"absolutely acceptable to leave a child"

[prufrock]

Has anyone else read the unbelievable story about the English couple arrested in NY because they left their 4 month old in a locked car by herself whilst they went into a shopping centre? Their defence is that the Americans have blown this out of all proportion because it is completely culturally acceptable to do this in Great Britain!

I posted the wrong report - meant it to be this one.

Couldn't the 3 yr old have had a quick and discreet wee by the side of the car? And I also don't see why both parents needed to go.

I lived in Israel for a while, and it seemed quite usual there to leave children in a car if you were going to the shops. Sometimes in the heat of summer the consequences were tragic

I agree. It's completely acceptable for a dog to wee on a tree. Why on earth can't a 3 year old?
I have to admit that this is one of my ds's favorite things about road trips. I let him wee on things by the side of the road rather than brave petrol station loos.

SofiaAmes, your message made me laugh. One of DD's favourite things baout long car journeys is stopping for a "gate wee". She was outraged when we did a long m'way journey recently and insisted that she hold on until we got to a service station.