To worry about this child asleep in car

[StrangeMusic]

There's a child about 2years old asleep in a car (in car seat) on road near my work (quietish residential street). I've been here about 10 minutes and no one has come back for him. Might be overreacting but would never leave my son asleep in car for more than a minute or two. Don't know what to do, should I report it?? Just concerned maybe he's been forgotten about, after reading some stories where this happened, and worried for the little thing

There is just no reason to leave a child alone in the car. Child sleeps better in the car? Stay in the car with them. Don't want to wake them up? Stay in the car with them. Yes it's a pain that you can't get on with other things while they are napping but that's life.

Who cares if child doesn't get 'enough sleep' for one bloody nap!! Won't kill them!

pippa I would choose option C - leave toddler in car seat for the few seconds it takes to dump shopping inside door, and then bring them in. whether they were asleep or awake is irrelevant.

Ha bloody ha, stay in the car

I think the OP was fine and reasonable.

I think the replies were OTT and I find it bizarre that somebody would call the police over this.

No missing a nap won't kill a child but some toddlers are an utter nightmare if their nap is cut short, especially if they are transitioning to one nap, and anyway the child was perfectly safe and it's a perfectly appropriate place to leave them napping. Just because YOU (plural, not just you, OP, but anybody) wouldn't do it it doesn't mean it's reckless and stupid.

On a residential street, I would absolutely assume that someone was in a nearby house keeping an eye every few minutes. And in the unlikely case that they weren't, it's a residential street - if the child woke up and was upset then someone is likely to hear them and/or see them and go knocking on doors.

Comemulledwine: that shouldn't be an issue. There are ways round it. Make an effort to get the child back to sleep. Or put them to bed a bit earlier than usual. I say this as the parent of a child who got extremely grumpy and whiny if he didn't get enough sleep. So yes, leaving him to sleep in the car would have been for my convenience as I could easily have brought him in the house and either cuddled up with him so he went back to sleep or put up with his whingeing and give him an earlier bedtime. Both things require a bit of extra effort and thought.

Op, as I said, I'm sure they loved you.

Oh, yes sorry not making enough effortlazy

On a busy street in the middle of town, or a supermarket car park, then yes it would be reasonable to call the police.

I have sat in the car with DS when the car was too far from the house to be heard e.g. at PIL's.

So what do people with more than one child do, while they stay in the car?..,ponders

www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/01/04/leaving-kids-in-cars-is-it-safe/

For information on the legal/safety position being questioned by many.

Now things have calmed a little, I will say my comment to check that the child was breathing was not hysteria but common first aid practice, to ensure that the child was safe before I did anything else.

I would actually dial 999 and explain as the officer in the control unit could quickly advise whether a fast response was applicable or whether a slower patrol officer would suffice. Either way I'd leave the decision to the professionals.

Some of you just won't believe me but I am not over protective and have older, independent children who would prove that if you saw them.

I just have never taken safety risks with young children. I make sure I can either supervise them safely myself, or get someone else I trust to do it.
Why take any chance with your most treasured loved ones?

You don't have to do the most inconvenient thing all the time to be a good mother. Sometimes it's okay to choose an option which is convenient, even if that does increase some risk. It's your job as a parent to assess the risk against the benefit and decide if it's an acceptable risk.

Leaving them in a car on a quiet street checking them every 5-10 minutes when they are TWO years old is an acceptable risk. IMO.

You absolutely did the right thing.

More than one child? Then you take them in your house with the other kids. You don't leave them in the car.

Leaving them in the car while you go to the shop isn't the same. That article is talking about a different situation entirely.

mulledwine I had this with 2.5 year old and new baby. I kept sticker books, snacks, small colouring pencils and notebooks and a stash of books in the car for such occasions. My toddler saw this as a mini adventure, playing in the car whilst her sister napped. Max we would do would be 35 mins but enough for baby (and us) to recharge a little.
When that particular car was sold, they both felt a little sad that their mobile book storage had gone.
It just needed a little prep and a bit of flexibility and even at her toddler stage, she realised her sister was more pleasant for having a nap.

I'm guessing if it had a pay and display ticket it was probably a friend visiting someone. I have left dd in car parked I my mum's drive before, probably wouldn't on the street but that would be more because I was worried about what people would think rather than genuine concern that she would be in any danger.

I would be a bit annoyed if one of my mum's neighbours called the police on me!

Because we only have on street parking and would end up at least a street away from our door. This was pre snap on car seats to chassis. I used to try rolling her into pram but she always woke up. Bulky car seat, plus toddler, plus bags etc...easier to stay put for a short while...

I have lived in a hot climate and as such would never ever leave my kids is car.

I know it's been mentioned briefly but largely ignored, loads of people I know use iPhone apps which act as baby monitor for when the baby falls asleep in the car. The one I used transmitted an image from one i device to another. I could monitor DCs while they slept soundly in the car.

Guess I am still crap, lazy and a poor excuse for a parent.

Horses for courses indeed, and I have to say even as a little girl she was arty mad and we drew what was outside the window. She's now getting As for GCSE art course work ??
Now my son, who is my current toddler, wouldn't tolerate it! I wa lucky that she liked a quiet, concentrating, sitting down task ??

Perspective, if you called 101 the call would still be assessed to see if it warranted a urgent response. Not all 999 calls get an urgent response, it depends on the text of the call. Therefore 101 is more appropriate in this circumstance