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This is truly frightening. Nosy neighbours: government intrusion. Unless there is more to this story...... Now CFS has a file on the mother.  
 
 
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/mother-says-she-was-investigated-over-children-playing-in-backyard-1.2870845  
 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/winnipeg-mom-in-hot-water-after-kids-play-in-backyard/article29716605/  
 
Edited by Sorbet, 2016-04-23 21:48:57

Totally fricken ridiculous ! ! ! Waste of time & taxpayer dollars . I think the neighbor should be investigated. Obviously has no kids or gas been so long they don't remember.  
Fenced yard & the oldest is 10 ! Give it a rest & Germany a life ! !

In a year or 2, the oldest will be allowed to look after the siblings ALONE. I think it's a great idea for them to play outside with mom in the house if needed. It's perfect training for babysitting. They don't turn 12 and magically know how to babysit without first being taught.

Clearly CFS has WAY too much free time on their hands. Maybe the PC's should start cuts there!

mikestang said "Clearly CFS has WAY too much free time on their hands. Maybe the PC's should start cuts there! "

They get a call....they have to go.

my mother and all the other mothers in our neighbourhood should have been investigated - grew up in the 50's - all the kids played outside all over the place - back lanes, climbing rocks, walking through the boreal forest to nearby lakes - no one was ever injured - we were expected home at a certain hour and we were.  
 
A much more innocent time of course - wonderful childhood for all the kids in our neighbourhood. Walked to school for all 12 years - it was just expected that you would walk to school. Too bad those halcyon days are gone.

north of 54 said "my mother and all the other mothers in our neighbourhood should have been investigated - grew up in the 50's - all the kids played outside all over the place - back lanes, climbing rocks, walking through the boreal forest to nearby lakes - no one was ever injured - we were expected home at a certain hour and we were.     A much more innocent time of course - wonderful childhood for all the kids in our neighbourhood. Walked to school for all 12 years - it was just expected that you would walk to school. Too bad those halcyon days are gone. "

You weren't bubble wrapped. None of us were. Like I said, unless there is more to this story, CFS will now have a file on this mother. I know we have to protect children, but are we getting to a point where every bump and bruise is going to be investigated?  
 
It all seems very Orwellian to me. A parent will never get a call from CFS if they plop a kid in front of movies or electronic devices all day.

So, how come this concerned person did not just knock on the door and let the mother know that they had seen something that they thought wasn't right, and that they would just like her to know just in case it was something she wasn't aware of.  
Or, since most people are u comfortable doing this, why not just phine the police instead. The police would come and do a quick check, make sure everything was alright and as authorities, decide if CFS needed to be involved. At least the police would not have interrogated the poor mother for something so ridiculous like CFS does.

Jellybean said "So, how come this concerned person did not just knock on the door and let the mother know that they had seen something that they thought wasn't right, and that they would just like her to know just in case it was something she wasn't aware of.   Or, since most people are u comfortable doing this, why not just phine the police instead. The police would come and do a quick check, make sure everything was alright and as authorities, decide if CFS needed to be involved. At least the police would not have interrogated the poor mother for something so ridiculous like CFS does. "

Nobody needed to be called, least of all the police since there was nothing criminal happening.  
 
If someone doesn't have the jam to bring up their concern to the parent and there is no danger, then they should mind their own damn business.  
 
Sounds to me like a foolish busybody with nothing better to do. What a complete & utter waste of resources.  
 
Sickens me how people think they are doing a good thing by telling on others all the time. This dependence on government services by idiots with too much time on their hands has to stop.

Nanny State is a reality. Instead of individual accountability, too many people want the government to provide. Remember, a government that gives is a government that takes away.

Call the cops for the neighbor suspiciously watching my kids...maybe the neighbor is an aspiring pedophile. Who knows? Unless the proper authorities are alerted and have their home searched and have the neighbors subject to in depth questioning and other invasive tactics.  
 
Edited by mightyquinn2, 2016-04-24 10:31:05

fefman said "    Jellybean said "So, how come this concerned person did not just knock on the door and let the mother know that they had seen something that they thought wasn't right, and that they would just like her to know just in case it was something she wasn't aware of.   Or, since most people are u comfortable doing this, why not just phine the police instead. The police would come and do a quick check, make sure everything was alright and as authorities, decide if CFS needed to be involved. At least the police would not have interrogated the poor mother for something so ridiculous like CFS does. " Nobody needed to be called, least of all the police since there was nothing criminal happening.     If someone doesn't have the jam to bring up their concern to the parent and there is no danger, then they should mind their own damn business.     Sounds to me like a foolish busybody with nothing better to do. What a complete & utter waste of resources.     Sickens me how people think they are doing a good thing by telling on others all the time. This dependence on government services by idiots with too much time on their hands has to stop. "

Totally agree.....  
I'm just saying that calling CFS was clearly way way overboard and ridiculous in this situation. But, as a responsible person though, if you truly believe you are witnessing children that are in a situation that is unsafe, then you are better to go directly to that home and speak with the parents, or if that is not possible, then just call the police. It would be better to say something than not, just in case you are preventing a situation that may not have a good outcome.  
 
For example, if I witnessed my neighbors kids outside alone, maybe playing in an unsafe manner, and it continued for a period of time without their own parents noticing it from inside, then I would check in with them, just to make sure everyone was ok. What if Mom fainted inside or something, and was not supervising the kids through the window. I certainly would not call CFS for my neighbors kids being outside alone though. Geez, us Mom's need a break too, and if your backyard is totally safe, and fenced in, then there is no harm in kicking your kids outside to play so you can make dinner in peace, or whatever.  
 
Again, just pointing out that there are much more appropriate ways of handling these situations than calling CFS. And if it's truly just a nosy idiotic neighbor that has nothing better to do with their time, they'll get nothing out of it.  

Reminds me of reading about Nazi Germany, the government was in control of everything they did and neighbours ratting out neighbours. And you were guilty till proven innocent  
 
Edited by The unknown, 2016-04-24 17:17:36

The unknown said "Reminds me of reading about Nazi Germany, the government was in control of everything they did and neighbours ratting out neighbours. And you were guilty till proven innocent     Edited by The unknown, 2016-04-24 17:17:36"

First one to bring up Nazis loses the conversation.

way things are going, kids are safer being infront of a tv or computer. Less chance of getting a scratch.  
 
Constant helicopter parenting is really starting to cause issues now and will continue in the future.

Good-bye Kerri Irvin-Ross  
 
Edited by loeog, 2016-04-24 18:41:13

Trevor B said "way things are going, kids are safer being infront of a tv or computer. Less chance of getting a scratch.     Constant helicopter parenting is really starting to cause issues now and will continue in the future. "

mother in this story was actually letting her kids play outside. The audacity!!!!  
 
Helicopter parenting is a problem, but it pales in comparison to the devastation that will be caused by nanny-state helicopter governing.  
 
We proles need to be careful, and the Ipad is like Soma.

many of us growing up played outside with minimal supervision. We were taught what we can and can't do.

Trevor B said "many of us growing up played outside with minimal supervision. We were taught what we can and can't do. "

or else we got our asses kicked. They didn't just say it, they meant it.

Trevor B said "many of us growing up played outside with minimal supervision. We were taught what we can and can't do. "

We played outside. In the process we learned problem solving, proper behavior among peers, limitations and boundaries (some came with bruises, scrapes and maybe stiches) but we learned from it.... very little of this is apparent in kids today.  
Back then after school you seen kids outside playing. It was the norm. Now... how often do we actually see the neighborhood kids outside? And this is the reason... too many nosey nellies, and the government powers that be stepping in when there is no need. Makes for intimidated parents.  
 
 
Edited by Juggler99, 2016-04-24 20:26:37

these nosy-nellies that are pushing for all of this government involvement. Whenever you hear of some sort of incident, you always hear people calling for more government involvement. Then you also have these lobby groups that call for even more government involvement.

CFS certainly has an obligation to at least go check on the situation, but it is true that they don't need to go to in depth when it seems to be a matter of.... mistaken accusation? I can't imagine someone purposely reporting someone for the sake of getting them to have to go through this sort of ordeal. and if that is the case, maybe this person should indeed be investigated for false accusations?  
 
On the other hand, half of the things I did to my parents would get me taken away and them being seen as unfit to parent because they couldn't control me. Even though I was a rebel with a cause in my own eyes (to which I now realize was a horrible mistake but a learning experience to say the least). different situations call for different actions but yes, this a bit far.

Brenda said "    Trevor B said "many of us growing up played outside with minimal supervision. We were taught what we can and can't do. " or else we got our asses kicked. They didn't just say it, they meant it. "

you can't even do that. Any type of punishment is now frowned upon.

this sounds too crazy, I have a gut feeling that information is missing from this story.

for CFS to go out and investigate when called. But-when they get there and see that mom is home, kids are in a fenced yard, they should say sorry for the inconvenience and leave-not go through the house checking for food and such.

We only know one side of this story.  
CFS can't comment due to privacy and to protect the person who called. No one really knows who called or why. The fact they did a house inspection to look at food and sleeping arrangements tells me there's more to the story the. The kids playing outside. Maybe this mom doesn't want to admit it but there are probably bigger concerns that CFS has. This complaint could have also come from the older Sheilds school since children often say things that they don't mean or exaggerate on what is happening at home. A lot of professions have the obligation to call CFS at the first sign of abuse or neglect

CFS has a standard protocol they follow for when a investigation Is conducted. Even if the complaint is ridiculous they have to investigate, and when they investigate they have to check the entire house for any sign of abuse. I agree that this is ridiculous.

Trevor B said "    Brenda said "    Trevor B said "many of us growing up played outside with minimal supervision. We were taught what we can and can't do. " or else we got our asses kicked. They didn't just say it, they meant it. " you can't even do that. Any type of punishment is now frowned upon. "

The only way to change this is for parents to take control again. Don't be afraid to punish your child, if needed. Too many kids say, "you can't hit me, I'll call CFS" so than parents are afraid. It's simply not true though! A parent can spank their own child up to age of 12. NOT abuse but a spanking for discipline. If spanking isn't your thing, that's fine BUT please, for society's sake, discipline your child in some form. Quit letting them run the home in fear of how they'll react.  
 
Don't be scared of what others think, this is your child you are raising and you need to do it well. Trust me, people will judge you much harsher when your child is a bratty toddler, disrespectful teen and an incarcerated adult

disgusting. Can we please let each other live our lives. What happened to knowing your neighbour and talking to one and another in person.  
I don't understand this.

My brother told my mom once he was going to call the police on her for smacking him. They came, and asked him what he did to make her so mad that she hit him. I'm so glad my parents weren't afraid to give us a good slap. Me and my brothers are now hard working, respectful adults and I am glad they weren't afraid to discipline us.