Keep up with your kids!

A mother leaves her two-year-old daughter alone in a car that is double-parked with the engine running. Mom is inside a home chit-chatting while a tow truck leaves with the car. Why are the two men, doing their job, being charged with felony child endangerment? What is more dangerous than leaving a child in an unattended car? Not only did mom leave the child alone, she wasn't watching the car at all, or else she would have seen the men around it.

Until my children were old enough to unfasten their own seatbelts and handle a door lock, I never left them alone in the car. Too many stories circulated about moms leaving the engine running to run in and pay for gas, returning to find their car stolen with the child still inside. Granted, anyone taking my kids would probably have done a u-turn, brought them back and offered apologies and sympathy.

Children are a responsibility. They have to be nurtured, cared for and taught how to behave. Which brings me to another point - once your kids are walking on their own, teach them to keep their hands to themselves and to respect other people's property. Riding and playing on toys they won't purchase is annoying and tantamount to stealing. Would you buy a toy for your child if another kid abused the package or wore out the batteries?

Running around, jumping on store furniture, hiding in clothing racks, and leaving Spiderman in the dairy section is annoying. I wouldn't come to your house and put your toilet paper in the refrigerator.

So please, control your children, teach them some manners and above all - keep up with them!