Event of the Day

Yesterday afternoon Lauren and I were at the Library and witnessesd a little bit of drama. Through the double glass doors we could see a baby (about 2 years old) crossing the street wearing nothing but a diaper (it was chilly yesterday) and there was no parent to be found. It was shocking to see this little boy all alone and have no idea where he came from or who he belonged to. A couple of ladies brought him into the library, found a sweatshirt for him to wear and the librarian called the police. Not long after the police showed up, the boy's frantic mother came running down the street and scooped him up into her arms. If I had seen this take place a few years ago, before I was a mother myself, my thoughts would have been solely, "What kind of mother lets her baby wander away like that? He could have been hit by a car! He had no clothes on and it was cold outside! His poor little feet didn't even have shoes on! Some people just shouldn't be parents!". Though I have to admit that these thoughts did initially pop into my head they were quickly replaced by the feelings of horror his mother must be feeling. What can be more terrifying than not knowing where your child has disappeared to? It is impossible to keep your eye on your child every second. A friend of mine has a child that would just leave the house and take off into the neighborhood as soon as her back was turned. She tried locking the doors but he figured out how to unlock them. I'm hoping something like that is what happened yesterday and it wasn't just the result of neglectful parenting.