Say What!?
Mom Leaves 'Mature' 5-Year-Old Alone to Babysit Younger Siblings
This is what happens when babies have babies -- they lose their minds. And yes, 23 years old is too young to have three babies, one of them 5 years old, meaning Yvonne Rodriguez had her first child at 18 years old. Yep, I'm passing judgment. Rodriguez's other children are 2 and 3 years old. And the children's tough lives are already beginning. She's been arrested for leaving her 5-year-old home to babysit her other two toddlers while she went shopping at Best Buy and had her nails done. Rodriguez may not be a cruel mother, but she's an irresponsible one.
Police showed up at Rodriguez's home and waited two hours for her to return from her leisurely time out. (Not in much of a hurry to get back, obviously.) The little 5-year-old boy who has been invested with far too much responsibility for his age greeted police with the heartbreaking comment, "Policemen, mommy is not here. I’m watching my sisters. Can you watch us now?"
Exactly. Poor child is desperate for a mature adult in his life.
Rodriguez first lied and said she'd asked a friend to care for the children, but then finally fessed up that she had left the eldest to care for the youngest because she thought he was "mature enough" to watch his younger sisters.
There's no way in hell a 5-year-old is mature enough to be responsible for anyone, no matter how mature he seems. And perhaps some 5-year-olds DO seem mature. I was such a mature kid that I wasn't much older than this when I was put in charge of watching my younger sister -- and even some kids from the neighborhood. And, honestly, it's pure luck that nothing major happened, like a fire breaking out, or one of the kids choking, or god forbid, an adult breaking in with bad intentions, because I don't know that I would have known what to do. I also was born to very young parents who just didn't have a clue about some things, I'm afraid.
Anyway, these three children were sent to stay with their grandparents while the mom was charged with three counts of child neglect. (Things are much stricter these days!)
I hope the mom has learned her lesson, but I fear these three kids are in for rough ride.
Do you think a 5-year-old is mature enough to babysit? What is the youngest babysitter you've had?
Image via Osceola County Sheriff's Office
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Shannon
notabosley
threeforme157
This girl needs to be sterilized because you know it is just a matter of time before she gets knocked up again by a dead beat guy. She should be forced to take parenting classes but unfortunately she is just too immature to have 3 kids. I hope there is a responsible family member that can step in and take over for her kid's sake.
Michelle Tribble
A 5 year old cannot be responsible for another child for any amount of time. So ridiculous.
ViridianSoul
This article IS rather judgmental, although I do agree with the gist of it. Yes, this PARTICULAR young woman is far too immature to have had children starting at age 18, but that doesn't mean that ALL 18 year olds cannot handle such responsibilities.
It would likely make a world of difference if children were raised with responsibility instead of entitlement. In this day and age, children are innundated with media of all kinds telling them that "YOLO", the pleasures of the moment, and having a good freaking time is more important than hard work and responsibility.
Jess
Fancie
Waag
proudmomma6804
kb