People versus Parents

The BBC reported on a six year old kid who, having missed his school bus, took the parents' car keys and tried to drive their Taurus to school. He maneuvered through traffic for a while but eventually ran off the road. The mother was sleeping at the time. Not sure what the father was up to. The parents are being charged with neglect. The kids have been put into protective custody.

Here's my question to all parents out there - is it absolutely unimaginable for you that your kid could take your car keys and try to drive the car? Children's mind works in amazing ways, and unlike us adults, they have little feeling of fear. Nothing is unsurmountable for them. And of course, they wouldn't be children if they knew what's socially right and what is wrong. So what is so incredulous about the fact that someone's child wanted to go to school so bad that he improvised when in a fix? And parents, how many of you would like to be tagged as reckless - no, a threat to your children - if your child did something out of his or her imagination in the few minutes that he or she is out of your direct supervision, that wasn't necessarily good for him or her.

This incident was harrowing for the parents, I'm sure, and they're just mighty relieved that their child is alright. So should be everybody else. Must the state really interfere here and try to make things right? My question as a juror to the prosecutor would be - what do you think the parents did wrong here? As a parent myself, I feel bad for those parents, and shudder at the thought of big brother imposing his hindsight on how I bring up my kids.