Police say mom ordered daughters out, drove off

[BridgeTheGap]

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Usually, it's an empty threat: "If you kids don't stop fighting, I'm going to stop this car right now and leave you here!" But a mother from an upper-crust New York suburb went through with it, ordering her battling 10- and 12-year-old daughters out of her car in White Plains' business district and driving off, police said Tuesday.

Madlyn Primoff, 45, a partner in a Manhattan law firm, pleaded not guilty Monday to a charge of endangering a child. A temporary order of protection was issued, barring her from contact with the children, who were physically unharmed.

Primoff's lawyer, Vincent Briccetti, would not comment Tuesday on details of the case. But he said, "Madlyn is a great mother connected with a great family, and she is grateful for the outpouring of support from friends and family."

There wasn't much support from strangers, however. Mothers interviewed near the scene said they couldn't imagine doing what Primoff did, though some understood the urge.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090422/ap_on_re_us/us_fed_up_mom

[Sanity Claws]

1. Let me find my asbestos suit.

I'll write while I'm still looking for the asbestos suit.

I don't think it's so awful. The family needs some kind of intervention but the mother is not so awful as to warrant termination of rights or a criminal charge.
A 10 and 12 year old are old enough to be left alone. They were three miles from home, something healthy girls can walk without harm. They were dropped off in the business district, where they have probably been to countless number of times and would know the way home.
Scarsdale is indeed a tony suburb and not crime-ridden.
I think a 3 mile walk would have done these girls some good and give them a chance to think about what they did. It would also give the mother some time away from them before things got even worse.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. I regularly walked five miles in the city where I lived

growing up. I lived on the edge of town, and my grandmother lived on the other edge of town. It was no big deal. I knew where it was safe, and I'm sure these kids did too. Now if the mom had abandoned them at 11:00 at night near known crime areas, I would be concerned. You have to wonder what message this sends the kids.

[Celebration]

5. Disagree with you

First of all, it was Sunday evening. People would not be likely to be shopping then, or at work. It's dangerous, and leaves the kids upset, and thus very vulnerable. Now, I don't know that the police should become involved, but I am glad a social worker is looking into it.

I understand the urge, but she should not have acted on it.

[Warpy]

8. I'm with you

A three mile walk from White Plains is not the same as a three mile walk from some godawful ghetto or a three mile walk during a bad thunderstorm.

Any kid who is expected to walk three miles is not being abused. It's not only a lesson, it's exercise, something most kids get too little of.

I think kids are being overprotected these days. Yes, the world is full of risk, but if they're not exposed to some of it, they will have no clue how to protect themselves when it's time to move away from Mom and Dad and get out into that world.

CPS needs to back off.

[rocktivity]

2. If you're smart enough to be a partner in a law firm

You should be smart enough to know how to handle your kids without acting as childishly as this woman did. How does making them walk three miles stop them from fighting? They probably fought the whole way! But since this mother--and I DO mean "mother"--didn't have to listen to it, she "solved" the problem?

:crazy:
rocktivity

[Why Syzygy]

7. My dad stopped the car

and gave me a spanking. To this day, I cannot drive down that street and not remember the exact spot where that happened. It didn't solve the fighting problem. My sister and I barely speak to one another. I missed out on all that with having just one child. The only thing I had to do was threaten to raise my voice in public if he was misbehaving. No one likes to hear me hollering. Works great on my kitty too :D

[newfie11]

4. Ha, I did that once

I made them get out and walk, of course we lived on a rural dirt road and I followed behind them. 3 different neighbors driving down the road stopped to see if they wanted a ride. The kids knew I would be even more mad if they didn't walk. So they walked the 2 miles home.

That worked. The arguing still happened but when I threatened to have them walk they did stop.

I also discovered how hard it is to walk anywhere with neighbors wanting to help! LOL

[Celebration]

6. What you did is okay

You followed them. That makes all the difference in the world.

[frylock]

9. oh, the humanity..

as someone who used to walk and ride for miles everday as a child, i have to say that this is beyond overblown.

[uppityperson]

10. Why is this in the health forum, not GD? Thanks. nt

[BridgeTheGap]

11. How the mental health of children can be effected by the action of a parent...n.t

[uppityperson]

13. That makes sense, thanks. found it in gd too. nt

[xchrom]

12. once upon a time -- long ago and far away --

i was with my mom -- a small woman, just 5' -- while in the car.

we were on the freeway -- and i was acting out.

my mom said -- 'if you don't stop, i'll pull this car over and spank you'.

i -- being bull headed -- didn't believe her -- because my mom was a very very patient woman -- and frankly had never spanked me before.

all of a sudden my mom pulled the car over to the side of the road -- ok i'm a little surprised at this point -- walks around to the side of the car -- i'm a little more surprised -- yanks the car door open -- surprised -- yanks me out the car -- very surprised -- and this small woman, surprisingly strong for her size -- spanks my ass right there in front of god and everybody -- now i'm shocked and my ass hurts.

i didn't act up for the rest of the ride -- and after that when my mom told me to stop i did.

those girls got off easy -- three miles at that age is nothing.