How do you all feel about the "7 year old joyrider?"

[Smartie_Pants]

Its been in the news for the past few days. A seven year old boy took his parents car and drove around because he wanted to know what it felt like to drive a car. He ran a bunch of stop signs and was all over the road, so the police chased him. When he finally stopped, he got out and ran!

He and his parents were on, I think it was the Today Show, and he revealed that his punishment was four days grounded to his room with no tv, computer, or video games! Does anyone else think this is WAY to little? He was definitly old enough to know better, and when he said what his punishment was, he was smiling! Obviously he doesn't see what he did as serious, and he could have seriously hurt himself or someone else!

Do parents not actually PUNISH their kids anymore? I mean, you don't have to beat the point into them, but this seems a little rediculous to me. If it had been YOUR kid, what would you have done?

 

[Emzyyy]

Didn't hear about it don't watch much tv but WOW that is definatly not a good enough punishment! I would have him take a visit to Juvie even at that age to get it into his head what happens when you do something as dangerous as that is!

 

[redhen]

Yup..way too little. And Mom and dad are making him a cool hero (in his eyes) by putting him on T.V....

 

[Smartie_Pants]

If he can steal his parents keys, sneak out of the house, drive recklessly, and then run when the police try to stop him, WHAT will he be like in ten years? I can't even imagine what I would do. They seem to think that its okay since he didn't hit anyone and according to them "never went OVER 45" but its not.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

The punishment doesnt say much for the parents,BUT neither does the fact that their 7 yr old son was out "joyriding". Where were they when he took off on his escapade? The whole incident says loads about the parents so we shouldn't be surprised for lack of punishment. Who lets a 7yr old out of their sight long enough for them to steal a car,..

and how in the heck did he get the keys??? Some parents,..

 

[Mahonri]

The real story is this:

He was misbehaving in Primary (a church meeting for children... near Ogden, Utah) The primary teachers made him go to Relief Society (the women's meeting) to be with his mom, she took him to Dad, He snuck the keys out of dad's suit and drove home because he didn't want to be in Church that Sunday.

Did you see the video? When the kid jumped out of the car and ran into the house it was almost as if the officer knew him cause you could see him LAUGHING as he ran. That was the part that really made me smile, the police officer running and laughing.... it was cute

Oh and if one of my kids that age did that, first I'd have a heart attack and then I'd want to paddle their behind, but they would loose all privileges for TWO weeks or more... even at that age!

 

[Smartie_Pants]

If you go to the Yahoo hompage, one of the featured stories is a clip of him revealing his punishment, but I have dial-up and can't load it. I just saw the end of the story on the news earlier.

Man, if I would have done that, I would have gotten it! And that was only ten years ago.

 

[Smartie_Pants]

I didn't know that, I only saw the end of the clip of him saying what his punishment was and the video of him driving. I can't believe he did this in church! Man, those parents must have NO CLUE.



Quote:

 

[debilorrah]

I see trouble ahead......

 

[PotterWatch]

Far too little punishment, imo. If one of my kids did that, they would be lucky to be watching tv in a month and playing video games in two months; not to mention all the chores they would be doing instead of those electronic things.