to have wanted (didn't) leave 6 month old alone in car

[pamelat]

DS has chicken pox, he is 6 months old and up all night and poorly with it.

Yesterday in the stinking rain, he fell to sleep on route to collect DD (3) from playgroup.

Playgroup is up a flight of about 20 steps and round the corner from the car park, small village, church grounds.

It was slinging it down with rain (had brolly)

I got DS out, which woke him up, carried him under brolly to doors and collected DD, who then cried because I couldnt carry her too in the rain (with the brolly and DS) back to the car.

Would it have been awful to have left him asleep in the car for those 5 minutes. I think I know the answer which is why I didnt.

Feels odd though to wake up a poorly baby and take him out in the rain to minimise the risk of (what?? being taken??) from a sleepy village church car park.

[SamJones]

YANBU to have WANTED to.....god how many times have I wished just that......

Doing it would have been different but I totally sympathise.

[Ormirian]

IMO it wouldn't have been dreadful in those circumstances if the door was locked.

[TattyDevine]

If I had been able to lock the car and the pick up was quick (no effing around talking to teachers etc) then I think I would have left him there personally. Flame away. I have tinted windows too.

But I'd have to look at the situation (how far, etc) before I'd say for sure I would have.

So I dont think YABU for wanting to, or having contemplated it.

[Fibilou]

I would have left DD in those circumstances adn I am really reluctant to leave her when I pay for petrol. Locked car is a pretty safe place to leave them if you're only going a couple of minutes.

[pamelat]

Thank you. I expect mixed reactions as was very tempted.

Even mentioned to another mum at the door and she said she had before when her DD fell to sleep

I think the pick up mums should rota standing by cars in the car park!!

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

I would have (and have) done it. Flame on.

[TattyDevine]

Another way to do it under these more exceptional circumstances is to get one of the parents in the car park that you know to just watch your car from their car while you do your pick up, then they go, after you've thanked them profusely!

In fact if you find a similar parent also with young child you can arrange a reciprocal deal where each watches the other's car whilst you go and pick up.

Obviously its only bad weather, sleep and illness that made it an issue though so that's probably not necessary.

[fruitstick]

I do it for petrol. Have also done it for nursery but asked one of the other mums to watch the car.

Yanbu

[thisisyesterday]

i would have left him.

[Mishy1234]

I would absolutely have wanted to as well. Don't think I would have though if the car was out of my sight at any point.

[moomoo1967]

I don't mean to be doom and gloom, but it may not just be a child being taken that you would have to worry about. I read an article in a magazine which was supposedly a true story, about a mother who left her two children in the car to go and knock on her friends door in a block of flats. She thought she was ok cos she could see the car from the stairwell of the flats. Well a fire started in the car, can't remember if it was loose wiring etc but the car set on fire and she didn't get there quickly enough to get the kids out. That story has haunted me ever since

[fruitstick]

There has been a thread on here before about sleeping on driveway and cars bursting into flames.

Urban myth apparently. Cars don't catch fire when the engines nit running

Unless we're in Spooks.

[pamelat]

moomoo oh god

I do leave him in car at nursery pick up s you can park at the door and am in out within 1 minute.

Actually thinking of it, it didnt even cross my mind to be a worry at nursery. its just the playgroup is out of sight and a lot further away.

I do for petrol but didnt with DD as a baby carried her everywhere at all times, returning trolley at supermarket etc, now cant with 2.

[Tillyscoutsmum]

I leave mine asleep in the car regularly ... He is in fact asleep on the front drive

[bonfireblue]

YANB at all U to want to. Everytime I pick up/drop off DD1 at nursery I think about it.......it's such a pain having to hold onto a baby whilst trying to help DD1 on/off with her coat/bag, put her lunch away etc etc. And then DD1 is tired after nursery so wants to be carried back to the car

I just keep reminding myself that it will get easier once DD2 can walk

I leave DD2 in the car whilst I pay for petrol though. I take DD1 out with me to stop her from maiming her sister in my absence

[PeasPlease]

If you take your kids out of the car and walk across the road with them they might all get run over. There is a small chance that something horrible will happen to you whatever you are doing when out and about. I leave the kids in our blacked-out car when I pop in the corner shop and I leave them sleeping in it on the drive and at petrol stations.

[thisisyesterday]

yes but we have to weigh up likely risks don't we

the chances of your car bursting into flames spontaneously would be far, far, far less likely than you falling down the steps and dropping the baby for example (which could also be fatal)

[olderandwider]

Under the circs I think very reasonable to leave the baby sleeping.

[ChippingIn]

I have and would do anytime it in the circumstances you describe.

This will, however, go on for pages. There will be car fire stories, abductions, someone saying it's more likely the child will get abducted by aliens than you car catch fire... someone else would say they would call the police, your child will freeze/overheat, someone else will say they do it with 15 kids and you are just being lazy, others will claim their baby spends more time alone in the car than in its cot - you car will get stolen... yadda yadda yadda.

You are the parent, you make the decisions that are right for your family - ignore anyone else.

[fezsarecool]

I left DS(3) in the car (locked) while I raced into deli and back. When I got back to the car the (electronic)key opened the doors.

A minute later the key wouldn't start the engine. RAC came out and problem was the battery terminals were loose or something. A little wiggle and they were fine.

I kept thinking if it had happened two mins earlier, DS would have been locked in, the weather was warm, RAC took at least 25mins to get there and deli is super popular. Heaps of people would have seen me smash the window to get screaming child. Bad Mum, Bad!

And I would have had to seek advice re: smashing the window, would DS get hurt blah, blah, blah, the hassle of it all.

I do leave them in the car when I get fuel as it is close to the bowsers, can see from the shop and don't like the idea of kids unstrapped and walking around a high traffic area.