Hey Maryland, maybe not?!?

In December, two children (ages 6 and 10) were walking home from a park when they were stopped by police because there was no adult with them. Danielle and Alexander Meitiv, the children s' parents, were not criminally charged, but accused of "child neglect" by Maryland's Child Protective Services. The Meitiv parents were then threatened with the possibility of their children to be put into foster homes if they did not agree to a safety plan. In their home of Silver Spring, Maryland, anyone under 18 and not supervised is considered a neglected child. The Meitiv's will appeal the action being taken against them as they hold on to the belief that it is there decision as parents whether their kids are ready to be alone or not. 

The Meitiv kids were even dressed for the weather!

In my experience as a child, my parents gave me much more freedom than just walking home from the park. I walked home from school every day for nine years without a second thought. My sister is six years older than me so I was fairly young when we stopped getting summer nannies-- we never had one in the school year. We would walk close to a mile for ice cream or just to be outside and it seems ridiculous not to be able to do that. I never expected my parents to come along every time me and my friends played pickup soccer as 9 year olds or throughout my childhood. In fact, it would be weird and annoying to have them around. I understand Child Protective Services trying to do their job, but this is clearly a step too far if a kid can't play outside. 

  

The story!