To leave baby alone in the car?

[irishfarmer]

Please don't slate me for this!

I am currently pregnant with DC no 1. Is it safe/ normal to leave a baby alone in a car while going into the shop? Not for long, e.g. if you have filled with car with diesel and are going into pay? Or you've stopped at the local shop to go in for milk and bread, baby is asleep and you won't be longer than 5 mins. I'm not talking about stopping off at the shopping centre and going in for an hour.

My DH said he doesn't think so. I said yes. I minded nieces/ nephews all my life and when I learnt to drive I often had to bring them places. I remember leaving them in the car, really at any age to go into the shop for 2 mins. The car was locked and this was over 10 years ago so things might have changed. In fact I remember them being left outside in cars by their own parent if they were asleep when visiting the home house. Granted I grew up in a cul-de-sac which is very quiet and have known all of those neighbours my entire life.

Honestly what is the done thing these days? If it makes a difference I live now outside a small town (approx 1,500 ppl) it is a farming/ agricultural community.

A lot of petrol stations now allow you to pay with an app.

For petrol I have left DD when she’s been asleep just to nip and pay if I could see from the car there was no queue and I would literally be in and out. But more often I’ll either plan a special trip to the petrol station that has pay or pump (it’s not close by) or fill up when she’s not with me. When she was very little DH would sometimes go and fill the car for me in the evening so it was just something off the to do list (I have a weird hatred of getting petrol so it was a kindness!)

The shop no I never would.

I remember relatives leaving sleeping babies in cars outside the house too. I don’t know anyone who does it now though.

As others have said, pay at pump in petrol station, car seat onto pushchair in shop. Someone may crash into car, pump may catch on fire, someone may break your window to get baby out (you could easily be held up in a shop for a number of reasons!)

No, I wouldn't leave a baby in the car.

Depends on the shop and the situation. I sometimes used a shop where I could park outside, the shop door was the width of the pavement away, the till right by the door, never a queue and only buying bread or milk. The local Sainsbury's where you had to go right in and was on a main road I wouldn't.

I'm so pleased I am past all that, not so much the logistics, but the judgemental attitudes from others.

Going in to a shop even for one item no. What if there's a queue? Or your card doesn't work? 2 minutes suddenly becomes 10. I wouldn't risk it

All of that is just as likely in a petrol station though

I was wrong about people's views differing wildly!

I wouldn’t leave a baby in the car.

@lechatnoir

Petrol forecourt when I could see the car at all times - yes. Local shop where you can't see once you're inside & typically take longer - no.

This. The comments about the risk of accidents by leaving baby in the car are a bit daft, you’re more likely to be hit by a car walking across the forecourt than a car hitting yours while stationary at the pump surely, and one will obviously cause a lot more damage than the other! Pay at pump would be best really though I suppose, or one of the petrol stations where they have the little kiosk so you don’t get out anyway (other than to fill up, of course)

I don’t. We have three under 5. My husband fills my car up in an evening when I’m running low and on the odd occasion he hasn’t been able to, I have a mental list of petrol stations with card machines on the pumps so I don’t have to get them all out of the car and back in 2 minutes later.

If I saw someone leave their baby/ child in the car when they went to pay for petrol, I’d think “I wish I could be that un-neurotic”!

No - do not leave your child alone. Why would you?

I would never leave my baby in the car for any reason

My child is older now, but I used to leave him in the car when I could see him whilst paying for petrol. I never would have left him where I couldn't see. I'd never have forgiven myself if someone took him or something happened and it were my fault.

Pay at the pump fine but would never leave in any of other scenario

Nope, never!
3 kids - always paid at pump and if I hadn't, either DH or I would pop out on a Sunday evening to fill up for the week.

I will leave DS in the car at the petrol station if pay at pump isn't an option (e.g. motorway services). Might even take an extra 10 seconds to grab a loaf of bread from the petrol station.

I wouldn't do it for an ordinary shop though. Weird isn't it?

A few years ago a woman from my area had her car stolen with her 9 month old daughter in the back while she ran into a shop, he took the car seat out and left her at the side of the road sooo beyond scary & dangerous.
Too many variables to count I wouldn't.

I also left him in the car at the supermarket car park a few days ago so i could return the trolley to the trolley park which was several aisles away. Sometimes needs must.

@bigbeatmanifesto

A few years ago a woman from my area had her car stolen with her 9 month old daughter in the back while she ran into a shop, he took the car seat out and left her at the side of the road sooo beyond scary & dangerous. Too many variables to count I wouldn't.

Never thought I’d read a post and think ‘well thank goodness he left her behind’

I have two young boys, I have always gone into the petrol station to pay and left them in the car as I could see the car the entire time but NEVER a shop that’s entirely different. In my opinion they are safer in the car in a petrol station than being lugged across the busy forecourt

Petrol station where you can see the car the whole time - yes. It's safer imo than traipsing a baby or small child across the forecourt.

Shop where you cannot see them the whole time - absolutely not until they're old enough to be trusted to stay in their seats, but also old enough to know how and when to get out if there is a problem.

@bigbeatmanifesto

A few years ago a woman from my area had her car stolen with her 9 month old daughter in the back while she ran into a shop, he took the car seat out and left her at the side of the road sooo beyond scary & dangerous. Too many variables to count I wouldn't.

I remember reading the news story about that

I have a 2 year old and a 6omth old and wouldn't leave either of them alone in the car under any circumstance, I either get the double buggy out of the boot or go at a different time when I don't have them with me. I pay at pump for petrol.

I worked in a shop on a main road. A lady had parked her car with two young children in right outside the shop. A van crashed into her car and pushed it really far up the road. Thankfully they were ok but I wouldn't risk it.

I’d never leave a baby alone in a car, even for a minute. It’s also not necessary, just lift out the car seat.