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Delinquent Parenting?

Heene hoax

by Toni (Wed Oct 21, 2009)

A big story in the States at the moment is the Heene family in Colorado, who claimed that their 6-year-old child was in a large mylar balloon that had become untethered. The balloon could be seen flying hundreds of feet in the sky, chased by military planes. When no child was discovered in the balloon, it was assumed he'd fallen out and a massive ground search ensued. Fortunately, the child was found hiding in an attic back at home, but the family is now under investigation for what turned out to be a complete hoax.

Everyone is really, really annoyed with the Heene's and the local law enforcers have promised to charge them with as much as they can come up with. They're mad. One of the charges being mooted is 'contributing to the delinquency of a minor,' since allegedly all three of their children were in on the hoax. Pundits are describing the parents' behavior as child abuse of the worst form. Really? Worse than, say, taking drugs in front of them, or beating up their mother in plain view? And how does that bode for the rest of us?

I let the occasional swear word slip out (and get roundly told off by my 6-year-old); I quaff wine some evenings before they go to bed; I tell them to say that I'm not home when I can't be bothered to take a phone call; I don't make them go to church on Sundays. Am I contributing to their delinquency? I really hope this charge isn't brought against the Heenes as it may take American parents down a very scary road.

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Posted Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 7:33 pm Reply Delete

Quaffing wine is different than making your children complicit in a giant scam with fame and money as the desired outcome. We can argue rhetoric all day long regarding "child abuse of the worst form" but make no mistake. These people have definitely contributed to the delinquency of a minor by teaching them that lying, cheating and stealing is the way to get what you want in this world

2 replies, Last reply by jo on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 1:08 pm

Toni

Posted Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 12:48 pm Reply Delete

@jo: I agree but my point is really that, in the face of what other people are doing to their children, (and not getting charged with the same thing) it's not quite on the same level. And I seriously worry that if this becomes a common thing to charge parents with, it won't be long before "lifestyle" choices are questioned, such as drinking wine in front of kids etc.

Posted Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 1:08 pm Reply Delete

@Toni : I think if these folks played this hoax to shoot a video for America's Funniest Home Videos, no one would be charged with anything. They, instead, alerted the local media about a boy flying away in a balloon. We love those stories - kids down wells, trapped in rubble - and the father knew this would become a national story. He also new that local, state and federal authorities would get involved. He played everyone as a fool and you are surprised that there are consequences to that behavior? This is not some moral outcry against parents drinking wine in front of their kids. This is outrage over a parent exploiting the living hell out of his children (and everyone else) for his own personal gain.

Janie Emaus Report Abuse