Stuck in the car park AIBU?

[CindersCatsSister]

Well this is annoying. Just got out of my car at the car park in the (small) town centre and noticed in the car next to me a child, looks to be about 4 or 5, by themselves. Quite happily reading a book but all alone. I thought oh I’ll just hang on here until his parent gets back but it’s been 15 fucking mins now and I’ve got shit to do. But I want to keep an eye on him in case (of what, I don’t know). Am I being (too much of) a busybody?

I don't know what's worse - parents leaving a child alone in a car or the people saying it's fine!

I'd feel compelled to stay but I'd also pissed off at the same time!

What I'd be worried about is over heating etc. Kids have died being left in the car.

@SusannahMartin

I truly hate this attitude. The kid is happy. Leave the family alone. Total busybody

I truly hate your neglect-apologist attitude.

@midnightstar66

During covid everyone was appalled that anyone was taking kids to the shop. They should have left them in the car. Now a perfectly happy child is in a car, most likely who's parent has eyes on the car regularly and it's being recommended to call the police. It's not your job to watch this strangers child. Just go about your day!

🤣 yup remember that. People were being advised to leave their toddlers and babies in prams outside of the shop with a random stranger in the queue (yes that act happened), or leave there 8 year old in charge of their 2 year old while they popped to the shops for 30 mins. I see we are back to you can go to the toilet without taking your child with you incase they have an accident. I actually think 4 IS too young to be left in a car alone, but the turn around is amazing!

@coffeefi

I think the biggest danger is kid letting themselves out of the car and wandering off to look for mum. I mean surely that's highly probable

I wouldn't actually consider leaving a child unless they were able to get out of the car themselves, safely walk through a carpark and ask for help from the service desk if necessary. Dogs and children can die in hot cars.

I’m always surprised how hot my stationary car gets even in April/May. The sun makes for a greenhouse effect.

Personally I wouldn't leave kids that are really young in a car as I have seen 3 cars go up in flames. The speed at which the fire takes hold is horrificwithin seconds. And fires can also affect the electrical systems making it harder to open the doors.

@SusannahMartin

I truly hate this attitude. The kid is happy. Leave the family alone. Total busybody

I’m guessing you think this is funny or something?

Op not coming back?
Most likely the cat has been stolen with the kid in it & op was kidnapped too. Or the Carpark exploded

• Car not cat!

@Whatsthescoop

Op not coming back? Most likely the cat has been stolen with the kid in it & op was kidnapped too. Or the Carpark exploded

What does the OP need to come back for?

She has already updated that the mum came back and so OP left. All resolved.

Missed that. Cheers 👍

@summersolstice43

Thats far too young to be left alone for such a long time. What if something has happened to the parent.

To everyone telling OP to go about her day, thats exactly what the people did who saw James Bulger being snatched and look what happened there.

If you need to go back almost 30 years to a completely different situation to illustrate your point, I suggest you don't actually have one!

@GhibliKhan

This notion that the best parents are the ones never leave their children unattended in case of an extremely rare event happening is illuminating. Explains the covid mess somewhat.

Please do explain.

@Eggshausted

Personally I wouldn't leave kids that are really young in a car as I have seen 3 cars go up in flames. The speed at which the fire takes hold is horrificwithin seconds. And fires can also affect the electrical systems making it harder to open the doors.

Ok, I'm not saying you are wrong here, but of a car goes up in flames in seconds, you're unlikely to be able to get your hold out in time to save them anyway. By that I don't mean they should be left in the car, just that if that did happen, there probably wouldn't be much you could do.

@Streamside

Very few cars nowadays would let you lock a child in without the alarm going off so I'd assume the cars unlocked. Phone the police and report it, otherwise you'll not be able to get it out of your head.

My car gives you the option full or reduced alarm, so if kids or dogs are left they don't set the alarm off.

Is that not normal?

I wouldn’t do it with my own children, but unless it was a tiny baby/toddler screaming I wouldn’t intervene here. We have to let parents make their own parental decisons...

Imagine that, the aliens didn't abduct him while setting the car on fire.

If you need to go back almost 30 years to a completely different situation to illustrate your point, I suggest you don't actually have one!

I had the same thought when a pp described the child as a toddler

Hubby swears I can lock my Astra without enabling the alarm when I have the dog with me but I can’t work out how to do it. They love me in the co-op! 🙄

@Horehound

What I'd be worried about is over heating etc. Kids have died being left in the car.

In the U.K. in May? I think not.

Threads like this illuminate the two[at least] different ways of parenting.
I normally [hugely] sidestep threads like this.

Leaving young children unattended is not for me.

The first reading book my DS had in Reception class (after I'd convinced the teacher that he didn't need books with 3 words on a page) was called Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf - which according to Amazon is aimed at age 7-9. So it is entirely possible for a 5 year old to be reading a book. But I wouldn't have left my DS in the car alone at that age.