Or maybe growing up in a heavily Mediterranean-influenced part of the country.  But I kind of lean toward the Spanish views on childrearing.

Let me make one thing very clear.  I am in no way blaming Madeleine McCann’s parents for the abduction of their child.  My heart goes out to them and I pray that she is returned to them safely.  I cannot even contemplate that nightmare.

But, I did have a teensy WTF moment.  Despite the fact the my mother left us alone in the car all the time while she went into the grocery store (hey, it was Rochester, no chance of heat stroke there), I could never, ever, under ANY circumstances, leave my two-year-old son alone in a hotel room.  Ever.  Even with a four-year-old present.  In fact, especially with a four-year-old present.  I can’t even imagine a situation where it would sound like a good idea. 

As a general rule – if it is a place I wouldn’t take my son, it isn’t somewhere I generally want to be anyway.