Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Would you leave baby alone?

379 replies

Mississippilessly · 28/11/2018 10:10

I have agreed to go and pick up a parcel for a friend tomorrow. DS is 10 weeks. I am going to have to take my DH so someone can stay with the baby - the parcel is too big for me to take him in. This seems crazy. Could I lock the car and run in? I have only just thought of itm

OP posts:
Original poster
Mississippilessly · 29/11/2018 11:18

What the fuck is wrong with people? Seriously?

OP posts:
MadMum101 · 29/11/2018 11:32

Well yesConfused.

If it was a toss up between him going and me doing a 90 min round drive with a small baby in the car having been up in the night to bf and then leaving baby in the car alone because what I was picking up was too big to carry both, it would be a no brainer for my DH. He may moan a bit but would understand friend's predicament and I wouldn't have to get stressed out about it and need to take to a forum to get advice on whether it was acceptable to leave my baby alone.

SnuggyBuggy · 29/11/2018 11:36

Is this thread really still going?

OP, don't take your eyes of your baby for a second, what if they got abducted by aliens while you were on the toilet?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
Original poster
Mississippilessly · 29/11/2018 11:44

madmum he is at work? He cant just randomly leave for 2 hrs. He would have gone to get it I am sure - he is self employed - but I wouldnt have dreamt of asking. He was also up all night with me.
I am astounded that you would think that was an ok thing to say. And even if he was an arse, you arent being particularly supportive are you?

OP posts:
Original poster
Mississippilessly · 29/11/2018 11:45

I wasnt stressed?

This site is fucking nuts

OP posts:
MadMum101 · 29/11/2018 12:50

Well you didn't say he wasn't able to go due to work.

First you said you were going to have to take him with you (which may it look like he was available so could have gone on his own) then you said it wasn't fair to ask him.

Why wouldn't you dream of asking him to take over doing something you'd committed to when you realised it would be more of an issue that you thought and may lead to his baby being left in a vulnerable position?

If you don't like the answers you get, don't ask the question.

mostdays · 29/11/2018 12:59

... if your children are not getting in a position where they might crack their heads open (do you never let them run around?!) you are failing them as a parent.

Also, insufferable sanctimoniousness is a truly revolting personality trait. Pack it in.

Oh, the delicious irony.

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 29/11/2018 13:06

I don’t understand how leaving a child in a car for a couple of minutes when you can see them is more dangerous than crossing the road holding the hand of a child. Surely being exposed to cars without the protection of another car is far higher? I’ve heard far more stories of people getting hit by cars when crossing the road and being killed or injured than people in stationary cars being killed or injured.

I’m sure Red will disabuse me of this crazy notion though.

OP what did you decide? FWIW I did post yesterday saying I didn’t think it was a problem.

VodkaRevelation · 29/11/2018 13:08

May have been suggested but usually, when parcels go to a depot, you get the option to have them redelivered. Is this something your mate even looked into? I can’t believe she asked you to do such a long trip.

You’re kind to have agreed and I can totally understand why you asked. I would go in and get the parcel then ask for help to car. I bet they sometimes get massive stuff that needs to be transported on a trolley to a car or van so will have staff to help with that.

Original poster
Mississippilessly · 29/11/2018 13:23

madmum calling my husband an arse isnt an answer, its an insult.

HTH.

OP posts:
frogsoup · 29/11/2018 13:41

Don't go and tell me that it is insufferable sanctimony to say that if you never let your kids run around, then that is failing them?!! It's basic parenting common sense.

As opposed to saying that you enjoy seeing parents feeding their kids whole grapes because it'll be their child in a&e not yours, and telling someone whose child cut their head open twice that it was their poor parenting at fault. Which is fucked up on so very many levels.

There is really no delicious irony there.

mostdays · 29/11/2018 13:59

There really is, but let's just agree to disagree on that- having seen you throughout this thread I have neither the time nor the desire to get bogged down in a ridiculous argument with you!

tinydancer29 · 29/11/2018 14:00

Seriously, how many babies have been snatched from cars?! It would make big news and I can’t recall a single case although I’m sure there must be the odd case. What is it with all the fear???? If you can see the car or even if you can’t for a minute and you’re satisfied that the baby is sleeping and safe he will be fine which I think you know. Some of the posters here are bonkers! And if the car is rear-ended you’d be there in a few seconds. It would still be rear-ended if you were sitting in it presumably.

Fwiw I took my pfb in to pay for petrol every single time until dd2 was born and it became more hassle. I aim for pay at pump but if it doesn’t happen I leave them in the car. I frequently leave dd2 in the car in our small town while I nip into the post office. I can see her, she’s fine.

I hope I don’t see you in the news soon op but I’m fairly confident I won’t.

lovetherisingsun · 29/11/2018 14:16

@Mississippilessly I think some users of this site truly get a kick about being deliberately nasty/goady.

There will always be situations where it's fine. No queue/tiny queue and can see from window? Fine. Etc etc etc. Leaving them for an hour jaunt around the shops? Fine. (I'm joking - just trying to get a rise out of the pearlclutchers Grin ). We can see if it;s going to be ok or not at the time.

EwItsAHooman · 29/11/2018 14:18

We can see if it;s going to be ok or not at the time.

Which is an extension of the risk assessing skills you'll have learned as a child thanks to your parents letting you take controlled risks...

Drogosnextwife · 29/11/2018 14:27

Wait earlier you said you were going to have to take dp with you so you didn't have to leave ds in the car but now you didn't ask him to go or look after ds because he cant take time off?
Fwiw I don't really see the problem with leaving kids in the car if you can see it and you will only be 2 mins.

frogsoup · 29/11/2018 14:27

Mostdays no clearly, just like me, you also have better things to do than arse around arguing on MN all day...

I really do like delicious irony.

KatherinaMinola · 29/11/2018 14:30

Seriously, how many babies have been snatched from cars?! It would make big news and I can’t recall a single case although I’m sure there must be the odd case.

It does happen from time to time. There was a case about a year ago in which a car was stolen (in this case as the parent was unloading shopping - there was nothing she could do) with a baby in the back. Fortunately the car was abandoned and the baby was well.

All these things do happen - houses where children are home alone catch fire and things happen to cars in which children are left alone for a few minutes. It's all a question of risk assessment.

Original poster
Mississippilessly · 29/11/2018 15:30

drogs he would have worked in the car as a passenger. Not ideal but would have meant he would get something done.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mississippilessly · 29/11/2018 15:43

love I think you are right. I have found this really tough.

OP posts:
tinydancer29 · 29/11/2018 15:48

Tbh when I started reading your op I thought u were going to propose leaving your baby alone at home asleep while you collected a parcel. Imagine the response to that!

Reallybadidea · 29/11/2018 16:04

Mumsnet can be bonkers. I started a thread last week about my husband arranging a weekend away for when I was working overnight. The responses were pretty evenly split between me being neglectful for even considering leaving my teenagers alone overnight and treating them like babies by not wanting to leave them. It was utterly bizarre. Fortunately there were a few sane and helpful responses in amongst them.

FeedMyFaceWithBattenberg · 29/11/2018 16:18

Could you pop him in a sling? Free hands then!

PattiStanger · 29/11/2018 17:37

What happened, how did it go?

Original poster
Mississippilessly · 29/11/2018 22:39

She realised she knew someone who lives a 5 min walk from the depot!

OP posts: