The suggestion that the kids may have been sedated issue.

[sadie]

i've said it before and I say it again.  I think someone slipped a sleeping draught into their teatime drink or gave them a dosed sweetie ... and Madeleine a double dose

It was only 5.354/5.40 and Madeleine was too tired to walk home from her tea.  She had to be carried.

They were all to tired to go out that night and have tbeir usual little play on the slide etc. in their jamies.

There has to be a reason for that.

[puglove]

i've said it before and I say it again.  I think someone slipped a sleeping draught into their teatime drink or gave them a dosed sweetie ... and Madeleine a double dose

It was only 5.354/5.40 and Madeleine was too tired to walk home from her tea.  She had to be carried.

They were all to tired to go out that night and have tbeir usual little play on the slide etc. in their jamies.

There has to be a reason for that.

Can you elaborate on "a dosed sweetie"?

Considering that the McCanns seemed to insist on their children joining in with every activity available, so that they could pursue their own hobbies and enjoyment, it's quite likely that such young children were wiped out with tiredness by teatime.

Still inexcusable to leave them alone, though. IMO.

[puglove]

Can you elaborate on "a dosed sweetie"?

Considering that the McCanns seemed to insist on their children joining in with every activity available, so that they could pursue their own hobbies and enjoyment, it's quite likely that such young children were wiped out with tiredness by teatime.

Still inexcusable to leave them alone, though. IMO.

But, weren't the children seen in the apartment, standing up, and looking "extremely happy", "healthy" and "well-presented"?

[sadie]

Can you elaborate on "a dosed sweetie"?

Considering that the McCanns seemed to insist on their children joining in with every activity available, so that they could pursue their own hobbies and enjoyment, it's quite likely that such young children were wiped out with tiredness by teatime.

Still inexcusable to leave them alone, though. IMO.

just the one evening that they were too tired to play, shona?

[Outlook]

But, weren't the children seen in the apartment, standing up, and looking "extremely happy", "healthy" and "well-presented"?

The only thing I have not seen in this endless speculation is Kate McCann going berserk with a rifle.

Still we are just short of 27000 posts so I am sure someone will suggest it soon.

[puglove]

just the one evening that they were too tired to play, shona?

Yes. Possibly. I can't try to justify why those tiny children were left on their own...as Outlook pointed out, the McCanns thought that they weren't making the biggest mistake of their lives. And, clumsy as they were, they didn't deserve to pay such a desperate price. But I would imagine that most of us on here are parents and grandparents, and because of their stupidity, we are all haunted by what has probably happened to that little girl. She wasn't stolen, like Jamie Bulger or Kerry Needham's little tot. She, to all intents and purposes, was given away.

[Outlook]

Yes. Possibly. I can't try to justify why those tiny children were left on their own...as Outlook pointed out, the McCanns thought that they weren't making the biggest mistake of their lives. And, clumsy as they were, they didn't deserve to pay such a desperate price. But I would imagine that most of us on here are parents and grandparents, and because of their stupidity, we are all haunted by what has probably happened to that little girl. She wasn't stolen, like Jamie Bulger or Kerry Needham's little tot. She, to all intents and purposes, was given away.

I think that is the issue here.  Everyone without exception has had some scare with their kids and it haunts them so they like to transfer their guilt onto the McCanns.

[sadie]

Yes. Possibly. I can't try to justify why those tiny children were left on their own...as Outlook pointed out, the McCanns thought that they weren't making the biggest mistake of their lives. And, clumsy as they were, they didn't deserve to pay such a desperate price. But I would imagine that most of us on here are parents and grandparents, and because of their stupidity, we are all haunted by what has probably happened to that little girl. She wasn't stolen, like Jamie Bulger or Kerry Needham's little tot. She, to all intents and purposes, was given away.

Rubbish !

sorry

[puglove]

Rubbish !

sorry

Please, don't be sorry. I'm sure you're right, in some way. What happened shouldn't have happened. But if you insist on leaving your most treasured thing in such a vulnerable position, what do you expect? Again, Outlook has made a very valid point. When my eldest was 3, we were tossing coins into a fountain, and the next thing I knew she's wandered into Marks and Sparks and was holding another woman's hand. When my second sprog was with me in Tesco's, she got stuck between two freezers, and I lost sight of her for nearly 5 minutes. These things do happen.

But you know what I'm going to say, don't you?

[faithlilly]

I think that is the issue here.  Everyone without exception has had some scare with their kids and it haunts them so they like to transfer their guilt onto the McCanns.

Or perhaps the McCanns know because of that fear parents will identify with them and it is that that is being used by the McCanns to gain sympathy ?

[AnneGuedes]

I think that is the issue here.  Everyone without exception has had some scare with their kids and it haunts them so they like to transfer their guilt onto the McCanns.

What amazes me in this generalization, is the paradoxical use of "they" instead of "we" after "everyone".
It's like the paradox of Eubulides : "A man says that he is lying. Is what he says true or false?"

[puglove]

Your comments mean nothing to me.

Been there and done that many times.

Hope you sleep easy at night because I do.

I sleep, but I constantly worry about where my children are, although they're adults. And I put my hand on my sleeping grandchildren's backs, to make sure they're breathing.

You don't have the monopoly on caring, Neeley. We all want to raise our children. But not all of us leave smallies while we eat, drink, and talk crap. And that's just how it is.

[puglove]

If you put your hand on your sleeping grandchildren to make sure they are breathing then you have a problem.

Seriously.

Okay. I'll play.

Why? What is so crazy, to not want to wake a tiny child,  but to check that they're OK? Just to make sure that they're not too hot, or too cold, that they're sleeping peacefully? What would you do?

Do you have children?

[puglove]

Okay. I'll play.

Why? What is so crazy, to not want to wake a tiny child,  but to check that they're OK? Just to make sure that they're not too hot, or too cold, that they're sleeping peacefully? What would you do?

Do you have children?

Seriously, Neeley, if you think that it's weird to check that a small child is breathing, then I wouldn't leave you in charge of a bucket of tadpoles. And that is why people have a problem with the McCanns. 3 much loved, much needed IVF children, left in a strange, unlocked apartment. Nothing more to say, really.

[John]

Neeley was obviously one of these parents who were apt to stick the little one in a cot on their own.  We never had a cot for any of our sons, never wanted one, never seen the need for one.  Our kids all slept with us from the day they were born until they were old enough to have their own bed. Putting a hand on them to check their breathing is something most parents will relate to and is a quite natural thing to do so I find Neeley's comments to be rather strange.   >@@(*&)