oomis: I’m definitely not the same age as you as I am nowhere near grandchildren!! My oldest is 7 and I completely agree with everything you said. It’s heartbreaking to see how some parents have a “loosey goosey” attitude in regards to the safety of their children. I may be nuts but when i walk to work and see a car with the motor on and a child/toddler who is not tall enough to be seen from inside the car or even from the side of the car, walking behind the car, yes I run to grab the child away! Mind you this car was in a driveway. The second i started my sprint, i saw the mother on teh side of the car putting in another child. Maybe I’m nuts but that is so wrong on so many levels.
Another thing that bothers me to no end, is when mothers walk ahead of their children. It doesnt matter what neighborhood you live in, as we’ve learned from past sad experiences, your children should be within your eyesight at all times! All it takes is a fraction of a second for a car to pull out of a driveway, a sicko to grab a child, or a big crack for a child to get hurt. Children are a gift from Hashem and we must guard them and keep them safe! I always tell my children “next to or in front of me!”