Balloon Boy: How could it happen?

PLEASE NOTE: This post was originally written as the drama of "balloon boy" was still unfolding on television. The boy had not yet been found and had not yet made the now notorious statement that this was done "for a show." I think it's unfortunate that what first seemed like a teachable moment about the role of vigilance in child safety -- the subject of this post -- has degenerated into a spectacle over whether we've all been had by an elaborate hoax. But that's life.

A lot of us watching the riveting coverage of the Colorado balloon flight are asking ourselves how something like this could happen.

The answer: very easily. Too easily. And here in South Florida, that should come as no suprise.

Only with us, it's not 6-year-olds in experimental balloons. It's toddlers in backyard swimming pools, coupled with parents going about their daily lives and looking away for just one second.

Tragedy strikes when responsible people aren't looking. And while it's tempting to cast blame on parents who look away, it is unrealistic to expect anyone to have both eyes on all children at all times.

So while we shake our heads in disbelief at a little boy climbing into a balloon and untying the rope, let's not pretend this is much different than the kinds of tragic stories we read about all too often.

Any close calls in your family while you looked away?

UPDATE: The kid's been found alive at his home, a fortunate ending to a fascinating story. And thankfully, we can learn the lesson of constant vigilance without having to hear a eulogy.

POSTED IN: Rafael Olmeda (91), Safety (32)

> Please comment

Comments

It is not my intention to judge a parent but I ask myself what in the world an air ballon is doing in the back yard of a house with small children? It is the same case of fire arms in the house when children are are around. Parents should not place children in risky situations!! This is something that absolutely could had been avoided!!
My heart goes out for the guilty feeling that the parents would have at this moment!

Posted by: susana malnati | October 15, 2009 6:01 PM

Why would this ballon not have a lock on it so it would be secure and not able to be untied.
This could have been avoided.

Posted by: Sherie | October 15, 2009 6:14 PM

it reminds me of the movie UP

Posted by: shelly | October 15, 2009 6:28 PM

I hope the fact that this ended happily doesn't lull everyone into a sense of complacency. This could easily have been the tragedy we thought it was. Vigilance is still an important parenting value.

Posted by: Rafael | October 15, 2009 6:30 PM

Thank God for the way this ended!

Posted by: Jimmy | October 15, 2009 6:59 PM

I am so tired of excuses when it comes to bad parenting. To suggest these parents are "responsible" and simply looked away for a second is ludicrous. Responsible parents mitigate risks. They put a fence up around their pool or better yet don't live in a house with a pool. For the "responsible" parents of this little boy, it was equivalent to leaving a loaded gun on the kitchen counter and assuming a curious 6 year-old wouldn't play with it.

Ultimately, its Darwinism at its finest.

Posted by: Don | October 16, 2009 4:27 AM

Wait. He was NOT in the balloon! 1. Both parents home on a weekday. 2. Three kids not in school on a week day. 3. Three little kids and two adults, but the child was alone at an unknown location for 4 hours==> "in the attic" or was it "the garage?" => they said both.

Posted by: Jung | October 16, 2009 7:57 AM

Jung,

This post was written while the news was still breaking, and the facts as they were reported at the time were being taken at face value. My only point was to remind parents how quickly kids find trouble when we let out guard down for what seems like such a brief amount of time.

Don isn't wrong (although I wouldn't make the same blanket statements he does): Responsible parents DO mitigate risks. That's part of our job. And whether a toddler falls into a pool or a first grader flies off in a balloon, the fact remains that vigilance and precaution can prevent these tragedies.

Posted by: Rafael | October 16, 2009 8:08 AM

How could it happen?

The little boy said it was for a "show"...then the dad cut the interview short...and dumb Wolf Blitzer didn't follow up.

It's a publicity scam folks get it?

Scam

Posted by: Liars | October 16, 2009 8:37 AM

Incident may be taken lesson for parents is:
1. Parents should be supervising their children
2. The children do not get out of your control.
3. The dangerous goods, avoid the reach of your children, not to endanger the safety of their souls.

Posted by: Susila Dewi | October 16, 2009 9:18 AM

There's a way to fix this publicity stunt, if it was, have the parents pay the expensesto the police or any other department who was called, they sound like a pair of idiots. Hopefully they don't home school their kids, they sound like hippie throw backs, ah, 15 minutes of fame, I'm sure they'll be on that stupid NBC morning show with Matt Lauer, not something I'll watch anymore.

Posted by: greenville2 | October 16, 2009 9:47 AM

( they sound like hippie throw backs)

Actually, they are both Bush supporters.

Posted by: Ace | October 16, 2009 1:11 PM