QANTAS lost a lady’s 11 year old kid yesterday. He got off a flight where he was flying as an unaccompanied minor and wandered off to find his Mother. He was found near a baggage claim, unharmed. I’m sure you heard. It was on the news, all over news media websites etc etc. Apparently the Mother is now looking into her legal options. Wonderful!
My first response was, what, you actually think it’s QANTAS’ job to look after your kid?
It seems I’m not the only one. Many people on the story above have commented about how the unaccompanied minor program is free and for them has been no issue. In MY opinion if you were that concerned for your 11 year old flying home from his Uncle’s house than fly down and pick him up. Or have someone you trust do it.
Also, given there were hours of delays that night, why was the boy’s Mother not there to meet him at the gate? I imagine the threat to his safety really comes the second he walks out the gate into a packed, busy, full of tired, delayed, cranky passengers. The boy, it was noted in the article said he went looking for his Mother.
Double fail, I’d say. QANTAS didn’t have his paperwork and let him walk off. Not what they promised at ALL. The Mother didn’t make it to the gate even given the three hour delay. It’s a circus really.
I wasn’t going to write this post. I thought, I’d let it ride. BUT I saw something on twitter saying something along the lines of “Facebook is getting to big to police, I wonder if Mark Z would care if he was a parent”. And it pushed the same button.
I found myself screaming on the inside… It is NOT facebook’s responsibility to police your child online. It’s yours. Your child, your internet, your computer. Your PROBLEM. I never give a thought to your child online. Does that make me a bad person or blogger? No. It means your child is a stranger to me. I am not responsible for their safety online. Would I tell you if I knew you that your child was behaving inappropriately online, yes I would. AND I have. But can I do that for everyone? Errr, no.
I know for most people, this post will go a little into grey area. QANTAS should have shown more care for a child in their care. Yes. Facebook has rules about children under a certain age joining. Should they be required to do more? Etc etc.
But it comes down to a willingness to be responsible. Parents for their children and ultimately people to be responsible for themselves. Their actions, choices and lives. Because, without it, we will quickly slide into the trap of thinking that everything that happens to us is somebody else’s fault. And that {coughamercianscough} can only lead to bad things.
When people are responsible for themselves, we get the opportunity to take responsibility for others. To make a difference. And that is a gift that we are depriving ourselves of if we refuse to be responsible. Does that make sense?
Suger 
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