Is it okay to leave a child in the car to pop into a shop?

[loveisanumber]

Local mum.

She has a baby/toddler who's recently celebrated her 1st birthday.

I've noticed on a few occasions now that she leaves the baby in the car whilst she pops into the chemist for prescriptions, pops into the little Tesco for a few bits etc.

Most of the time she's roughly a few minutes but the reason I'm starting this thread is because today she was talking to me whilst waiting for a prescription. We were standing there for a good 15 minutes before her name was called because mine was called just before

When I was walking by me said bye again, she opened the car door to get in and was saying 'It's okay darling, I'm back' and I heard the baby crying

AIBU to think it's wrong?

I'm appalled how many people think it's OK to leave a child in the car alone at a very young age. Would you also leave your child unattended at home and pop out ? Does something bad needs to happen to you before you realise the risks ?

With regards to the petrol station scenario- surely it’s a balance of risk? Mine is a very rural village station so I have no issue with leaving my two small children strapped in with the car locked for the minute it takes to walk in and sign on account, equally quite often I take them in as it’s no bother either way.

If it were a busy suburban BP without pay at pump though, for me the risk of getting two small (2&5) children across a forecourt safely would be more of a risk than leaving them in the car I’d think? Logically there is more risk of a small child breaking free and running in front of one of many moving vehicles (which I think is low in itself) than someone breaking into a new fairly secure vehicle and stealing my children whilst I watch out of the shop window?

Apart from any other danger, there's fire. My ex husband , a mechanic, parked his well maintained car, had walked just about 100 metres when he was alerted by a shout. His car was in flames, yet there had been no sign of anything going wrong.

I havent locked my door in 13 years and nothing bad has happened and i have 3 DC, 2 are now in their 20's so think its up to your judgment as well as the area you live in

@ohjeesus

Where i live...an area of no crime (the occasional plant pot stolen) id think nothing of leaving my child in a car for 30 mins

30 mins!? I wouldn't even leave my dog in the car that long, anywhere, ever! How old are your kids?!

Calm down ffs. Firstly and most importantly it's none of your business. And secondly, where's the harm in it? Massive over reaction.

@ohjeesus

Yeah I used to not lock my door too, very safe area, but that's not the same as leaving children alone in a vehicle. Crime isn't the only thing that can happen.

If the car is locked, it’s literally only a few minutes in an emergency, and she has no one available to leave the child with, what exactly do you suggest she does? I mean, for one thing, collecting medication would be pretty important, wouldn’t it?

I mean, for one thing, collecting medication would be pretty important, wouldn’t it?
I'd take mine into the pharmacy with me because there's no guarantee it will be quick, there's often a queue or a short wait, and why would I want to leave my child unattended in the car?

It's the same reason I make sure the car had fuel in or would use pay at pump if I didn't want to get DC out the car, rather than run the tank down to fumes and then leave a child unattended.

I have never seen any parent lug their kids across a forecourt to pay for petrol. Always left mine in the car. My rule is if I can see my car, ill leave them for a few minutes. I wouldn't leave a 1yo while I got a prescription though as I know that takes a while.

My two older kids are now in their 20's my youngest is 9 and she's basically the anti christ

Hahaha well I'd guess they're old enough to look after themselves

Fair enough, I haven’t had this problem myself as I have no kids but I can see why some people might do it rather than cart a toddler round a shop for 5 minutes and then have to strap them back in. It might not always be easy for those with disabilities etc.

I just think people should spend less time judging other people and get on with their own lives to be honest.

It's illegal where I live to leave a child unattended in car, with a fine or up to 6 months in jail.

Heat is the main risk for children left unattended in cars. Children can suffer life-threatening heatstroke, rapid dehydration, suffocation and death.

This is because cars can get very hot very quickly. In fact, on a hot day, the temperature inside a parked car can be as much as 40°C hotter than it is outside. When cars are parked, it takes less than 5 minutes for them to heat to temperatures that can seriously harm children.

Cars can heat to dangerous or fatal levels even on cool or overcast days or when they’re parked in the shade.

The younger children are, the more sensitive they are to heatstroke and the faster they’ll dehydrate.

15 minutes, no.

But to pay for petrol, pick up a pre-ordered take away coffee etc. yes. Windows open of course and car in plain sight.

Exactly, dont think its anyones business about other peoples choices, leave them them alone! Concentrate on your own lives! Too many busybodies in the world

I wouldn't do it unless I could be 'guaranteed' to be a couple of minutes (obviously nothing it guaranteed), but more because of the potential distress if the baby woke. That and I'd hate the feeling of panic if I was delayed.

I don't buy the 'freak accident' thing. I'd say you are probably more likely to hurt the baby taking them out of a car seat and carrying them across a road or through a car park/ forecourt. It's the whole 'can't be seen to be lazy/inattentive' mothering crap extrapolated to the worst case scenario.

Dont think heat is a factor in feb in the uk, behave

I've done it at the petrol station and the local supermarket outdoor plant shop which is literally outdoor with an outdoor till and family parking about 5 steps away.

Wouldn't ever be longer than a minute

Personally I think 15 minutes is too long. I leave DS in the car if I’m popping in to pay for diesel or if I’m dropping off a parcel (I sell a lot on Vinted, so it’s just scanning a barcode, leaving the parcel and gone) but I wouldn’t if I was going to be any longer.

Everything is a risk assessment. From how the child is, how far away you are, how long is the activity to do, can you see the car? Is it more dangerous to take child out?

Yes this, its all subjective

Definitely not at that age! Nor into a shop where you can't see the car at all times (possibly a petrol station but even then I didn't do that until they were older.) really concerning

exactly

I’ve done it before for about that amount of time.