to bit a little shocked

[maypole1]

to day i was shocked

me and my mate were dropping her daughter off to nursery at lunch time
and on the way walking back their is a row of shops which include a betting shop

we saw a boy in his school uniform with no coat on shivering, we all know how cold it is today standing out side he must of been 6 or 7

i remarked to my mate that he looks really cold she joked his dad is probably having a bet so i asked the boy were his parent was he pointed to the betting shop and said i am cold.

now i wanted to go in and call the parent out
1- it was freezing and the boy had no coat or even jumper
2-leaving a child out side while you place bets is a bit hmmm
3- why was he not at school for pittys sake

i don't care if people want to bet or what ever but i do think people who leave their kids outside pubs to drink or betting shops to gamble are highly questionable

my mate told me i shouldnt go in so i didnt but i wanted to who was right

of course i have heard of this type of thing before just never seen it with my own eyes

welcome to the real world Maypole

but who was right should i have challanged the parent??
or just left it like my mate said

Well I would have stuck my head around the door and asked if the child belonged to anybody - but for all you know the dad might have popped in therefore a couple of seconds.

there for

Sooooo you spoke to a small boy who didnt know you, and just told you, a strange woman, that he was cold?

I think I would of gone in too and had a quiet word to the parent....kids that age shouldn't be left unattended, anything could have happened to him. It's awfully cold too to be standing around with no coat etc too, what was the parent thinking???

what's wrong with that Gribble?

Half the kids who walk to school with ds don't wear coats.

Dad might have popped in to get some winnings

Boy might be on lunch hour

Boy might have had a strop and didnt want his coat on but now regrets it

You did the right thing by keeping your beak out of it, boy outside shop with no coat - hardly headline stuff

Oh dear, how sad for the boy.

The thing that struck me the most was the fact the child didn't even have a jumper on

Unfortunately I'm not sure what good challenging the parent/carer would have done.

Shame though huh.

bit they're walking to school not standing shivering outside a shop

Children aren't allowed in betting shops.

oh nothing zoo, just seems........strange that the first thing the kid said is "im cold"

we just asked him were his parents were he was shivering and his face was red and looked cold he said in their and pointed to the betting shop he was standing outside of.
and my mate asked if he was ok he said I AM COLD

I just thought the whole thing was sad a wondered whether i should of called the parent as it happened my mate told me to leave it so i did but its sitting a little funny with me so i just asking what everyone else thinks

boy might spend most days shivering outside betting shop.

father may be pissed inside. Again.

Mother may be at home too depressed to care .

Worth sticking your beak in I would say

and gribble not being funny any child that apperes to left alone

I WILL ALWAYS ASK WERE THEIR ADULT IS

I would've wanted to go in. I think if you had the guts you should've said, "Who's little boy is that outside? He's a bit cold." Seen what the parent(s) was up to...and hopefully guilted them into coming out sharpish.

I certainly think I would want to say something but I would assume that the sort of person who leaves a young child outside a booky's to do their gambling is probably not the sort of person I'd want to confront.

jesus christ, if the boy was standing outside Waitrose would you have come to the same conclusions?

Thought not

I might, I might not. The point I'm making is that perhaps if as a society we cared a bit more so many children wouldn't lead miserable existences

Is this the Mumsnet equivalent of when old ladies used to stop me and ask why ds didn't have socks on when he was a baby?

See it a lot round here tbh.

Also have a very rough pub nearby that doesn't allow kids inside, they're often waiting outside for their parents ( often head there straight from school ) have seen them sheltering under the railway bridge in the rain too, like summat from the chuffin dark ages

Is somebody else using your account, maypole? I wondered that last night too. You always used to be able to spell, and while sometimes offensive to me, your opinions at least made a modicum of sense. Or is something else going on?

Yes Gribble, I would. What does Waitrose have to do with child neglect?! I would be shocked to see any child left outside a shop without a jumper on, on a day like today. And I am a pretty chilled out Mum.