to be absolutely shocked by this?

[Melly20MummyToPoppy]

I was walking home from town earlier and coming toward me were a mother and daughter, the little girl was maybe about 3ish. The little girl was walking down the edge of the road not on the path, and the woman was just asking her nicely to get onto the path. The little girl just kept saying "but mummy, im following this path!". And it was a busy main road too! I couldn't believe it, was totally

sounds a bit pants... but If it was that busy a road why didn't girl get run over, or did drivers keep slowing down to pull out & give them looks?

It's a fairly wide road so cars didn't have to pull out, they were getting some and looks though.

fair enough, highly dodgy, 3yos can't be trusted to not impulsively run into traffic. You should go look at some of the "ineffectual parenting" threads on MN!

very ineffectual

I agree with ragged

I watched one ueless waste of space mum on her mobile, pushing pram, while 2 year old ran to keep up behind as she crossed road (through traffic and not on crossing).. Mum was miles away (4 lane road) and I realised cars were coming! I meandered behind her through road because I knew cars would see me.

Mom gets to other side still talking before she turns around and shouts for girl to hurry up!

probably only a few seconds all in all but my heart was in my throat. I was so angry at myself for not screaming at her but it seemed pointless and woudl have probably scared kids.

Here it is, limp-wristed parenting moans.