TV News telling people to fill in garden ponds!

Dan Salter · #1 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:08 PM

Im fuming..after years by the likes of myself as a naturalist, the wildlife trusts, rspb etc encouraging people to build garden ponds to restore much declining wetland habitat, now the tv news are telling people to fill them in because some idiotic parents with no common sense let their children drown in them? Honestly?...thats like people killing foxes because they ate their badly housed un-fenced chickens?..its YOUR FAULT not the wildlife!

if you have a pond DONT leave young children un supervised...simple...or, put a safety grate over it...its not rocket science. Same as if you have young children DONT have a dog!...especially a fighting dog? these people make me so mad....'Oh hes never bitten anyone before...next thing, he ripped poor chantels face off '..grrrrr

Now YET AGAIN british wildlife will suffer due to the sheer and utter stupidity of the general public. One baby that drowned in a pond was being looked after by a carer!! some care that was?!

Ok im done...and i shall be building 2 HUGE garden wildlife ponds in the next week or two, that will be made child friendly if the need arises (no kids around right now)...the wildlife in my garden will not suffer, and i think its bad bad form for the tv news to advise people to fill in ponds...as if there were not enough reasons for wildlife decline due to gardening habits as it is?

Dan

galanthus · #2 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:12 PM

Knee-jerk reaction by our dumbed-down media again then !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kayleigh · #3 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:17 PM

They will tell people its not safe to go abroad next as if you leave your kids unsupervised in a hotel room they might get abducted....

Where has parental responsibility gone..

parents work pass responsibility off on to childminders for what MONEY.......

Hedera · #4 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:23 PM

This last tragedy the child was NEXT DOOR! Surely the parents weren't watching out. Eyes in back of head needed for that age child. Wire netting is cheap and a small fence not unsightly for protecting pond.

BloomingMarvellous · #5 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:25 PM

We arrived at the Spanish Villa and was all taken aback with what we saw before us that no one was paying attention to the youngest member of the group, he fell into the swimming pool but fortunately his calls we're heard. Accidents happen and hopefully we learn from them, I know I did. That youngest member was my Son at the age of 2 and everybody thought everybody else was keeping an eye on him, where as nobody was. He's 21 in a few weeks time.

Dan Salter · #6 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:26 PM

Phew...thought i might get attacked as usual (i am opinionated) but glad at least 3 of you are on my side!...i dont have kids yet but long for them and i think some people dont deserve them as they have no common sense or parenting skill whatsover!

BloomingMarvellous · #7 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:38 PM

We arrived at the Spanish Villa and was all taken aback with what we saw before us that no one was paying attention to the youngest member of the group, he fell into the swimming pool but fortunately his calls we're heard. Accidents happen and hopefully we learn from them, I know I did. That youngest member was my Son at the age of 2 and everybody thought everybody else was keeping an eye on him, where as nobody was. He's 21 in a few weeks time.

I'm sure I've seen Govenment adverts this time of year pre-warning tv viewers about the dangers of Children around Ponds, don't think I've seen It this year yet.

Kayleigh · #8 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:40 PM

when my kids were young I never let them out of my sight as when I was young something happened to me my parents didn't look out for me so I ended up being over protective..
as a result have grown up with strong views on what parents should and should not do.

PS,
I fenced my pond to keep the dog off, my friend came and saw it and she wants the same for her grandchild she was thinking of filling it in till she saw my fence.

Dan Salter · #9 (**permalink**) 27-05-2009, 11:47 PM

Ok im still safe but before i do get battered can i just state...i totally accept its not easy and there are going to be accidents that happen even if kids are supervised...my annoyance is not that accidents shouldnt ever happen...its that parents are not savvy enough to foresee them....if my wife/girlfriend/mistress or secret lover fell pregnant the pond would be made safe way before the due date (or dates...depending how good my sperm are?).

Even watched kids manage to do stupid stuff...but at least the obvious dangers (ponds) should be made safe but certainly not filled in as advised on tv.

Bullseye · #10 (**permalink**) 28-05-2009, 10:08 PM

In this "Brave New World" of ours there are not allowed to be dangers anymore,it comes down to the lowest common denominator of stupidity,ok there are tragic accidents but if you've got small kids you dont let them out of your sight near ponds,rivers,roads,fire,sharp knives,heights...........oh,you get the picture....amazing how early man survived when creatures like cave bears did'nt have safety warnings on them like "Don't poke this animal or it may eat you !",how did they manage?,......oh,wait,maybe they used common sense ?.