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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

leaving my 2yo in the car...

35 replies

Itsjustafleshwound · 05/03/2009 17:38

Genuiney baffled - my stroller is a total PITA to use - I carried my son to the car, put him in his seat and made sure he was settled, then headed off to pay for the parking (no queues) not far away and in eyesight ... got back to my car to be shouted at by a man who called me irresponsible and stupid for leaving my son alone in the car ...

If I had taken my son to the pay point, I would have to have put him down and, knowing him, he would have tried to run off and got in the path of cars getting out of the garage..

Is this really irresponsible on my part??

OP posts:
squeaver · 05/03/2009 17:39

I don't think so, but be prepared for what's about to hit you on this thread...

shootfromthehip · 05/03/2009 17:39

YABU- why EVER leave your kid?

CompareTheMeerkat · 05/03/2009 17:40

I would leave my child in the car in that situation. I know there are lots of people who wouldn't.

2shoes · 05/03/2009 17:41

yanbu

Ineedmorechocolatenow · 05/03/2009 17:42

Nope - I do this myself as long as car is in eyesight and there's no queue. If I can't park near, then I get him in the buggy and walk him over.

What a nasty man....

Tamarto · 05/03/2009 17:42

YANBU I'd rather leave them in the car and take the risk of them being blown up than take the significantly higher risk of them being mown down, in the situation you describe.

Seeline · 05/03/2009 17:42

YANBU - it's always a matter of assessing the risks involved. Is it safer to leave in the car or take with you, each time you need to do it.

RubyRioja · 05/03/2009 17:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LuLuBai · 05/03/2009 17:43

I look for parking spaces near to pay points so that I can do exactly this. If I can't find a parking space within eye sight then I do lug a wriggling toddler with me and then try to balance her on my hip while finding the right coins with the other. Tis a nightmare. And I don't do it because I'm worried about her safety but because she may well scream the whole place down if I did go out of sight. If I'm in sight she sits there happily waving at me throughout.

That man should butt out. None of his business and he needs to go get a life or find something else to fret about.

littleducks · 05/03/2009 17:45

i think that you have to judge each situation for its own merits, distances, the area etc.

people have strong views on this though (as you will see

fishie · 05/03/2009 17:45

i don't drive so can't quite work out the practicalities here, if you carried him to the car why didn't you pay the ticket on the way? i probably wouldn't leave him, but i think that car parks are death traps anyway.

long ago when i did drive got shouted at for leaving a dog in a car for 30 seconds, people do seem to have very strong opinions about this sort of thing.

screamingabdab · 05/03/2009 17:45

YANBU
It's about assessing risk, and I think your assessment was right.

5inthebed · 05/03/2009 17:45

Can't see the problem if your child was securely fastened in his car seat and the car was in sight.

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 05/03/2009 17:46

yanbu -lokks like you have a consensus - the bloke was a busybody who had obviously never had to deal with the situation - proabably has wife to do that stuff....

JazzHands · 05/03/2009 17:47

YANBU.

justaboutindisguise · 05/03/2009 17:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ilovemydogandMrObama · 05/03/2009 17:48

I got shot down in flames on one of these threads before.

You have to judge the situation, but generally would say that I would never leave an ill child alone in any circumstances, or a child unrestrained.

Other than that, I think that sometimes it's preferable, and safer, to leave a child in a car seat for a few minutes, than take them out unnecessarily.

DorisIsAPinkDragon · 05/03/2009 17:51

I have 2 and woiuld DEF do this, it is so much safer than the prospect of either child escaping across the car park.

Original poster
Itsjustafleshwound · 05/03/2009 17:53

Thanks all - I don't mind being shuted at when I am in the wrong ... but at least the passerby took a view on the situation ..

OP posts:
MarlaSinger · 05/03/2009 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Itsjustafleshwound · 05/03/2009 17:56

even shouted at ...

OP posts:
Galava · 05/03/2009 17:59

YANBU I would and do, do the same

Maybe the man thought you had left him to go shopping >

DoThisDoThat · 05/03/2009 18:16

I hope you told him to eff off. Busybody with nothing better to do. Bloody ridiculous.

grumblinalong · 05/03/2009 18:30

What is it with these people who think that they can come up and tell you off about the decisions you make about your OWN child?

I would have replied wide eyed and innocent 'Not a good idea to nip off shopping then?'

Twunt.

Blondeshavemorefun · 05/03/2009 18:32

many do

yanbu - much safer to leave in car (where you can see car) and get ticket, rather than get child out etc