Oh for Pete’s sake - and we wonder why our kids have no initiative and individual thought. It’s your job to teach them proper behavior when out of your sight. How do you intend to do so if you never let them out of your sight ? Unattended does not always equate to misbehaving. Mom has ears, you know, or like many of us, eyes in the back of her head.
You prefer we not allow them out of the sight of Mom or Dad - for how long ? Age 9 ? 12? 15 ?
A 5 yo can be peacefully occupied not tearing up the store and proper behavior in public places, except that now we have to watch out for the perverts and the dour adults like you who disapprove of children not under the immediate control of their parents.
lordy...read what i said...
loves people who jump to conclusions....initiative? individual thought? how about the initiative to know what proper behavior is...or the individual thought as to have common courtesy? yes proper behavior is NOT to go running about a store tearing down merchandise...proper behavior for the parent should be to attend to their child as most cherished and to teach them what proper behavior is in private as well as public. a five year old should NEVER be left unattended in a public place...no matter how well behaved they are or how much you think individual thought is important...to do so is irresponsible. i engage my child in the shopping experience and not allow her to run helter skelter throughtout stores.
she has her own mind believe me...and an abundance of individual thought...she knows and has been schooled in what to do in emergencies...read again ...and chill out.