To be shocked by woman who dropped off baby at nursery this morning

[Ipad2iloveyou]

She had the baby, who must of been around a year old, strapped in the car with the adult seat belt nothing else, no car seat, just the adult belt!!!!!!! What was she thinking. The nursery is a good 10 minute drive from anywhere as well !!!!

Has no one else just had "one of those days" - hubby took car seat to work, have appointment at the hospital in 40 min, have to get kids to school in 20 min , and the little one to nursery.... what would you do

Get everyone on the bus?

None of those activities are worth injuring a child for...there is always more school, hospital appointments etc....

OH judgy judgy catsbum OP

I am sure she had a valid reason, ie partner went off with car seat

go polish your halo!

It is a question of time and priorities. Yes you may have to get dd to nursery or pick her up in 5 mins but a quick phonecall to explain lateness and a walk there is surely better then risking lives by having a potential unrestrained child in your car.
It is sad that bosses can't allow you that extra 30mins in an emergency and that we feel pressured to risk our kids to please our boss.

I wouldn't risk my child's life, nor those of others. Taxi for school children, bus to hospital etc. Blimey.

porcamiseria so wanting your children/other peoples children to be safe is worthy of sarcasm and 'polish your halo' comments ??

TBH I would not risk my childrens lives in this way, and hate to see others do so, sorry if that offends you so!

If DH went off with car seat, I still wouldn't do it. Having a 'valid reason' doesn't negate the very obvious and real dangers. I'm amazed by the response to this.

YANBU OP. There wouldn't be any way at all I would travel without a young child in a car seat (emergency trip to hospital excluded).

A trip to nursery is non-essential imo.

I wouldn't risk my child either.
If I didn't have car seat, I would get a taxi or a bus, or borrow a seat from someone else. or be late

why not assume it's a one off, and stop fucking judging people all the time huh? No, OP instantly makes an assumpotion and then posts here knowing people will agree and she will feel vindicated

YADNBU!!!!!!

But even as a one off it is wrong! I am far from precious, but this is a step too far.

just because it's a one off does not make it ok, I wouldn't do it as a one off and also would not expect others to, it's your childs safety.

I must admit, I'm quite surprised that so many people think that if the mum had a 'valid' reason for breaking the law and putting her baby at risk, then it's ok! I certainly have no halo to polish and have undoubtedly made many parenting mistakes. The fact that I may have been having a dreadful day and been stressed about the huge number of things that mums have to deal with, sadly, doesn't stop them being mistakes.

Sorry, but I think even as a one off its unacceptable.

As you said earlier, great minds!!

there is no excuse for driving any distance with a child under 3 and no car seat. it is illegal for a reason. no excuse is going to justify a serious incident resulting in injury or worse.

we all have one of those days where anything and everything goes wrong but it's not worth the safey and life of any child.

The child would be at risk in a taxi without a car seat - ok they couldn't distract YOU, but if there was a crash - just as much risk without a car seat in a taxi as without one in a car.

And as for going by bus - nice -in the position I was in, I could always take the one that goes 10.12 next Wed morning..... but I'd have to come home at 5.12pm - might be a bit late for the school pick up, and I'd miss my scan at the hospital (waited for it for 5 months) by about 6 days... but maybe if I explained that life got in the way they would understand and just fit me in to suit my day......

Life does not always leave you with easy options

Still wouldn't do it.

Obviously if one doesn't have the appropriate car seat, the right thing to do is put the baby in the boot where it can't cause any trouble. TBH given that some of us survived the 80s when there weren't car seats and we were allowed to climb about without seatbelts at all, the baby will probably be fine.

I was a baby in the 80ies, I had a car seat. Roads were also quieter, cars slower etc. Some people will always find an excuse to be lax about things quoting history...I'd rather go with safety.

Probably be fine isn't good enough for me.

ohh yeah probably fine...with the emphasis on probably.

Not good enough imo.

LOL honestly, this place KILLS me!

Imagine if the woman herself had posted...

"...So I was on my way to take the baby to nursery this morning, and DH had taken the carseat in the other car so I used the normal seatbelt instead. It's only 10 minutes up the road. ANYWAY.... [blah blah blah real reason for posting blah blah]

MN collective: "WHOA!! Wait a minute! You put your baby in the car without a carseat?!?!?! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING????!!!!!"

Woman: "But he'd taken the carseat and I really really needed to get to nursery, I've nobody else to take us, there aren't any buses or taxis near us, I had to get to hospital for a really important appointment.... etc etc"

MN collective: "There is never any excuse, ever, for not using a carseat. Gavel"

And quite rightly so.

But the OP gets called a busybody!

Come on everyone, let's polish our haloes.