did the mcanns get special treatment by some because they are doctors

[mercury]

Have you seen parents taking their attention off 3 under 5's? Leaving 3 under 5's? what are these people on?

If you safeguard your two and three year olds youre called a helicopter parent in some parts, it just is not the same as leaving older children alone

Some have even posted its good for them developing independence and other such claptrap...I do agree that harping on about a known fact forever doesn't help, but if people post that it was perfectly normal to leave toddlers on their own AND in an insecure dwelling, out of sight and hearing,well, they ask for it IMO

[misty]

Have you seen parents taking their attention off 3 under 5's? Leaving 3 under 5's? what are these people on?

How do so many parents manage to run over their own children on the home driveway?

[slartibartfast]

How do so many parents manage to run over their own children on the home driveway?

You seem to be saying that if it is ok to leave children in a tent and go to the next tent, it is Ok to leave children in an unlocked apartment and go out for a meal in the same vein it must be ok to leave children in a town centre while you go to a restaurant.

[mercury]

How do so many parents manage to run over their own children on the home driveway?

I didn't know many did, but they must be dumb

[misty]

You seem to be saying that if it is ok to leave children in a tent and go to the next tent, it is Ok to leave children in an unlocked apartment and go out for a meal in the same vein it must be ok to leave children in a town centre while you go to a restaurant.

No, I'm not. What I'm saying is it only takes a moment of negligence to produce catastrophic results.
Risk assessment.
How many children have ever been abducted from a holiday apartment after being left alone by their parents?
Zero, before Madeleine (if abduction was indeed the crime)
How many children have been abducted from town centres, accompanied or otherwise?
Several.

[G-Unit]

Giving examples of the behaviour of other careless parents doesn't somehow excuse the behaviour of the McCanns. It just shows that there's other careless parents out there.

I loved reading, but with three children under 5 I didn't pick up a book for years. Small children are a full-time job. If there's a pool nearby you watch them all the time. If you're in a crowded place you hold onto them.

[stephen25000]

No, I'm not. What I'm saying is it only takes a moment of negligence to produce catastrophic results.
Risk assessment.
How many children have ever been abducted from a holiday apartment after being left alone by their parents?
Zero, before Madeleine (if abduction was indeed the crime)
How many children have been abducted from town centres, accompanied or otherwise?
Several.

So why would you ever leave children alone in a foreign country ?

[misty]

Giving examples of the behaviour of other careless parents doesn't somehow excuse the behaviour of the McCanns. It just shows that there's other careless parents out there.

I loved reading, but with three children under 5 I didn't pick up a book for years. Small children are a full-time job. If there's a pool nearby you watch them all the time. If you're in a crowded place you hold onto them.

You could read when the children were tucked up in bed, presumably safe & sound from the risk of an abductor entering the premises. Of course, there is always a risk that a 4 year old will come downstairs, leaving the safety gate open at the top of the stairs....and it's too late when the 2 year old trips down, head first. So I guess you sit at the top of the stairs all night - right?
You keep the pills, sharp objects, electrical goods, matches, out of reach.
You just don't expect someone to illegally access your home & steal your child.

[slartibartfast]

You could read when the children were tucked up in bed, presumably safe & sound from the risk of an abductor entering the premises. Of course, there is always a risk that a 4 year old will come downstairs, leaving the safety gate open at the top of the stairs....and it's too late when the 2 year old trips down, head first. So I guess you sit at the top of the stairs all night - right?
You keep the pills, sharp objects, electrical goods, matches, out of reach.
You just don't expect someone to illegally access your home & steal your child.

As you say, it is called risk assessment. An abduction wasn't the biggest risk by any means, the biggest risks would be fire, poisoning, electrocution and falls. (Not necessarily in that order). Half hour checks do not mitigate those risks.

[misty]

So why would you ever leave children alone in a foreign country ?

I would have considered Madeleine was more at risk on the sailing trip than being left for a short while asleep in her bed, because the danger was far more obvious. Then again - I never liked my children being around people who were drinking alcohol.

[G-Unit]

You could read when the children were tucked up in bed, presumably safe & sound from the risk of an abductor entering the premises. Of course, there is always a risk that a 4 year old will come downstairs, leaving the safety gate open at the top of the stairs....and it's too late when the 2 year old trips down, head first. So I guess you sit at the top of the stairs all night - right?
You keep the pills, sharp objects, electrical goods, matches, out of reach.
You just don't expect someone to illegally access your home & steal your child.

I was replying to the post saying parents read by the pool and don't watch their children. OK if they're 10, not if they're under 5. 

Accidents in the home don't occur because of negligence, that's why they're called accident. If my two year old fell headfirst down the stairs when I was eating out, that would be negligent.

Abduction isn't the only reason why people shouldn't leave small children home alone. Making excuses for that negligent behaviour is very irresponsible.

[G-Unit]

I would have considered Madeleine was more at risk on the sailing trip than being left for a short while asleep in her bed, because the danger was far more obvious. Then again - I never liked my children being around people who were drinking alcohol.

So did you stay in, get a babysitter or leave them home alone so they wouldn't see drunken people?

[misty]

So did you stay in, get a babysitter or leave them home alone so they wouldn't see drunken people?

Usually I stopped in. My youngest was difficult to settle for a long time & would scream the place down if left with someone else. Drunken people can be very frightening to young children - as can elderly grandparents who really shouldn't be allowed to drive, let alone with young children in the car.
Danger & risk is everywhere. Different people have different perceptions of what constitutes real danger. A group of 9 didn't see the dangers listed as high risk and I don't suppose abduction even featured in their minds.

[G-Unit]

Usually I stopped in. My youngest was difficult to settle for a long time & would scream the place down if left with someone else. Drunken people can be very frightening to young children - as can elderly grandparents who really shouldn't be allowed to drive, let alone with young children in the car.
Danger & risk is everywhere. Different people have different perceptions of what constitutes real danger. A group of 9 didn't see the dangers listed as high risk and I don't suppose abduction even featured in their minds.

Abduction never entered my mind either, but I didn't leave my 3 under 5's home alone nevertheless. It really isn't right to make excuses for them, misty.

[misty]

Abduction never entered my mind either, but I didn't leave my 3 under 5's home alone nevertheless. It really isn't right to make excuses for them, misty.

The children weren't "home alone", that is what the area of negligence refers to. There have been too many cases of true abandonment/neglect/abuse in recent years to quote here, suffice to say none of them have been the subject of continual abusive bombardment of the guilty.
Did the McCanns get special treatment because they were doctors? I don't call the treatment they have received from the Great British public "special". Do you?
Had this incident happened in the UK, how much "special treatment" would they have received or warranted from the upper echelons?