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Parents Let 2-Year-Old Drive & Post It On Facebook (VIDEO)

by Lindsay Mannering on September 17, 2012 at 12:27 PM

boy drivingParents let their kids sit on their laps and "drive" all the time, right? So it shouldn't be a big deal that a father in North Carolina hoisted his 2-year-old onto his lap and let the little boy "steer" them home, right? Well, hmm, that's up for debate.

When my dad let me sit on his lap and drive when I was 3 or 4, it was from the driveway into the garage. This couple thought it'd be cool if they let their son take the wheel on a two-lane highway, in the rain. They also thought it'd be tops if they took video of it all and posted it on Facebook.

That was not some stellar decision making. Besides the fact that they put their son in danger by letting him ride outside of his car-seat, they shared a video of their bold choice on social media. That's what gets me.

More from The Stir: 9-Year-Old Girl Forced to Drive Drunk Dad to Store

Parents have to weigh a lot of options. Do they want to listen to a hissy fit for an hour, or give in and let the kid have a second cookie? Do they want to let them cry it out, or let Junior sleep with mommy and daddy? Do they want to share a cool experience "driving" together, or play it safe and keep everyone buckled up?

Moms and dads balance (what seems like) hundreds of these options every minute. Sometimes they make good choices, sometimes they make terrible ones, but if there are more positives than negatives, they're doing a pretty OK job.

However, it gets tricky when you expose, or brag about, one of those weak parenting moments. This N.C. couple, although they supposedly now regret their choice to let their toddler drive, took to Facebook to boast that their boy's a great driver, lol, and, well, that's not good.

You're allowed to make bad decisions as a parent (for the most part), but common sense should stop you from sharing those not-awesome decisions with the world. Because once someone starts taking pride in their poor choices, that's when you have to begin to worry.

This video can not be viewed on The Stir Mobile.

What do you think?

 

Filed Under: safety

Comments

42
  • jessi...
    --

    jessicasmom1

    September 17, 2012 at 3:16 PM

    you can still see an adults hand on the wheel too


  • Amand...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Amanda Gonzales

    September 18, 2012 at 12:32 PM
    Jessicasmom does that make it less dangerous?
  • Mommy...
    --

    Mommy2justone

    September 18, 2012 at 1:16 PM

    WOw. If that car would have hit them head on that little boy would have decapitated by the air bag in the steering wheel. NO NO NO!!! GRRR This makes me so angry that people think this is okay! NO WAY!!!


  • tammy...
    --

    tammyc1106

    September 18, 2012 at 2:03 PM

    Just because you see an arm helping the boy does not mean it is safe!! If they were to get into an accident that poor boy would have been killed or severely injured all because of the stupidity of the parents! It's one thing if you do it in your driveway or maybe an empty parking lot; but this is completely insane!


  • Mandi...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Mandie Benegasi

    September 18, 2012 at 2:04 PM
    Not only is this little boy, not in a carseat, they let him drive in THE RAIN! I can't wrap my mind around why they thought this was ok? So many terrible things could have happened.
  • mindy...
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    mindyjane283

    September 18, 2012 at 2:11 PM

    see my husband and I have pictures of our 6 month old driving a parked car thats turned off.  shes played in the front seat behind the wheel of both cars while we were parked.  In my car while we were waiting on her aunt to get off work and us to go home ( we had been waiting for a bit and she got mad in the car seat so I let her play in my lap (she was far more interested in the camera) and in her dads truck while I was covering the window that is stuck in the down position cause of a burnt out motor she played cause he left for work and I needed to get it covered over before the rain she played with it then waned in the floor board.  both times the keys werent even in the ignitions. but driving in the rain on a busy road at 2....


  • Rebecca
    -- Nonmember comment from

    Rebecca

    September 18, 2012 at 2:16 PM
    For you brainiacs out there...this kid is on a highway driving. He is out of his car seat so shame on these pathetic excuse for parents. To even have a debate on this is just sickening. For one, why is a child on THIS site even allowed to make a comment? Driving from the driveway into a carport or garage is different. You removed the dangers of the HIGHWAY. God Almighty there are some ignorant people out here. If this is a marine, dear god we are in trouble. His decision making skills are lacking as you can already hear him speaking of the "next time I get drunk". Please don't send him to fight on my behalf. I stand a better chance of doing a much better job.
  • -Zomb...
    --

    -ZombieGirl-

    September 18, 2012 at 3:51 PM

     I wouldn't think it was a big deal if it was on a back dirt road in the country but on a highway like that is just insane. It's also not very smart of them to post it online since they could get charged with child endangerment. :-/


  • Meka...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Meka Nichols

    September 18, 2012 at 4:23 PM
    WTF!!I DONT THINK THAT WAS A PROB..THATS HOW I LEARNED 2DRIVE.. 1ST IT STARTS BY LETTING U PULL N THE YARD BUT BY THE TIME I WAS 13 & REACH THE PADDLES I WAS DRIVIN FROM THE CORNER STORE..i WISH I STARTED MY KIDS AROUND THAT AGE CAUSE BY NOW ALL THEY WOULD HAVE 2DO @17 IS PASS THE TEST 2GET THEIR DLs..
  • Meka...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Meka Nichols

    September 18, 2012 at 4:25 PM

    BUT NOT ON THE HIGHWAY & NEVER N THE RAIN..

     


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