To leave my DC in the car

[Anxioussquirrelx]

Earlier I left my 7 and 10 year old in the car where I couldn't see them. I parked in a little car park and popped to a 24 hour package"locker" type thing, about a 20 second walk away, but behind a brick wall. As I was most of the way through typing in the code the car alarm set off. I didn't know for sure it was my car but had my suspicions so finished grabbing the package (few seconds) and ran back. I probably left them about two minutes total. I lock it but they know how to get out and I'm within earshot if they shouted for me. It was indeed our alarm. Son said he'd turned around a few times. Have memories of my parents alarm going off with me sat doing nothing much at all so I'm inclined to believe him?

My son said a teaching assistant from their school was watching them during this standing by her car, and sort of looked in and pulled a worried sort of face. So now me being a very anxious person Is worrying something will come from it? I don't think her car was there as I initially walked away from the car, so if she'd pulled in right as I was out of sight she could assume they were left a lot longer than they were..

Am I a neglectful parent for this?

Personally don't see anything wrong with this tbh.
Toddlers no but those ages are fine especially with 2 of them

Just don't lock the car. She was probably looking as the alarm was going off!

I would say at that age it's fine. Mine are 8 and 11 and I have left them in similar circumstances for just a minute or 2, I'm not sure I would leave the 8 year old on his own though. I don't think you need to be worried.

It’s absolutely fine. You’ll get people along to tell you it’s neglectful as there are always a few, but your kids were fine and are at an age where they can be alone for 2 min.

My mum did this all the time, we had lots of fun!

I don't think I'd leave my seven year old alone either, but my son is 11 in a few months and going to big school next year. He's constantly asking for more independence but I don't know how to give it him safely

I do this when popping into our local co-op that has a proper car park.
my 10 year old can lock the door from the inside so it doesn't set the alarm off.
i think a couple of minutes at that age in a locked car & car park is fine.

At those ages I'd say it was OK to leave them. I probably wouldn't have locked the car, to avoided the car alarm issues, but would have told them not to leave the car (and if you can't trust them to do that, their not mature enough, regardless of age)

I don't think it's neglectful but make sure they know not to touch the handbrake. I took it off when left in the car aged 12. Car rolled off down a hill. It was only a slight incline in the car park but got much steeper after a bit.

I leave much younger kids in the car but they are strapped in their seats and can't get out

I trust them not to get out. It's more other people I don't trust..which I guess comes into leaving them and safety issues.

Send him to the parcel locker while you wait in car. Perfect opportunity for independence

If the classroom assistant was that concerned she would have still been there until you returned. She can hardly report you for leaving the kids when she'd be asked "what did you do?" Er, I left them too.

I think she was in her car behind.

Yeah by age 10 its fine.

At worst, she was just waiting to make sure you came back. Id leave two kids those ages in the car for a couple of minutes without a second thought.

My kids were walking to school on their own at 10. So they are definitely fine to sit in a car for a few minutes

There's nothing wrong with this. she was probably looking as the alarm went off! Next time, leave the keys with them or have them lock the car from the inside.

Well, she couldn't have been that worried if she toddled off...

I wouldn't think on it.

Absolutely fine. She was probably just looking to see what the noise was.

At ages 7 and 10 I don't see anything wrong with leaving them in the car.

My DH once locked me in the car (or it happened automatically),the alarm went off, I couldn’t get out and was being deafened and getting funny looks. He didn’t answer his phone as it was on silent so I rang the butcher and got them to turf him out and rescue me!!

I do think that you’re overly anxious about them. They are old enough to do a bit more.

Sounds fine to me. My old, boring car has got a button which disables the alarm on the next occasion it's locked. It's for leaving the dog in the car so it doesn't set off the alarm. Took me ages to realise what it was for, maybe yours has one too?

This happened to me too!!!
I’d leave sensible kids of those ages, so long as they’re ok with it but probably leave the car unlocked to avoid the alarm issue.