7 year old (when he's with the 10 year-old) go and look at the toys but my 4 year old always comes with me, she's far too young to be left with them without me. But wherever possible I avoid shopping with my children completely, it's just too stressful with 3 of them as they moan and whine all the way round. However some people do not have the luxury of babysitters or have a partner to look after the children while they shop so it's understandable to leave older kids for a few minutes so you can get round the store quicker. The solution, in my opinion, is staffed play areas in the bigger stores where you can leave your kids for, say an hour. The only place I know here in the UK that does this is IKEA.

• Valerie - commented on Feb 17, 2012

  why did this "mother" think it was ok to leave a child in the store unattended...get a grip girl you take your kids everywhere you go...some people have NO idea how to be parents....remember Jamie Bulger???? no well maybe this so called mother should take the time to get herself educated...absolutely disgraceful... & huge thumbs up to the security staff seems they cared more than mommy dearest

• Michelle - commented on Feb 15, 2012

  Firstly well done to Brittney's parents who tought their child what to do in that dangerous situation! I too have told my son James (who is 6) to do the same but yet still prefer to have him by my side when shopping or at any time out in public. One thing though that does bother me, Brittney could have easily been dosed with a tranquilizer of some sort, then not screaming and kicking this man would have walked off with her. So I say keep your children close, unfortunately that is the reality of today's times we live in! Let this be a lesson to all parents out there, yes let your children grow and become independant, but never let them out your sight!

• Connie - commented on Feb 14, 2012

  I had five children all close and no way they were allowed to wander another isle while I shop another, they sayed in their buggy or stroller and not let loose to be a pest or a nusiance to other shoppers.

• Krissy - commented on Feb 14, 2012

  I never left my kids and went to entire other part of store, but if the toys are say, next to the crafts and I'm looking at the crafts, I've let my 10 and 7 year old go look at toys. Would I let my 3 yr old?? No... but my older two yeah. My 10 yr old is the size of a 13 yr old and my 7 yr old is bigger than all the other kids in his age range too. They look older, and they act a little older too. They don't "wander" off and they behave... just like that little girl was doing... behaving, just looking at toys. She wasn't running all over the store or getting in other people's way, so it's not a matter of respecting other customers. No, what we have is a balance between super-gluing your child to your side so they can be safe and allowing them freedoms and space to grow up. It's really sad that sick people like that cause us to have to reign in our growing kids. Instead of being mad at the stranger who tried to take the kid, many of y'all are mad at the mom!

• Samantha - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  Yep, my kids are allowed now to go to the next aisle or a couple over. Yep, they've not been exactly where I left them occasionally, but they know what to do, and they do it until we find each other. If you don't give them little bits of responsibility as they grow, they won't learn how to cope on their own. Do you plan to helicopter parent your child until they are 18, or maybe into their adulthood? Yes bad things can happen, but its ok to take a calculated risk.

• Mom - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  I think this mom needs a good talking to and maybe a threat of charges of child endangerment by the police. No child should be allowed away from a parent in any store. If you can't keep your child by your side, leave them home with a sitter! Yes I'm a mom. Raised 5 cildren 2 years apart and no they were NOT allowed away from my side. I am now a grandma of 13 and the same rules apply when I take them to the store. No excuse EVER for a child not to be next to a parent/adult. It's all in how you raise your children. And yes, I've been on the other side as a child. My mother left me at a church function at age 8 with a 6 year old little sister and 4 year old little brother. She forgot to pick us up when she got off work and everyone left the building with us sitting on the steps. After we watched Mom drive away from her office and realized she wasn't coming back, I took each sibling by the hand and we started walking home. This was in December. I had no idea home was 12 miles away and it was 6pm at night. About 30 minutes later a policeman stopped and tried to get us to get in his car to take us to our mom. I did not know him and was not about to get in a strangers car even though he was a policeman. If my lilltel brother hadn't started to cry because he was freezing I probably would have never got in the car willingly. Fortunately all turned out well, but I remember that incident very well and will never allow something like that to happen to my family. So I have been on both sides and have no sympathy for this mother. There is nothing worse than trying to shop when someones kids are running loose in the store doing whatever they want. I will call the police in a heart beat and file a report that the kids are without any adult supervision. In my city that is against the law.

• Gaynor-Marie - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  Respect to the girl she did great. I hope my children would do the same its what i've tried to teach them. As to the velcro to me parents or they never leave my site. Some of us choose not to be helicopter parents. we believe children benefit from having some freedom. we believe the risk is relatively small and worth it for building their self esteem independence and problem solving. All of us fear our children getting lost or stolen but to quote my favorite novels. She has released her 6yr old son is missing she finds a note inner pocket from him saying I've gone home.She thinks should I panic what are the chances. He could have fallen in the river, no their are railing and barriers. he could have gotten lost highly unlikely, we have caught the train here and back more than a dozen times this month. He could have been kidnapped possible but highly unlikely. She rushed home and he was there. I'm not saying I would want my 6yr old catching the train home by them selves but if they do become lost I think the chances that something terrible has happened is very small and I find them. furthermore you cannot protect them from all the possible risks. Unlikely but possible you could faint and lose consciousness at home leaving your toddler unsupervised hungry and so forth. So you teach your children young what to do and how to do it and give them a little room.

• Karina - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  When I was little, my mom took me shopping with her. I stayed near her, but I did turn my back for a couple minutes. When I turned around again, my mom had vanished from sight. I stood still for a moment or two, as she had told me to if something like that happened. She didn't show up again, so I slowly began walking around the area, looking around racks of clothing. I couldn't see her, so I figured I would go to the parking lot and see if our car was still parked there, to make sure she hadn't left me behind. So I went to the parking lot and couldn't find the car, so I thought my mom had left me at the store and gone home. Our house was within walking distance of the mall, so I simply walked home. At the intersection, I waited until I saw the walking man sign flash instead of the stopping hand, and I checked both sides of the street before crossing the intersection. A couple minutes later, I arrived home and waved to my dad who was washing the car outside, then I went to play with my brother. A while later, my mother called from the mall, frantic, and told my brother to go get my dad. When my dad came to the phone, my mom had difficulty telling him that she had lost me, but she finally blurted it out. She was so afraid he would yell at her, but to her amazement, he said, "She is right here, playing in the backyard. You mean you didn't know she came home?" Needless to say, my mom immediately rushed home and was so relieved. Turned out that she had been bent down low by the circular rack of clothing and was out of my sight, and I had checked the wrong area of the parking lot. She was worried because that same day, there had been 3 other kids who had gone missing in the mall. She was amazed that I had the present of mind to walk home.

• Jessica - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  I can't believe all the negative comments! In todays worls if it were wrong the mom would be in jail already! She isn't. Parents are different and kids are different. This child knew what to do. No parent walks on water, and even if they did, I'm sure someone would come up with some crap that they feel is wrong. Shame on you people! Hats off to this girl!

• Kimmy - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  My daughter is almost 3, so no, always in my eye sight. But I have never thought about when she will be out of it when she is older. Maybe not 7 but 10? When can they go to the next aisle? I don't want my kids being afraid of the world.

• Maureen - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  It is impossible to be able to protect your child all the time. We all do our best. Teach your little ones where the sensitive areas are on a person;) Hint, hint they're at eye level with most our little ones. Get them in self defense classes and teach them to scream as loud as they possibly can and not to be afraid to do it. Anyone who says their child has never gotten out of their site in a store is full of crap.

• Carrie - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  Most judging probably only have one child maybe two. I watch my kids constantly and they are very well behaved but with 3 children 3,6,and 7. There has been a time or two that for a split second they ran to the next aisle or hid in the clothes just long enough for me to almost mess myself. Im very protective and my kids are very well disciplined, that said it can happen to anyone. No ones perfect, we all do our best.

• Mommy - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  My heart drops if I lose sight of her in the house for too long....if we are out in public she is by my side or we go home. Plain and simple. I had a friend whose son was in Target with her, and while she was looking through the racks some perv was taking pictures of her son on his phone...while he was standing right next to her! He ran out of the store when she confronted him. Kids can not leave your side for a second. I think that, walking into traffic, and talking to strangers are my big no-no's.

• Anitraa - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  NO!

• Beth - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  Oh definately not! My daughter, also 7 does not leave my side. I will go with her to the toy aisle. I am of the firm belief that parents can not be too careful, all the crazies out in the world. Maybe media sensationalizes much of it, but I will not take it lightly. I know when my brother and I were kids, we were allowed to go to the toys and look while our mom was shopping, and we were allowed (no cell phones) to go to our friends homes down the street, but we were to call when we got there to "check in". Those freedoms in todays world, just aren't comfortable to me with my girls.

• Alona - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  Don't loose sight of your child! Plan and simple, you can never tell what some people will do. I always have at least one hand on my daughter every time we go into a store. And also I keep a hand on the cart she is in. That way she never leaves my sight.

• Alicia - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  Seriously who are ANY of us to judge. But one thing I've always remembered when seeing child molesters and kidnappers interviewed about how they choose their victims: they go after those kids that aren't with their parents, or kids whose parents are clearly not keeping an eye on them. They are looking to take advantage of a situation whether the parent is in the wrong or not. No matter what, it is so important to educate and EMPOWER our children so they know what to do. It's not about scaring them, it's about educating them. And if a little fear helps, I would rather they be a little scared and cautious, than trusting and taken away from me.

• Kathy - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  all of you that are judging this mother make me sick, we as parents make mistakes, and don't tell you don't, none of us are perfect, I wasn't a perfect parent, I did alot of things I wish I wouldn't have done, but my daughter turned out great. one thing the mother did right was to teach her daughter what to do if something like this ever happened, it did and the girl is fine. so just get over it.

• Ginger - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  props to this girl's parents for teaching her what to do they empowered her instead of scarring her. So many times parents tell kids bad people can get you stay by me. But this parents taught good job

• Erica - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  The girl didn't wander off, her mother basically dropped her off in the toy aisle to do the food shopping. And the little girl was home from school with Strep Throat. Thankfully the little girl had the instinct to fight and the man gave up quickly but there was no reason for this girl to even be out of the house much less left alone in a toy aisle at Walmart. There is helicopter parenting and then there is just parenting. I think this is a good opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about how to handle this situation but also for us to understand that the mother created the opportunity for this man to approach her child by leaving her alone. You can't leave a 7 year old home alone legally, how is it okay to walk away from them at Walmart?

• Jessy - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  I was talking to a Walmart employee a couple months back when I noticed there were 2 kids playing in the toy aisle with no parents around for more than 15 minutes while I shopped with my children by my side. She told me that many parents drop their kids off in the toy aisle while they shop and the store can't do anything about it. I seriously wonder what the real story was here why this little girl was alone.

• Dawn - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  Finally! A child that has been taught what to do when a stranger approaches them. We tell our daughter all the time about the dangers of strangers. Just because someone is nice to you does not make them a safe person. I tell my daughter (4yr) to yell, scream, kick, throw punches, yell FIRE, do anything she can to draw attention to herself. However, I also tell my daughter to stay on the same aisle that I am on and to not leave the aisle, and usually I have to say it a few times as she gets distracted on other objects in the store. If she doesn't listen and obey then she has to come stand right next to me and hold the cart and/or get in the cart depending upon the situation.

• Krystie - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  My kids know better than to wander away from me in a shop. I have 5 kids and they know they all need to stay where i can see them or hear them. the shop is not a play area.

• Jill - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  To those os you who think this mom didn't do her job as a "good parent" shame on you. We all know how hard it is. This mother was an excellent parent because while she allowed her child a bit of freedom in the store she also taught her kid what to do in the case of danger. My child now 9 is allowed to be in the next aisle over from me but he also knows that he has to checkin with me if he moves on to another aisle.

• Krystal - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  Some kids just arent wired to listen! Unfortunately my 3 year old runs off ahead of me and if she gets to cfar ahead i find myself running to catch up! If only all stores had eagles nests! But alas, malls and walmarts dont!

• Susan - commented on Feb 13, 2012

  My child never wandered away from me. I never allowed it. I'm not bashing this mother, sometimes only a moment of looking away makes all the difference in the world. However, anywhere we went my kid was "velcor'd" to me. You cannot be too careful. Sorry, that's the way this world is these days, as dreadful as that may be.

• Christy - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  U guys are tough and mean. You want the mother to feel bad and she's a terrible mother? I'm sure she does feel bad and instead of being mean you should just be happy the little girl is okay. I wouldn't let my little one go off alone either, I guess she made a mistake, I guess she thought she was old enough and it was safe...whatever the reason, you all just sound mean and ridiculous. This was about a little girl being okay!

• June - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  My grandkids whom live with me never leave my side

• Vanise - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  I find it very disturbing that this would happen but a good parent will teach their child very young to never let go of the cart no matter what the store or distraction. I have done it with 3 girls one being special needs. I see so many kids without their parents in sight or left sit in a cart alone. My children even at the age they are 10-13 still will not leave my sight. Come on parents for GOD sakes lets take are childrens lives seriously and start being parents and stop with the ignorance. Her parents didn't teach her well they just got real lucky. Shame on them!!

• Vanessa - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  What a brave little girl. Her parents have taught her well. I will have to ensure that my boys know what to do when some one they don't knows tries to take them. It is a shame that we live in a world where we can't even go to the local store without the risk of losing our children. My heart goes out to that mother who now will naturally be over cautious while shopping.

• Jaimi - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  my three year old is aloud out of the cart but she mussed have one hand on the cart all the time. we have to remind her sometimes but she has been doing this ever sence she could walk so she is used to it.

• Chrystal - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  Atta girl!!

• Marjorie - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  By the way that 3 yr old is now 21 and tells my grandson and her nephew that if he leaves my side hell get a spanking. Grandson is 5 has never been spanked by me but hearing story ant his aunt at 3 isn't going to risk it lol

• Marjorie - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  Ill never forget losing my little one when she was 3. I let go to check fit on brothers coat I was buying. I had light up sneakers on her hit the ground in sec no lights. Called police closed store all with in minutes. In fact store said cldnt close police on phone said close now. Police looking store personnel and me looking. A man comes over and says a little girl is wedged in between 2 walls. A matter of just a few feet away walls in between Dept she was hiding. My sons says to her you are in big trouble your going to get a spanking and she did. Never did it again lol

• Brittney - commented on Feb 11, 2012

  I just had chills all over when I watched the video.