Why? Why? Why????????

Why is it that some parents can sit and watch their children do awful things and not stop them? Why is it that some parents don't care where their 5, 6, 7, or 8 year old chid is, or even know most of the time? Why is it that an 8 year old child can come home with a bike that obviously isn't his, and his parents not do a dang thing about it?????

A few months ago, I allowed my son to play with a boy who walked by and asked to play. I didn't know him, but stayed outside with them the entire time. I quickly saw this child wasn't someone I wanted my son playing with, he lied, he was allowed to wander the neighborhood without parental supervision... you see my point. Later that day, when we returned from going out to dinner, we saw my son's bike had been stolen. I immediately knew who it had to be. We drove around and, sure enough, found this kid with the bike! I made him give it back, though he exclaimed he didn't know it was my son's, and we didn't call the cops. I simply told him he wasn't welcome to play at our house anymore, and if it happened again, I would be calling the police.

Well, Sunday late afternoon when we returned from our vacation, what should be gone from the shed but my son's bike. Nothing else was missing from our shed, just the bike. Hmmm.... I wonder who could have done it?? We called the police and told them who we were pretty sure had taken it. They had no trouble finding him- he was in his front yard with the bike. They had a long talk with the mom about it, and we didn't press charges. I don't want to be the one to get this kid tangled up in the system at age 8!

Yesterday, I went to the school to inform them of the incident, thinking maybe the counselor could work with this kid to straighten him out. Apparently he's done this several times before at the school, and nothing is getting through. They said I should have pressed charges- that maybe that would finally wake him up... I doubt it.

So, I ask... Where is the mother in all of this???? Why isn't she grounding her child from wandering the neighborhood? Denying him the chance to take a bike at all? Questioning him when he shows up with a bike she clearly didn't buy for him? Why isn't she walking him to school and back to make sure it doesn't happen again???? Simple steps, but one that can save him from a life of crime!

It breaks my heart to see the writing on the wall of this child's future. If my son's bike gets taken again, which it probably will, I will have to call the cops, and probably press charges, and the wheels will be in motion. I just have to say, though, that no community service, or hours of detention, or talking to a judge will have any effect whatsoever if his parents don't step up and do their job! I think the parents should be made to do community service along side their son! Teach them both how to be better parents to this child!