The family that we bought the house that we live in has 6 kids.  They range in age from about 17 down to 3.  We see them at soccer and soccer training and TWICE in the last 2 years they have left a child either at home (in the toilet) and then recently at the park we do soccer training at.

Does this really happen to anyone else or is this mum just incredibly vague??  I have to say I'm a bit horrified that I personally have seen her do this twice (how many other times has this happened?) but I only have two kids and can't even begin to imagine what life is like with 6!!!

Is she leaving the kids at home on purpose?  I have a friend who has 5 and she takes them everywhere.  She may leave the older two at home with her DH, but I can't imagine her ever forgetting one of them!  When I get to go to the store without any kids because DH is home, I am always looking in the back to make sure I really don't have them with me!  I'm sure it's happened, though, people forgetting their kids!  I would say they need a system to make sure they have everyone!

DH comes from a family with 8 kids.  And his brother (kid number 6) was left at places all the time.  He kind of gets distracted easily and is a little, well, different.  They tell funny stories about him being left at pit stops while on vacation, because he would wonder off, then it would take them a few miles (sometimes more) to realize he wasn't in the vehicle.  That completely freaks me out!  I get worried already about leaving kids places and double check a 100 times, but most the time I feel like I'm missing someone when I'm not (weird!). 

Nope...never.

I was one of 5 and we had to pretty much fend for ourselves, we were left by ourselves quite often... never forgotten tho!

NO!  NEVER!

I automatically do a mental headcount everywhere I go, as does my DH.  My kids are also pretty good and never wander off (we've never had to use reigns or anything with them) or get distracted....  They make sure they're never forgotten and I make sure they're never left behind.  That said my kids are all young.  My oldest is only 7, if he was a teen I may be more tempted to leave him behind...  But certainely not before the age of 14.

I kind of have to question the parenting capability of anyone who can leave their young children behind and NOT realise...

Praying4Pink:

I kind of have to question the parenting capability of anyone who can leave their young children behind and NOT realise...

I'm glad you made that statement, because the first time it happened, I thought omg, but I guess it could happen (this child was about 8 or 9 when it happened), but then last week, when I saw that it had happened again and this time to a 7 yr old at the PARK, I thought, this is   B A D!!!

No. But there are some days where I am really tempted...

 

On a serious note, I think that to leave a child behind on multiple occassions is more than a little worrying. These days you just don't know what can happen (and does happen).

I got 2 words..... HOME ALONE (the movie that is).... how many times has she watched it???? LOL

jk, well I would have to say, very very vague... how does one forget a kid like that????

jjn

Good grief NO I have never misplaced one of my children. How scary is that?!

definitely never forgotten anyone

Deech:

Good grief NO I have never misplaced one of my children. How scary is that?!

  I agree...so scary!  I am on my kids like white on rice.  They aren't getting passed me!  I have to neurotically make sure everyone is hanging on me when we walk across the street.  I could not imagine doing that....

 Does she 'forget' the younger kids or the older ones?

And is she forgeting them or does she does she do it on purpose? Because if she is forgeting them and really does not notice that one is missing then i think she is incredible vague. And since you've seen her do it at least twice....i'm guessing she has done it a ton more times. And i agree with the other posters who said that they question her parenting skills. What would happen if she left the 3 year old alone.

My DH got left behind at a stop on the highway.  I think he was around 10.  He is the youngest of 5.  But I think his brother the oldest by 13 years was already in the Navy at the time.  Everyone got out to go to the bathroom and he didnt, but then he decided he needed to go.  (he was the only boy on the trip, his mom and 3 sisters)  SO anyway they all get done get in the car and leave and then realize he wasnt in the car anymore!!  SO they went back and got him.

 

When I was growing up we lived across the street for a family with six kids. One time the baby got out of the house ,not even walking yet. She was crawling in the gutter (it had just rained) in front of our house. My mom almost ran over her with the car. She picks her up sopping wet and brings her to the house. THe mom opens the door and says she was sleeping. Doesn't even wake up out of her haze.

By the way. She special ordered her kids from GOd. They were very religious. SHe would annuounce with every pregnancy what she was going to have and she got it!

FIrst she had two boys two years apart. They were in high school. Tthen she waited a few years and had two girls, they were in grade school. Then she had two boys , that were babies. SHe said she wanted each kid to have a buddy. SO when she had the first one in the set she would say the next kid would be the same gender and it always was!  

 

too bad there isn't a special order catalog for real!