Wolfgang, you are right, it does put things in perspective.

There are worlds of differences between the McCanns leaving 3 children under the age of 4 alone when other options were available (which is still foremost in my mind) and Ylenia's mother letting her cycle that distance at the age of 5. I don't know if Ylenia was meeting another adult at the swimming pool. I do know that in England a child of that age would not be allowed in a swimming pool unless accompanied by an adult. Clearly there are places in this world where people can be more relaxed than in the big English cities or America.