Paying for petrol - take baby or leave in car?

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Not really an AIBU, more a question to get a general feel. Posting here for traffic really.

I usually use pay at pump but was reading a story about a woman (in the US) who left her baby in the car when paying for petrol (and presumably didn't lock the car) thieves stole her car, but they dropped the baby off in the car seat elsewhere where she was found by a jogger.

Do you a) leave your baby in your locked car to pay for petrol. Or b) take the baby in with you? What if the baby is sleeping do you take the whole car seat?

I guess there are other dangers other than theft - fire, explosions. What do you all do? Is there "official" advice?

Depends on your situation I suppose, for me walking across a busy forecourt holding a one year old and trying to stop a bolty three year old running around I think would be more prone to hazard than leaving them in situ.

A more complaint toddler, one baby, not so much.

Maybe I have it all wrong.
Clearly I should be seeking out mote filling station opportunities to leave my kids in the car so they can develop their self soothing skills.
Or not.

Surely you can see though, that if your 1 year old is anxious when you (or someone else) is not there, then that is something that can be worked on safely with your child rather than leading to issues later on? I think it is just so totally normal now for the children to be in the car for a few minutes without me that when (for example) we drove past an old man falling off his scooter into the road, we got out and gave him first aid, phoned an ambulance and stayed with him without the children being too bothered.

They were younger then too, probably 2 and 3 months. Its good for them I think.

I used one that had the option to pay at the pump, if that wasn't available then I'd take them with me. I wouldn't leave my handbag in the car so why would I leave my baby?

Ll that's it harold I think everyone should feel confident in doing what works for them in their present situation

Mine come with me , always have .
It's a none issue - fill , get out and pay, get in and go .
Last time this was up for discussion in mn I was treated like a paranoid anxiety ridden mum .
It's not a daily occurance ! We don't make it into an outing and pack a picnic .

I'm sure Amanda knows her child, if I only had one and they got upset at being left in the car I would probably do the same.

This isn't a right or wrong answer surely,

I mean really there are no huge risks to either. It's how many children you have, and how they adde best managed. Surely.

Surely you can see though, that Ive already pointed out that my 1 yo is just fine. And that it's ok if I do things differently from you.
No?

I never even realised people were taking the kids in until I joined MN!

When I had a car, I also had twins. I would have taken me longer to get the buggy out, get them out the seats and into the buggy, then go in and pay than the fill a full tank. I never took them out, just locked the car (as I would do if the children weren't in the car) and went and paid.

RainbowStars - your kids are more precious to you than your handbag. A thief couldn't give a toss about your kids, they want the money and cards in your bag! You can't equate the two!

I now pay at pump if can, or lock car. When DS was a baby I do remember taking him in once as the pump I used wouldn't of been able to see him or the car

I lock the car with baby inside to go and pay. I had never even realised this was an issue until some of the women from my NCT class started agonising about how it was really difficult to get petrol now they had baby in car! DS is usually asleep anyway so I don't want to disturb him.

TheReal I don't mind if you do things different to me, it bothers me not one bit. Its just interested to explore why and how people do things different to you, it doesn't have to be a battle, its just a discussion

Yes your average thief really wants to nick a child!

Frankly if that were the case we would hear about it a lot more, because in the many years of driving I've done, I've only ever seen ONE woman take her child into the shop to pay for petrol and everyone was looking at her like she was barmy

I used to take DD in when she was in the baby car seat that lifted out. As she got bigger, say 18 months I started to leave her in the car, locked. But only if I could get a pump near the shop. I think when she was tiny I worried she could throw up and choke or something.

Generally I use pay at pump though.

I am very surprised that people don't see forecourts as dangerous- they must have far more faith in drivers than me.
I have also never once seen anyone take their children into pay. Maybe OK on a quiet day but highly irritating if there are queues.

I agree. Drivers manoeuvring round each other, people walking between cars while counting their money, people reversing up to pumps.

I simply don't understand the idea of leaving keys in an unlocked car, unless you have stuck a sign on the roof saying "please steal me"

The thing is, if someone was going to steal a car, a garage forecourt would be a bloody stupid place to do it, they have cameras everywhere.

The thing is, if someone was going to steal a car, a garage forecourt would be a bloody stupid place to do it, they have cameras everywhere.

But they're guaranteed to be full of petrol lol

Ican I think you are being quite rude. The OP was asking what others do. I am sharing what I do and why. I shared an article which you should read to the end. It changed my thoughts which changed my behaviour. While the UK is not a hot country for most of the year there are certain days that are and on those days I wouldn't leave my child in the car. Thats me, others, like yourself behave differently.

Harold DH and I read the article and were both in tears at the end. The thought of harming your child unintentionally is beyond awful. I can't imagine how terrible the parents feel everyday.

I know about the guy who left his toddler in the car and went to work, it's actually really far too common in hot countries...

It also has nothing to do with spending 5 minutes paying for petrol.

Have always left DD and DS in the car, locked it, paid and headed off. They are now 5 and 4 and have never been distressed by it.

I have never worried about it, I never considered hauling an oft sleeping baby and toddler out to wrestle them to pay. It works for us fine.

When my ones were younger I usually filled up at pay at pump stations. I knew the ones near me and chose those. I can't see how people are getting so worked up at taking children in with you. It honestly takes no time for my 3 and 6 year old to get in and out of the car. Its not like they slow up the paying procedure when in the queue. Honestly no one has looked at me like I am a fucking anxiety ridden mother for doing so either. Yes when the were babies and asleep and if I could see the car then I probably have, a couple of times, left them in a locked car. But as a rule, I don't tend to. Walking them across a forecourt, by the way, is not akin to running across 6 carriages of a motorway.

Well no because you would have to leave and forget your car and that's a bit erm, unlikely!

There was a big article on the babies in cars, it haunted me.

But it was invariably on the way to work and a forgotten childcare drop off.

I do always feel a bit strange leaving my kids in the car to pay for petrol if i cant pay at the pump, but then I get a grip and realise it really isn't an issue! Ds always embarrasses me by setting off the alarm now!

I really don't think a child is going to be harmed from sitting in a hot car for the time it takes to pay for petrol?!

Incidentally on that, the stories about the parents forgetting their kids and leaving them on the car are truly horrific but what I never understood about them was how come the childcare hadn't contacted the parents to see why the child had not turned up?