Safety of Children

[Shandi]

I want to pop this out here and see what you all think because I was told I was over reacting.
On Saturday morning about 6:45 am I was walking to the bathroom and a small very young little girl enters the bathroom before me. I see no one else in the bathroom she enters a stall I enter a stall I come out and the little one is trying to wash her hands, she can't reach. I lifted her up and helped her and talked to her...
" I'm a big girl and I can do this myself, I'm 5." so I ask where is your mommy? "She's at the Texas Renaissance Festival"..ummm we are at the Renaissance festival, okay so..where did you sleep lastnight....BTW still no adults or anyone. "in the Van" ..okay so where is the van? "over there" she points in a a vague direction. I take her hand and say let me walk you home okay? "okay she says and leads me out the door and way down the lane,there is a person standing in a door way looking around and the little one says "there's my sissy" So I let go of her hand and let her go. The kid was coughing like she was dying!
So I went a little bonkers and went off ranting to my employer and was told it's no big deal.
I was a victim of sexual abuse as a kid. ALOT of sexual assaults happen in bathrooms! SHE IS 5 years old!! 5!!! not old enough to be wandering the faire grounds ALONE!!
So rant over...did I over react? Would you feel comfortable allowing your 5 years old to wander alone?? Is the "Faire" safe enough to allow this???
It really stuck with me and caused me distress and worry....I am still worrying about a little coughing 5 year old girl.

[Jinglebum]

Knowing what kind of people exist in this world, and having heard comments being made by very... questionable people about young girls, I most definitely would not let a five year old wander anywhere by herself. Especially not a place with that many people where a child could so easily be lost. You never know what can happen, and it's not a safe risk to take.

[RSLeask]

No, it is never safe to allow them to wander alone like that.  However, and at Faire particularly, there are people like you that would watch over the little ones.  Heaven help any creep trying to snatch one away and the child screams out bloody murder, for the wrath that would be visited upon them would be terrible indeed.  But, when you are talking about that many people in one place, at one time, of all different types... no.  Allowing children, especially the very young ones, to wander around alone is not a good idea.

[Taffy Saltwater]

Sissy or not, I probably would have found security to return her to her "parents".  We had a wandering child at my former complex & a bunch of us sat with her outside until the police came.  The officer said the one thing you should never do with a lost child is to bring them into your dwelling or enclosed space; i.e., automobile, etc.

[Blue66669]

Ok, I think that pre-cannon faire is totally different. 5 is still too young for my tastes, but I understand how a parent would be ok with letting their kiddo run to the potty alone that early. I'm usually out in the grounds doing the same at that hour, so I know that it's usually pretty quiet and peacefull. My son is 6 now and I think I'd be ok with letting him run across the lane to go potty before cannon. After cannon? That boy is attached to me like freaking VELCRO!

[Chris B]

A child that age should be supervised.....end of story. 

[Anna Iram]

 Personally, I think five is way too young, although, as you say, it's pre canon and most likely the village is safe enough for little ones. I agree bad things can happen when you least expect and I think it's sweet of you to care so much. Perhaps you might stop in and say hello to her family one day in their shop. Not to bring up your worries, but to reassure yourself that she is cared for.

[julessweetie]

The Dirt Fairy just turned 5 last month...and there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I would let her wander around by herself!     Being a good parent is not always fun...and that includes getting your butt up early in the morning when you may be hung over and walking your child to the potty!  If you don't want to be responsible for your child at faire...don't bring them to faire!

*steps off soapbox*

[SirRichardBear]

Outside of the possible of abuse bathrooms are naturial dangerious places.  We just had a guy slip on some water and fall and break his arm in two places in the rest room at work.   The little one could have tried climing the sink to wash her hands and fallen or slipped on some water and fell and got hurt.  or just got turned around and got lost.  I think 5 is to young to wonder out of ear range.   

[will paisley]

No, it is never safe to allow them to wander alone like that.  However, and at Faire particularly, there are people like you that would watch over the little ones.  Heaven help any creep trying to snatch one away and the child screams out bloody murder, for the wrath that would be visited upon them would be terrible indeed.  But, when you are talking about that many people in one place, at one time, of all different types... no.  Allowing children, especially the very young ones, to wander around alone is not a good idea.

This is a bit off the topic, but it reminds me that there are some parents who take the "people like you that would watch over the little ones" for granted.  I'm sure you've seen more than a few examples at the White Hart where parents seem to treat the tavern as a supervised play pen, leaving patrons to keep them from throwing rocks on stage or performers to ask whose child this is and can somebody claim them before they start singing about synonyms for intercourse and venereal disease.  I'm actually *thrilled* when one of these unsupervised individuals is at least five years old; that means they're old enough to reason with (at least compared to unsupervised three year olds).

[JonnyNero]

No, it is never safe to allow them to wander alone like that.  However, and at Faire particularly, there are people like you that would watch over the little ones.  Heaven help any creep trying to snatch one away and the child screams out bloody murder, for the wrath that would be visited upon them would be terrible indeed.  But, when you are talking about that many people in one place, at one time, of all different types... no.  Allowing children, especially the very young ones, to wander around alone is not a good idea.

This is a bit off the topic, but it reminds me that there are some parents who take the "people like you that would watch over the little ones" for granted.  I'm sure you've seen more than a few examples at the White Hart where parents seem to treat the tavern as a supervised play pen, leaving patrons to keep them from throwing rocks on stage or performers to ask whose child this is and can somebody claim them before they start singing about synonyms for intercourse and venereal disease.  I'm actually *thrilled* when one of these unsupervised individuals is at least five years old; that means they're old enough to reason with (at least compared to unsupervised three year olds).

Personally, I think that age is too young.  But, I'm going to have to agree with RS here.  At least with participants, in participants camp, there's a good chance that some random person you point at is going to be someone of decent morals and at least caring of a human life.  Is that an excuse to let your kids run wild...absolutely not, because unfortunately, every crop has a few bad seeds in it, so you never know.

Now if this was out in patron's camp, I'd slap the silly out of those parents

[Breandan]

Our baby hasn't even ejected yet, and Tiff is already hyper-overprotective: already picked out her first training rifle (pink camo .22), Aikido classes by age 4-5, Krav Maga by age 10, GPS transponder built into a locket with a long-life NiCad battery, and no end of overprotective kinsmen and women. This is just what my wife has planned, we need not get into my own plans for her. I pity any boy she dates.

That being said, I will be the first to admit that we take protecting our young to veritably psychotic levels (though, to be fair, we do so by teaching them to protect themselves), so our standards can't really be applied to normal people. In this case, I think Sir Richard has the trump-card of points: yes, pre-cannon faire may be quite safe from predators (though not 100% safe, there will always be some freak), but accidents can happen, and a 5 year old is more prone to them, and less able to get out of them.

[Trillium]

That is absolutely too young and you did not overreact!!!  My boy is six and isn't allowed out of mine or my hubby's sight with the exception of inside our house or someone's home we trust explicitly.  If he has to go to the bathroom, he goes with daddy or me.  I know we can be overprotective but he's our life and we do our damdest to be sure he is safe.  I have had to get up at 4 in the morning while camping to take him to the privy...it's not fun but it's my responsibility as a parent.

[Betty Munro]

Shandi, you did not over react.
I agree with the previous posts.  It is a parents' responsibility to parent.  If they don't see it as a privelage, then they should hire a babysitter or stay home from faire.

[Tipsy Gypsy]

Overreact? Oh hell no! Although I wasn't a victim (thank God), it's my understanding that a great number of abusers are people the victims know. Considering your own awful experiences, it's natural that you'd be especially aware of the risks and protective of little ones. Hugs to you; I pray that you've found healing...