Mother leaving baby in car whilst picking older child up.

[Shootingstar1115]

I know this has probably been discussed loads but there is a mother who’s child goes to pre school with my DD who regularly leaves her baby in the car whilst picking up. The car park isn’t in front of the pre-school. It’s kinda to the side (and not an official car park more of a residential area people park in, not secure or anything). You can’t really see the car from where you queue to pick up.

They finish just after 3. She leaves her baby in the car from around 2.50-2.55 until around 3.05-3.10 so it’s not a quick in out.

I personally wouldn’t do this. The baby isn’t always asleep whilst she does this (not that leaving a baby asleep alone makes t any better) but she has parked next to me a few times and when I get out my car I realised baby left in there and is often wide awake. He must be about 9 months old.

I must add, that the mother lives in close proximity to the pre-school about 1/4 of a mile away so she could easily walk over (which she does sometimes).

Is this really bad? Or am I being an over protective parent by never leaving my children??

The village we live in is pretty quiet and had very low crime rates but still surely it’s not a good idea?? Not many people around either.

I wouldn't do it but I'm not outraged at the thought of another parent doing this.

Personally I don't think it's bad if the car is locked and the child in a carseat and asleep. But this type of thread is ever popular and lots of of people will be horrified.

It’s bad. I would report it to the pre-school and let them have a general word.

Same as Formerbabe. I wouldn’t do it but am not bothered about other people doing it.

I wouldn't have done it myself, but really it's no one's business but hers. Realistically the baby is pretty safe there as long as he/she doesn't have access to anything they could choke on.

There are loads of things I've seen other parents do that I would never do myself, but realistically I have to remind myself that there are also things that I do that other people would be aghast at.

Apologies, I know similar has probably been posted before. But it just baffles me. It’s not just a quick pick up. She often gets in the queue early to chat and chats to the staff.

No I wouldn’t do it, but it doesn’t give me the rage. I understand why you’re a bit baffled though. I don’t know why she wouldn’t just walk over. Weird.

Unremarkable.

@PurpleFlower1983 it’s not the preschools problem or business tbh. I think there’s worse things a parent could do tbh.

So long as the car's locked, and the baby's asleep, no problem.

Realistically what would happen? Kidnapping? Getting upset?
Depends on the area really, I would do this but in our area one of the other mum's would notice a stranger skulking around my car, or would hear the baby if she woke up.
Takes a village to raise a child kind of thing.

It’s not bad, DH took 3 week old DD to a garage today to get the equivalent of a MOT re test DD stayed in the car in the parking lot.

I’ll leave dc 2 asleep in the car in similar circumstances when I pick dc1 up. I’m in and out within 5 mins, I don’t want to disturb their nap and I think they’re as safe there as anywhere. I don’t think it’s the nursery’s business. I’d also question that she takes 15-20 mins to do a nursery pick up. Do you really monitor her timekeeping?

I used to have a fear of someone stealing the baby. But these days the only thing stopping me doing this is worrying about what other people think.

The car could be broken into.
The car could be written off by another vehicle crashing into it .
Unlikely but not unknown , the car could go on fire ( recent cases of spontaneous combustion in Vauxhalls)

The child's life can be put at risk by some blatant lazy bastard-itis. Why would you not take your young infant with you?

I don’t monitor her time keeping.. lol but she usually arrives the same time as me between 2.50-2.55 and the children aren’t often out til at least 3.05 sometimes later.

It's not something I'd do and I would be a little uncomfortable seeing it, but that's it.

There's a Mum here who leaves her 3 or 4 (preschooler) year old in the car for 20 minutes with colouring book and music playing whilst she goes into Tesco's. Hearing her discuss it makes me uneasy but again, I don't know the woman so can't really say anything.

I wouldn't do it either but one of the mums at school does this. She has four so probably totally stressed but she does it everyday. The car is sometimes parked quite far away from the school. She's not quickly in and out either but hangs around and chats.

Meh

As long as baby isn’t bawling it’s eyes out, and it’s not a hot sunny day with windows closed I think it’s fine. I’ve often done this in the past. It’s great.

@70isaLimitNotaTarget all very plausible if you park your car on the side of the road I suppose. I wouldn’t do it on the side of the road. My DCs school is rural and has an actual car park so I used to park as close to the door and run in to collect my DD when DS was napping. It literally took 2mins and I wasn’t waking up a 2yr old for that!!

20 minutes is too long.

I'm pretty relaxed - I'd never faff about taking a baby into a petrol station to pay and generally if it takes me longer to get them out, then back into the car than what I'm doing then they stay in the car, but 20 minutes in a car on the street out of sight seems too long for me.

Are you sure she really takes that long to do pick up?

Yeah I'd be loath to definitely disturb a nap versus the remote possibility of something newsworthily rare happening.

I wouldn’t do it but in the current weather and with the car locked the baby wouldn’t come to any harm I don’t think.
I’d be more worried in the heat though.