To wonder if I should report parent sitting in car with nursery child.

[wellstopdoingitthen]

I live opposite a primary school. There's a mum who collects her nursery child at 11.30 then sits in the car with her until the older children finish at 3pm. She usually sits there with the engine running which is right next to the playground. I'm not sure if I should do anything or if I'm being a busy body.
I know the little one is in there because I did ask the mum to turn off her engine during the really hot weather. I got an earful because apparently she needed it on because it was hot in the car.
Yabu- keep your nose out
Yanbu- you should notify the school/authorities

Correct.

Engine idling is against the law, especially for 3.5 hrs!

I'd report to the school that the older child goes to. They will know about their background and take the appropriate steps, if necessary. It really is the most bizarre behaviour. If the Mum doesn't want to go back home then surely going to a cafe/park/anywhere is better than running your engine for that length of time!
Poor kid! The mind boggles.

I would tell the school. Call and ask to speak to a safeguarding lead. Tell them and then leave it to them and stay out of it. Don’t tell the office staff

A video 😂😂😂😂

Maybe in Scotland? Depends on your birthday but all mines had two years of nursery

Some kids start nursery the term they turn 2. So that could easily be the Jan and April term then Sept term, then turn 3 and do Jan, April, Sept (turn 4), Jan, Apr before Reception the following September. So 8 terms, nearly 3 years
DTwins will start at 3 and will do 5 terms

She is, you shouldn’t keep your car engineer running whilst parked

Bit weird.

Who would do that every single day?

Must go through a lot of fuel. The child must be on a device to sit that long.

I would notice something like that, I always look out my window at what the neighbours are doing.

Talk to the school about it.

Why would you report it anyway ?? What’s it with you ?

Regardless of the bizarre thread, is it REALLY not illegal to sit in your car with your engine going for 4 hours in the UK?! Because that's crazy.

Why would it be crazy to have a law to lower emissions?

That was my point. It IS Illegal where I live.

@TomBradysLeftKneecap sorry it’s 3am here and my reading comprehension is suffering because of it.

Yes, also in the U.K., it is illegal to idle the car, especially outside schools. The driver can be fined £80.

It does sound like she must be in a difficult place. I can’t imagine trying to entertain a toddler for that long in a tiny car. Must be difficult for both of them. If she’s just doing it for her own convenience though then she is being really selfish. I would try approaching the situation but assuming that she is doing it because of a lack of options though.

I do think you should mention to the school. It is odd behaviour to be in the car for that long and is not exactly providing a stimulating and safe environment for the child. If they’re at a school nursery, they’re unlikely to be napping for that long. I don’t know anyone who would have a 3yo napping 3 hours plus. Access to a loo is obviously not happening either.

I’ve spent lots of time doing car naps but this is much more extreme and does suggest something else going on given the age of
the child.

Not sure why people struggle to believe this. I expect the child naps for some of it, rest of the time given snacks and allowed to roam around the car. Not sure why she doesn’t go home. There could be a worrying reason why. I might put a note through the nursery door with the details on, maybe they can have a word with her to find out if there’s any reason for it

All those saying it’s no-one’s business, it’s everyone business when there’s a safeguarding risk. So many cases of child deaths where people have said they saw things but ignored it. Don’t ignore this.

Maybe her child would fall asleep when she put her in the car seat to take her home. Therefore, instead of taking her home and waking her up and upsetting her, she just lets her sleep in the car?

£20 fine if you refuse to switch your car off by an official on a public road only. Yep I'm sure the car owner will be terrified. With less than a 1% chance of getting fined according to how many people have been historically reported 😂.

Better off spending your time doing something productive.

If there is a genuine concern for the woman and child that's another story.

£80 only if you refuse to pay initially. 🙄

Depends when their birthday is. Both my DDs turned 3 between Sept-Dec so started in January and then had the following full school year also so did 5 terms. Not that uncommon actually and they didn't start at 2.

I would speak to the school out of concern, not to complain. Seems so odd for them not to go somewhere or so something for all that time.

She would run out of petrol running a car all that time, surely?

This was my thought - tread carefully

What's so hilarious about the word video?