Typical hype....
I wouldn't for one minute condone leaving children on a roadside - they might get run over. Nothing more.
"...had caused “psychological and physiological harm"?? RUBBISH. Just because a child is "tearful" doesn't mean either of these is remotely true; and could simply mean that the younger was worried and the older was aware she had brought this about herself. Complete nonsense Mr Blackler, and you know it.
The Mother was fined not because she HAD caused harm...but because our "child protection" system not only allows it but demands it, irrespective of the actuality of the situation.
Why could we not believe the Mother for once? Because we can't...by law. Why could we not consider the possibilities that one ( or both ) girls were not entirely honest? Because we can't, by law.
£2000 fine?...nobody benefits. Kidscape...Butt out and get real - along with Stephanie!
Parents - Never leave kids in such situations, the rest of [us]...get off [our] high horses.

John M, Carlisle,

She has not been named because to do so would allow her children to be identified.

Simon Gallow, Bristol, UK,

Stephanie - get back in your box. Are you so perfect you have never done anything wrong. have you never made a mistake. Have you sat for hours in a car with two screaming kids and wanted to just get out and walk away but you are stuck in traffic. Have you never been under stress or pressure. well your life must be perfect and so much better than the rest of the parents who are doing their best to bring up kids in this fast busy mad world and once in a while just want to get off. The woman made a mistake. She didnt beat, starve, sexually abuse her kids. She made a mistake. As sarah said - dont judge till you know the full story.
You want to take her kids away for ever and shoot her - sounds to me YOU have the problem and need locking up. You are the extreme dangerous one here! The mother needs help and support - you need to to work with the kids i do and understand how difficult it can be some days. Some understanding and compassion is needed her - not a gun.

Dizz, Bognor, UK

Those of you with perfect children should hold your criticism when you don't know the whole story. As the mother of two very disobedient and extremely argumentative children, I know that there are two sides to this and it is not necessarily that she is a bad mother. I have had to stop the car many times and have had one of my children storm off. I spend a lot of time searching for a huffy child.

I have read heaps of books, been to parenting lessons and taken lots of professional advice. This basically all boils down to .... you are doing all the right things, keep at it, they will grow out of it! Hopefully I will not have topped myself before then as I have a third perfectly obedient and happy little child who is a delight to have.

JE, UK,

I bet she remembers her dancing shoes next time.

Chris Long, Thirsk, England

I like the process, and I like the responsive action of the justice system, good job! Anger management and parenting classes indeed, this parent has a lot to learn from those girls in the ensuing days as well . ..

Janice Strand, Rufus, USA / Oregon

She cannot be named for legal reasons, because to do so would identify the children, which is illegal.

Karl, Nuneaton,

The reason why the parent isn't named is because people would then know who the children were.

BexTech, West Midlands,

I'd suggest that not only should the mother have a tougher sentence, but that Sarah H. (above) who is minimizing the situation should never be allowed to have custody of children either. No matter what happens you >never leave your children<. I have held underground trams at the Seattle airport because my 7 year old jumped in without me. You just never do that.

David, Seatttle, USA

Why on earth has this poor woman allowed herself to be browbeaten into pleading guilty?

Not only do I see children these ages out alone both day and night, we are constantly being told that by failing to allow children out on their own we are damaging their ability to cope with life.

And as for all of the armchair hinsight Judge Dredds - have you never made a mistake?

Assuminhg of course that the children's version is the correct one. What if it is the mother who is telling the truth and the children who are lying because they fear the consequences?

Febris, Birmingham,

Yes it sounds quite a dreadful thing to do but unless we have the full picture, we must not judge! I am certain she did'nt wish to alienate the children... I feel that a sentence of 100 hours work in a children's hospital would have been more appropriate.

Sarah Harrison, st cyprien 19130, France

Words fail me, she should NEVER have access to those children again, does she not read the papers, listen to the news about the amount of freaks all over the country who would LOVE to have free, unrestricted access to two little girls ? Give me a gun , I will do the job myself......

Very very angry at the stupidity of some people........

Stephanie, Oxford, UK

Where does the £2000 fine go ? I bet none of it gets spent on the poor kids ... not sure I would call this justice , but it seems the £ is the most important thing nowadays . You do wrong ... we take your money .

Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,

why cant she be named for legal reasons?

i thought it was only children that werent named.

john, birmingham, west mids

Those poor, poor children! When I was little and out in an unfamiliar place it was absolutely terrifying to be separated from my mother. Having her drive away and not come back must have been a nightmare come true for these little girls, and they will never forget what she did to them. For the mother to force (or, if the defence is to be believed, allow) them to leave the car is inexcusable; this little girl's protection of her younger sister shows more responsibility and maturity than her mother! Ms Knights is right, parenting lessons are desperately in order here. Thank heavens they were picked up safely before there was an accident.

Eleanor, Matlock, Derbyshire

Disgusting! As someone who longs to be a mother and is in the process of suffering another miscarriage, I am outraged by such a selfish and potentially dangerous act. Thank God the girls were found safe. I hope the mother is never placed in the position to harm them again.

allison, Luxembourg,

I quite agree with B J Deller. There is hardly any chastisement left these days to use as a deterrent. Grounding in the basement, withdrawing the games console, etc. is all okay, but nothing works like a short, sharp shock treatment to bring errant juveniles to their senses.

It should not escape notice that the parents of these children were separated and being brought up by the father. Call me old fashioned, but I do believe children need both parents for better upbringing. There is hardly any social stigma left against any wrong-doing, let alone divorce or separation. However, the CSA wants to name and shame the absent parent dodging payments on the CSA's website. Shame? What shame? I can almost hear the chortling.

KM, London, England

Women of modern times in western world need help more than ever! They seem to have lost all the unique feminine qualities of self control, tenderness, and innate sense of nurturing which had been the lynch pin to civilized society. Empowerment gone too far have left women self-centered, discontented and often angry. And so few good female role models on gentle compassionate competence, for that one has to look to the third-world suffering nations for pillars of genuine female strength. This is speaking as a veteran international lawyer in the City.

WSCH, London, UK,

When the parents split up, what sort of evaluation took place I wonder to establish who should get custody of the children? I bet it was cut and dried - in most courts eyes, prior to any research, the mother is assumed to be the right and proper parent rather than the father. I think the case in question is another good example of an outdated, flawed assumption which has no place in the modern world.

Mike Tulloch, Barnard Castle,

"Kidscape, the children’s charity, called for the mother to be given lessons in parenting and anger management."

I don't see the point in wasting the tax payer's money on this woman. If she hasn't got normal maternal feelings for her children, no Social Worker will be able to teach her how to care. She should have her own genetically inbuilt nurturing sense and learned the rest from her own mother.
Her children are already living apart from her, and after this I don't hink she should be allowed unsupervised visits ... and then only if the children want to see her.
Some people are socially inadequate. You can't teach people to feel an emotion that they don't have. I don't think 6 lessons about "How to use time out " and " Using the naughty chair" are going to be of any use whatsoever. The fine is derisory compared to the risk she put those children to. She said they got out of the car. If she hadn't stopped, they couldn't have "got out". Most cars have child locks too!

Beryl Russell, WINDSOR, England

I quite agree with B J Deller. There is hardly any chastisement left these days to use as a deterrent. Grounding in the basement, withdrawing the games console, etc. is all okay, but nothing works like a short, sharp shock treatment to bring errant juveniles to their senses.
It should not escape notice that the parents of these children were separated and being brought up by the father. Call me old fashioned, but I do believe children need both parents for better upbringing. There is hardly any social stigma left against any wrong-doing, let alone divorce or separation. However, the CSA wants to name and shame the absent parent dodging payments on the CSA's website. Shame? What shame? I can almost hear the chortling.

KM, London, UK

Perhaps an old-fashioned slap would have stopped the children arguing and causing danger to the mother through her inability to concentrate on her driving. I agree that it was very bad to leave them at the side of the road, but the Law now makes it virtually impossible to discipline children without them phoning, or threatening to, "child-.line". Thank God we brought ours up years ago when we were not told by some ignorant politicians how to do so correctly. They are all living normal and well-adjusted lives now with their own children.

B J Deller, Marbella, Spain