The McCanns - A Different View - why is everyone so narrow minded?

Question

OK - let's put ourselves into the McCann's world. Two doctors, used to working a professional environment, with generally nice, kind, caring doctors, all working hard against a difficult NHS environment, for the good of other people. Earning a decent living, happy marriage, kids, strong family network, life is good,Nanny helps with kids from day to day in the UK as they both have extremely high pressure, time-demanding jobs. Get away from the pressures of work and away on holiday with a close family/friends group, great, a chance to relax, spend time with the kids and their doctor friends and blow off steam. They were in a child-friendly resort, very family orientated with no doubt, a very safe and friendly atmosphere. So off out they go to dinner, within view of the apartment and unfortunately the worst happened. Brits are jealous of anyone that they deem better off than themselves and the McCanns have taken a strong approach rather than lie down with British apathy and give up.

Answer 1

Yes, why didnt they take Nanny on holiday then to look after their kids. If they looked after them theirselves their poor daughter wouldnt be missing. Oh yes, high pressure and time demanding jobs! Try looking after their kids. That's high pressure and time demanding.. They are selfish, emotionless and inconsiderade. They were NOt in complete view of the apartment either. They were about a football pitch distance away.. Too far in my opinion. Anyway, these arguments have gone on for months now. If they had any sense they'd bring their twins back to the UK for some sort of stability. Those kids have lost their sister and it must be just as difficult for them - yet they are still shipped to the minder so Gerry and Kate can jet off to yet another country!!!

Answer 2

I would not give any credence to a photo fit developed 9 months after the last 'sighting', nobody has a memory that good. I personally agree with the Portuguese police, that this is a smokescreen story, to divert attention away from the McCanns. Let's be honest, the police have more details and FACTS about this case than anyone other than the perpetrator, including the DNA results, and they know who they suspect are responsible.

Answer 3

First of all, I am not jealous of the McCann's, I too have a very happy marriage, lovely son, nice home, and everything I want in life. Secondly they were not in full view of the apartment whatsoever, a birds eye view maybe, but thats all!



And thirdly, although my son is not in my sight 24/7, if he is ever playing out he has his mobile phone on him, and we are constantly in touch, he is always with friends, and knows not to speak to strangers etc, etc. After all he is almost 12, so I need to let him have some independence. But no way would I have left him alone to go out for dinner when he was three years old for goodness sake, nor would I at the age he is now.



Admit it, the McCann's neglected those kiddies that evening (and for every evening before that whilst they were on holiday)



You say that it was a child-friendly resort, well thats going to have a huge attraction for paedos isn't it? Even more reason not to leave your kids alone.

Answer 4

OK, you're a professional couple and you have three kids and you want to go out and the McCanns offer to babysit for you. You drop the kids off in the McCann's care.

So you go out and when you come back there's only two kids to pick up.

You ask Gerry "Where's my third child"

Gerry says, "Well, I'm buggered if I know, I was at the Tapas bar"

"What? So who did you leave the kids with then?"

Gerry "We didn't. We Left them alone. It was night after all, the scariest time for kids. Oh and we left the door unlocked so anyone could pop in. I am afraid your third child must have wandered off or been abducted or something"



>>>SMACK<<<<<





Now get real. You do not leave toddlers alone in an unlocked room at night. How obvious is that to everyone?

Answer 5

They were not in view of the appartment enough else they would have seen someone abducting their child. I am not at all jealous of the McCanns they have nothing that I want. I would have been one of the people you see passing the restaurant pushing a pushchair with my child with me and sitting outside somewhere to eat as a family. Isnt that relaxing seeing your children happy.

Answer 6

I've never heard so complete and utter tosh.



Criticising the McCanns for leaving young children unattended does not mean either I'm jealous of their life style or possession's, or that I support child abductions. It simply means I think it is wrong to do so. I have two young children if we go away we go out early the children come with us and we eat as a family. I have a fairly pressurised job and no family living locally I have never felt the need to relieve pressure by leaving my children in the ways the McCann's did.



I considered moving to Northern Portugal a few years ago. They are very supportive of the family it is the norm for the whole family to go out for a meal together. In the UK lots of people seem to have children and then want to pass them on to baby sitters nurseries etc so that they can get on with life. Each to their own but if I have a few days off I want to spend them with my kids not send them off to creches or leave them in a room whilst I go out to relieve pressure but I guess I'm not a Doctor.



This is not to say anyone deserves to have their child abducted but equally just because the consequence of a poor decision was severe it does not mean that poor decision should not be critisised particularly with regard the message it sends to other.



Please don't give me the only 40 yards and family resort stuff. They left the children in a separate building with walls and swimming pool in between there was also access to the apartment from a public road which was completely out of view. It was not an enclosed site with line of sight of the one way in and out. They did it for a plate of tapas and a few drinks with a group of friends. This was a mistake in judgement and they probably should admit this much.

Answer 7

Any parent or person who cares for children will have read this case and as I did react with horror. No one is being narrow minded. If they had not left the children alone this would not have happened !! If they had not been so self centred this would not have happened. No one leaves 3 under 4's in a room on their own alone.

And a proven fact the restaurant was not with in sight of the room. And they have not been truthful from the start about their side of the story.

I am not jealous of them I actually feel sorry for them they seem to have bought 3 children into this world but dont actually look after them. A Nanny and at every mention of the current situation we are told the two remaining are in the creche or with a relative.

I dont think I need to say more. Look below the surface of the story there is more to it than meets the eye and I suggest you read some of the other postings on Yahoo answers to see that there is rising concern about this case. I mean the latest thing Gerry is going for 3 days to USA why???

Answer 8

Sorry, I was under the impression that leaving your kids in a hotel room in a foreign country was wrong. What was I thinking? I mean of course, we should leave our kids in hotel rooms all the time. How could I think otherwise!



Sorry I am not jealous of them. I just think what they done was wrong. I'd think the same if they were on the dole and had done nothing with their lives. The only difference is people like you wouldn't like them. Just because they are doctors doesn't mean we should praise them.

Answer 9

Us Brits are not jealous, just because they are doctors, and are more "well off" than most of us. Yes they worked hard, but don't a lot of other mum's and dad's work hard. I for one start work at 7am and do a nine hour shift, but when my children were young they always had a close relative with them. It was Maddy's holiday too, as parent's it's an unspoken pact to keep our children safe at all times there is NO safe haven these days for children so it's up to parent's to keep our children safe. And that does not mean you leave your children while you go off with friends for a meal especially when you cannot see all entrances and exits to the apartments. I do hope that Maddy isn't suffering, God Bless Her. You say a single mother wouldnt not be able to deal with Legal /Fund Team/PR, wouldnt we ; dont be so quick to judge us single mothers we are stronger than you think.

Answer 10

You said it they were on a "family" holiday why couldn't they go out for dinner earlier and take the kids with them like any normal family would on a "family " holiday. When they were in that restaurant they could see the wall of the apartment. I can see the roof of my house from my local shop but would never go without the kids and i live in a nice area. Why couldn't they have paid a little extra and taken the nanny with them? Everybody suffers from stress in their jobs so that isn't an excuse and people are slating them for being doctors because people put their lives in their hands and they should have known better than to do something so irresponsible

Answer 11

RUBBISH!!! Let's get a few things straight here, shall we.

Are you a related to them in any way?

Are you a CLOSE friend of Gerry and Kate?

If the answer is a big NO?

Then how do you verify your facts?

And NO we are NOT jealous of anyone who is "better".

We dislike idiots who cannot be trusted to follow BASIC parental skills!!

We also dislike the way they bled the media dry and covered their own tracks. Yes they WERE at fault in case you don't remember for NEGLECTING their 3 small children.

And finally parents are suppose to looked after small children round the clock. That is the most important role of parenting, yet they couldn't look after their own. Doctors are suppose to care for people as well, and once again they couldn't look after their own. So now who is the narrow minded one here??? I think you may find it's yourself.

Answer 12

High pressure jobs? Kate ONLY works one and a half days a week, and yet had a full-time nanny for the kids!

As for spending time with the kids on holiday, WHEN?

The children were left in the creche ALL Day EVERY Day.

And in the evening they were left in the apartment ALONE all evening.

Personally i believe the restaurant staff that the Mccann's never checked on the kids.

With regard to being in view of the apartment, did they have xray vision? There were trees and bushes between the restaurant and the apartment, not to mention that the kids bedroom was on the far side of the apartment - not in view at all!

Answer 13

Sorry, but you're talking dribble and you sound like you're related. If you're not - how do you know all these details about them.



Yes, they took a holiday in not only a child friendly resort, but an award winning one! A resort that offered creche facilities and babysitters, but they chose not to use these child friendly facilities, they left their three toddlers all alone in an empty apartment while they swanned off to the pub. It doesn't matter how far away they were - the important thing is that they weren't in the apartment, where they should have been with their children.



As for being jealous of this pair of idiots? I've raised four fantastic kids of my own and guess what - never, ever left any of them alone. Some of us have the common sense to treasure and be responsible for what we've got, and that's what parenting is all about.

Answer 14

Absolute nonsense. Let me correct you on several statements you have made: 1. The McCanns apartment was OUTSIDE of the perimeter of the resort. So it was not subject to the security checks and scrutiny of the resort; 2. They WERE NOT in view of their apartment. There was no clear line of sight to it; 3. They spent virtually no time with their kids. They were put in the creche first thing, taken out for a couple of hours at lunchtime, returned to the creche for the afternoon and then drugged so they would all be asleep in time for the parents' evening meal and p*ss up.



I am not at all jealous of anyone "better off " than myself. Such a ridiculous sweeping statement to make in a poor attempt to explain away why people want to see the parents held accountable for their neglect.



Try again. 1 out of 10.

Answer 15

Narrow minded view. No one on this site that wants the McCanns investigated for child neglect is narrow minded. They share the cause of common decency. My work is what you would class as Professional, and I can assure you that neither I nor any of my close colleagues would consider leaving children unsupervised at ANY hour. This trait is usually found when people have switched socio-economic groups, and who probably consider themselves to have been "deprived" as children. There is NO justification for poor parenting whatever the family income.

Answer 16

Your story was going great guns until the 'So off out they go to dinner, within view of the apartment' They left their young children alone in a room....fact!! This is illegal for a reason. The reason? Because it is not safe to leave a child alone.



I am not jealous of the McCann's, I am angry that they are seen as heroes. I am angry that they are getting all this money and attention focused on finding their child. I do not begrudge one second of the effort that goes into finding her, but what about the thousands of children who go missing every year? Children who haven't been left unattended by negligant parents? Children who have taken to the streets to escape abuse? What about them? Where is the money and support for them?



If one of my kids went missing I would do everything in my power to find them, not swan around the algarve topping up my tan on the beach.

Answer 17

No not jealous at all that is so wrong.They left three small children alone no matter if they where asleep or not. Either

one of the children could have woken and seriously injured themselves in the apartment .Any one with an ounce of sense doesn't leave small vulnerable children alone.We have all been on holiday and taken our kids when they where young but isn't a family Holiday for the family ???so how come the kids where not enjoying the family meal ?? if it was because it was late then they should have ate earlier.Sorry I have no sympathy for the parents only for poor Madeline and her siblings.

Answer 18

Rubbish! We all need a break regardless of our professions but you still dont leave your kids unattended and as far as i could make out from pictures, the apartment was not in view of where they were eating.If they were paid so much and they wanted child free evenings they should have taken their nanny with them!! Sorry but i totally disagree with your way of thinking,each to their own but i think,okay age old comment BUT if they hadn't left those kids alone they wouldn't be without one of them today.Yes its awful what they are going through and i cant Imagine how they must feel,I'm a parent and not an award winning one at that but what they did was wrong...and yes they've given the strong approach but that's the least they could do considering their lack of responsibility

Answer 19

I'm with Dave s on this one. child friendly means they have amenities on site to occupy your kids.it does not mean you can leave them alone while you go for a p*SS up with your mates.paedophiles

don't stay away from a resort because it has a child friendly sticker on it.why can't people open their eyes to the neglect from these idiots.I'm not jealous of these people or their social background.i have 5 beautiful children(safe with me) and a house full of love.who is better off than me.

Answer 20

at the end of the day the truth will out!i only have an opinion as a parent. they left children un-supervised while they went out which they are accountable for and like most people on the planet we hope the girl is re-united with her parent's but i am totally piSSed off with the fact that the media circus and government have got involved to this degree when children go missing every day in this country from homes where they are looked after and it probably only gets a mention in local news NO BALANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 21

You were doing OK until you started making excuses for them.



The whole dialogue might be better addressed to the McCanns than us.



You're not their Road Manager are you?.

Answer 22

Don't you understand English? They left their Children alone they let it happen,if they had been there then it would not have happened so in my eyes they are GUILTY!!!!

Answer 23

Nice to hear a different view - even if I don't agree with you. Why were so many conflicting statements made - and why the "pact of silence"? If everything was so above board, why keep quiet? And according to other posts here (with a link to pictures) the apartment was not in view of the restaurant. That bit about l"ying down with British apathy"? Nah, of course they're not giving up - they are LIVING it up!

Answer 24

I THINK PARTS IN THE CASE HAVE BEEN HIDDEN AND IS ABOUT TIME THE TRUE FACTS CAME OUT

I AM A PARENT AND I WAS TRULLY SHOCKED TO SEE HOW FAR AWAY THE PARENTS WAS FROM ALL 3 CHILDREN, I ESPECIALLY FEEL FOR LITTLE MADDIE, WHAT SHE MUST OF FELT!!!!

I AWAIT AS LIKE I SAID THERE WILL BE MORE TO THIS STORY

Answer 25

jealous of two uncaring people who will most likely be lynched if they ever return to britain

they have lost their daughter and are an emarassment to the brits



i think not

who are you trying to kid



strong approach ?? explain



they werent at mc donalds nor was she walking to school she was only 3

you are putting gerry and kate before madeline and that is not one bit nice

Answer 26

Would you leave YOUR children ALONE in a HOLIDAY RESORT in a FOREIGN country? Then lie about it? If you answer yes to these questions then YOU NEED LOCKING UP!

Answer 27

enough already .sick of hearing the same old dribble.what about the childs point of view , alone in an apartment minding her two younger siblings wakes up hears a noise calls for mammy or daddy, oh yes they are out getting pissed so the stranger just picks her up and walks away with her to do what he wants with her,what about the childs rights . give me a break

Answer 28

Well, thanks for a sensible view at last. Who knows what these people are going through. All this bad feeling cannot be helping. Surely all that EVERYONE wants is for the safe return of Maddy? And for the evil person who abducted her to be found and brought to justice. Wonder if at the trial he could use the defence "well, her parents neglected her, left her alone, it's not really MY fault, is it?", and would the lynch mob agree????!!!!!!

Answer 29

I beg to differ children under 16 years of age are not supposed to be left unsupervised FACT OF LAW YOUR FRIEND WHO GOES OUT TO WORK AND LEAVES UNDER 16 'S UNATTENDED JUST MIGHT FIND HERSELF BEING ARRESTED IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO THEM

Answer 30

Its professional people, like the McCann`s that advise "regular people" NEVER TO LEAVE YOUNG CHILDREN ON THER OWN...EVER!!!!!

Answer 31

And yet, after all you say, wealthy, intelligent, hard working...in fact anyone with half a braincell wouldn't have left their children unsupervised...or paid for the babysitting service wouldn't they????

Answer 32

If what they did was so right, why did they lie about the events of that night?



(and yes they did lie, since they told several people, several different versions of events as to what happened that night, including even making up stories of the shutter being broken. Does that sound like the actions of a guilt free person?)

Answer 33

I have read many negative opinions regarding the the McCanns. The same thoughts went through my head when I read the cruel comments people are making about these parents.



Have any of these people let their children play in their own yard, (yes, children have been kidnapped), how about when a parent goes to sleep and their child is abducted in the next room, should the parent have been awake and are they negiligent because they were sleeping. What about that small town where the parent allows their five year old to walk to gramma's house only 200 yards away, is that parent negiligent.

Answer 34

I don't think that people are as narrow-minded as you are suggesting but I can tell you what I am CERTAIN of.



You've made a heck of a lot of ASSUMPTIONS in your post.

.

Answer 35

RUBBISH!

Are you a relative?

Are you a CLOSE friend?

NO?

Then how do you verify your facts?

And NO we are NOT jealous of anyone who is "better".

We dislike idiots who cannot be trusted to follow BASIC parental skills!

Answer 36

I agree with 'Tattie.'

Answer 37

That was cold ***** dead cold

Answer 38

Hey, spot on!