EdItoR's NoTe 1(6° Save on 494- China & Gifts Wilton Armetale! While Supplies Last! For a limited time only, Wilton Armetale's" unique Salad Bowl and Servers set can be yours for only $69.95. A guaranteed conversation piece at every dinner parts'! Don't miss this exclusive opportunity Hurry over to Heslop's to take advantage of this fabulous sales event. Was $112.00 Now $69.95! Cabbage Leaf Salad Serif metal alloy. Bowl: 14" dia. Servers: 11 1 /2" long. Wett Bloomfield, Orchard Mall • (248) 737-8080 (Orchard Lake and 15 Mile) METRO DETROIT: St.Clair Shores • (810) 778-6142 21429 Mack Ave. • (North of Eight Mile Rd.) Dearborn Heights, The Heights • (313) 274-8200 (Ford Rd. between Inkster and Beech Daly) Livonia, Merri-Five Plaza • (734) 522-1850 (On corner of Five Mile and Merriman) Novi, Novi Town Center • (248) 349-8090 Rochester, Meadowbrook Village Mall (248) 375-0823 -if( Woodtawn PLAYCENTERS Sterling Heights, Eastlake Commons (810) 247-8111 • (On corner of Hall Road and Hayes Road) Troy, Oakland Mall • (248) 589-1433 OUTSTATE: Ann Arbor, Colonnade • (734) 761-1002 (On Eisenhower Pkwy., west of Briarwood Mall) Grand Rapids, Breton Village Mall • (616) 957-2145 (Breton Rd. and Burton Rd.) Okemos, Meridian Mall • (517) 349-4008 II Beautiful Backyard Play Centers 18 models in stock... Redwood & Pine MICHIGAN'S LARGEST PLAYGROUND RETAILER Delivery & Set-up available • We accept Visa, Mastercard & Discover AUBURN HILLS 2391 Pontiac Road (248)-373-0734 "Our 52nd Year" Hours:. Mon. -Fri. 8-5:30, Sat. 8-4 (248)583-1300 fax: (248)583-1305 31051 stephenson hwy madison heights, mi 48071 8/28 1998 78 Detroit Jewish News under new ownership Alone I wish I could say this family is he other day I went to the store, alone, but in truth I see more and and when I walked in I knew :• more adults who seem to have right away that something was absolutely no interest in parenting wrong. their children. It's almost a daily A little Jewish boy was there, and occurrence that a 2-year-old runs into he started following me, forming the the street, barely missing my car, or a caboose on a family train that includ- 5-year-old (invariably helmetless) ed my two daughters and son. He zooms past on his bike. In the malls I watched me at the ATM machine, watch as parents, engrossed in some then stayed nearby as I got each of store window, let their chil- my children a slurpee. At last I dren run far out of sight. I've paid, and there he was, still had parents call my house behind me at the counter asking, "Is Susie there?" I had noticed several fami- (Susie is 4 years old). lies wandering about the store Now, I am not suggesting and I thought he must be with that parents monitor their one of them. But as I was older children's every move leaving I saw that he was (though this is necessary for younger now the sole customer. He stood at ones, especially toddlers). But when I the door as I walked to my car. was small the world was a much "No," I said, as I started to place safer place and still there was never a I my baby in her car seat. "I can't just time my parents didn't know or care I leave him there." So I went back. where I was — right up to the day I "You're here by yourself? Do your left for college. parents know where you are?" All right, so they drove me crazy "No," he said. "But I take care of sometimes. If I said I would be home myself all the time." at 10 p.m. and didn't call and came Seven years old. I looked at 6 in late I got grounded. But at the 1 /2-year-old beside me. I would never, same time I knew my parents were ever let her wander alone in a store like this because they loved me. — much less have no idea where she I'm sure the parents of that 7-year- was. I asked the boy where he lived, old also love him, but in today% harsh and I quickly recognized the address; world, loving a child isn't enough. it was a half a mile from the store. Raising a child is a full-time responsi- I told the boy he needed to go bility, part of which is seeing to their home. Shaking the few pennies in his safety. And I don't care how great the I hand he told me, "What I need is neighborhood is or how little traffic money." So I bought him a slurpee, comes through or how everyone else I brought him to my car, buckled him in watches out for everyone else. Cou- and took him home. ples who say they want little darlings I don't know this boy's parents to love, but can't be bothered to perhaps they are decent enough peo- know whether their tiny children are ple — but I am aghast at their playing in the street or wandering approach to child care. How dare alone in a store, would be better off they — how dare they — allow a 7- year-old to roam about the neighbor- • with a tank of fish. ❑ hood, completely unsupervised, obvi- ously poorly versed in the "Don't talk to strangers" liturgy. Not only did he I Elizabeth Applebaum speak with me, he happily got into AppleTree Editor my car.