that toddlers should bot be left in the car during school run

[foxyloxy78]

Just that. Seems like loads of parents are doing this bow. Leaving smaller toddler siblings in the car whilst they collect the older DC.

[Woody67]

I would leave my toddler in the car if I could see it, but I wouldn't leave them on their own in a street nearby which meant leaving them unattended and unsupervised for 15 minutes. Actually, I don't see this as any different from what the McCanns did. If anything happened to the child, you'd be vilified and would never forgive yourself.

[hibbledobble]

I find this interesting. I'm surprised so many parents are in favour of leaving children unsupervised.

When dc2 fell asleep on the way to collect dc1 I put dc1 in afterschool club and waited until dc2 woke up.

[TheMysteriousJackelope]

The pre-school my DC went to were emphatic that we were not to leave small children in our cars unattended. They had cases of children getting out of their seat straps, opening the car doors and wandering around the parking lot looking for their parents, all while cars were reversing out of parking spaces.

Drivers are looking for a place to park, or space to back out, and for adult pedestrians holding children by the hand. They aren't looking for two foot tall unaccompanied children toddling around six inches behind their rear bumper.

It is an accident waiting to happen, unless someone is doing as an earlier poster down, where a parent is watching several cars to ensure children don't attempt to leave.

[BouleBaker]

Of course you take your children with you rather than leave them alone in a public place for 15 minutes. In the car doesn't make them somehow immune to danger. What kind of lazy arse wouldn't take them along?

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

You're getting very defensive there Spartacus.

You decide what you like. Personally yes, I think it's really lazy to leave your baby/toddler in the car for 15 mins at a time (going back to OP here), instead of just taking them with you.

"
I know a woman who has baby twins, a toddler, and 2 older (but still young) children. Is it really safer for her to get them all out and juggle them all across a road or whatever? Or is it safer to leave them in the car?"

You take your children with you. Especially if it would otherwise mean leaving babies with other young children!

[OddBoots]

My children are almost grown now but when they were little there was a mum in a similar situation, I was one of a few other mums who would either get her school child for her or stay with the car/babies while she went into school. Leaving them out of sight was just not thought to be an option.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

Except it might not be safer at all. This blanket statement rather than individual risk assessment is not safe at all, it assumes too much.

I know a woman who has baby twins, a toddler, and 2 older (but still young) children. Is it really safer for her to get them all out and juggle them all across a road or whatever? Or is it safer to leave them in the car? There are risks to both, but one may be much higher than another.
I don't know, but the point is neither do you, and a blanket "just take them with you, you lazy caaah" is hardly helpful. I'm going to assume that their mother is best placed to decide rather than judgemental internet randoms.

[foxyloxy78]

Not a school car park though. This is a public street outside the school. Each to their own, but does not sound sensible thing to do. God forbid something bad happens. Just think it's safer to take them with you for the drop off.

[IamFriedSpam]

It's one of those things that I feel I should never do but I'm not really sure why. I probably wouldn't do it but I'd reserve judgement - (OK someone might crash into the car but it would be no safer for me to be sitting there with DC if that happened. I also think it's quite unlikely someone would steal my car from the school car park!)

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

Sorry, my mistake, it actuslly says 'at home or in the car' on the link.

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

Well, it says that 'babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone'.

Obviously that link refers to leaving children at home, but you could say the same thing about leaving them in cars.

Why would you, anyway. Just take them with you

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

How is that helpful?

[AlecTrevelyan006]

www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-alone

[Icantstopeatinglol]

Each to their own but I just wouldn't risk it for the sake of taking the kids out the car for two minutes.

[startwig1982]

I leave dd (2) in the car for 2 mins when I drop ds off at breakfast club. But I turn the alarm off and lock the car, so she's safe. I wouldn't do it at pick up as it's too long to leave her.

[WaitrosePigeon]

It's not something I would risk.

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

2 mins is one thing. 15 mins is quite different, that's a long time to leave a small child on their own.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

Not true, it is their job too, they cannot just turn a blind eye to something they think is a safeguarding concern, however much you'd like them to

It is not their job, literally. "Safeguarding" is just another word for judgement and interfering most of the time. It's used like some magical password that lets you think its up to you to decide what parents can decide for their children.

[munmyxl]

I would - Some people are so judging on how other people chose to parent, why does it even bother you

[Rainydayspending]

I've had my car stolen from outside school (yes a surprise in all that busy). So a definite hell no from me. All those people. None of them give a shiny shit what is going on other than getting their kids and sodding off. Noone would raise the alarm if anything untoward happened (hit by a vehicle struggling to get through a busy school road?)

[OddBoots]

"It's my job to do a risk-benefit assessment on what I do with my DC, not theirs."

Not true, it is their job too, they cannot just turn a blind eye to something they think is a safeguarding concern, however much you'd like them to.

[ThomasRichard]

I do it every morning when dropping the kids to school/nursery on the way to work. It's parked on the road directly outside the school gate for 2 minutes max as I run DC1 in. It's a very quiet road, the car is locked, DC2 is fine. What is going to happen in those 2 minutes? They're in greater danger when I leave them to their own devices while I go to the loo!

I was picked up on it once by a member of staff and wasn't best pleased. It's my job to do a risk-benefit assessment on what I do with my DC, not theirs.

[toomuchtvandsocialmedia]

And has anything happened to any of these poor, neglected, at risk children?

A friend left her toddler in the car - he managed to get out of his car seat and released the car handbrake. The car rolled into a building causing quite a bit of damage to the building and the car. Fortunately, her DS was ok.

[PolarBearGoingSomewhere]

I wouldn't. Never got as far as considering safety tbh as mine would be very very upset by it so I wouldn't.

I have of course left them for a moment while I pay for petrol (although I nearly always pay at pump, so it's probably been less than 5 times in total) but it would never, ever be a part of our routine.