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Original poster

Does anyone leave their child in the car when shopping?

157 replies

opinionsrus · 14/01/2007 06:59

Just wanted to know what the "proper" situation is with this as there seems to be no guidlines.

Is it ok to leave a baby in the car if fast asleep?

Is it ok to leave toddler in the car if happy?

Not including summer months when it is boiling of course, when you wouldn't or you make sure windows left open (which would present another risk as sm could get in).

Is there a "rule" that its ok to pop in to the local shop for milk, say, but not elsewhere (to leave in large supermarket car park), I don't mean to do an hours shopping, just for a couple of bits?

Just out of interest. Is it just your own judgement? My DS comes with me, but just wondered if it is supposedly ok to leave them too???

OP posts:
3andnomore · 14/01/2007 10:41

Oh, just a lil incidence I remember right now...a friend of mine left her 4year old ds and Babygirl (under a year at the time) in the car whilest popping into the tesco...not sure if for a big or a small shop, and her son got out of his seat (but may just have been a Boosterseat.......this was 10 years ago, before the new laws....)and tempered with the Breaks and basically the car rolled back into another car....so, that was probably not so good....must say that es was over 6 years old by the time he was ever allowed to stay in the car if I would just go a quick shop...and he knew not to touch anything...

brimfull · 14/01/2007 10:42

Agree with DG snd geekgirl,always leave ds in the car if I'm nipping in somewhere.If there is a massive queue then I'll go and get him.

3andnomore · 14/01/2007 10:43

How do others do it when they leave their Kids in the car?
I lock the door, but don't put the alarm on, and es knows how to undo the cardoor, should there be a need for that.

DumbledoresGirl · 14/01/2007 10:45

NurseryJo, dh would probably say I would! I am exceptionally careless about most things!

But no, I wouldn't. But then a purse or a piece of jewellery is easily snatched up and puts up no resitance. My children are not and would! Do you really think the world is full of people who want to snatch your child? Even if you do, I don't think many would want to take on my four all at once!

100PerCentCod · 14/01/2007 10:45

oh god i do.

LadyTophamHatt · 14/01/2007 10:50

Yes, I do.

To pay for petrol, milk etc. Only ever in the shop about 3minutes.
It would take 10 longer to getthem all out the car then back in.

Plus if I take them all in they'll all want chocolate, if i go alone I can buy some just for me and hide it until they've gone to bed

DumbledoresGirl · 14/01/2007 10:51

Look, it is a ridiculous thing to feel guilt over. My children walk to school by themselves. At least when they are in the car, they are not exposing themselves to all the dangers out in the world. They are only in the car because they are too lazy to want to come round the shop with me - I do not deny them the opportunity to come with me if they want to - so if they are too lazy to get out and walk roudn a shop, they are certainly not likely to decide to get out and play around in the car park.

As for locking the door - no I don't. I would have done in the old days when our car had no alarm, but now our car has an alarm and I am ashamed to say I have never worked out how to immobilise it. But anyway, I would prefer it that my children could open the door easily in an emergency than be locked in away from all those marauding child snatchers patrolling supermarket car parks.

100PerCentCod · 14/01/2007 10:57

god oyu lot are overprotective

park outside one stop
run in get milk run out

zookeeper · 14/01/2007 10:59

Agree with cod

tigermoth · 14/01/2007 11:01

Not at all surprised to hear that toddlers are most at risk from accidents in car parks and petrol stations. It's what I have always instinctively felt, so I often left my sons in the car while I got petrol.

I think you have to decide for yourself. No good leaving your children alone in the car if they will fight with each other, fiddle with the controls or open the door and escape. For instance, I left my 6 year old in the car outside a greengrocers. I was gone for 5 minutes. When I returned he was clutching his finger in agony as he had put it in the cigarette lighter socket.

You have to do continual risk assessments as they get older - just because they were ok to be left in the car 6 months ago does not mean they are ok to be left now. Bigger, active children can be more or a risk than smaller ones.

bigknickersbigknockers · 14/01/2007 11:12

Yes I do, to nip into tesco when I only need a couple of things. If it looks busy I take them in with me. I leave DD in car whilst I drop DS2 at pre school because when I take her in I getlots of other children kissing her and it takes twice as long as it would had I left her in the car right outside.

bigknickersbigknockers · 14/01/2007 11:13

glad to see Cods typing hasnt improved whilst she had a break from MN

pointydog · 14/01/2007 11:47

There are no guidelines or rules for this sort of thing - cripes, I can just imagine if there were!

"(which would present another risk as sm could get in)."

who or what is sm?

DumbledoresGirl · 14/01/2007 11:47

"someone" I think pointydog.

pointydog · 14/01/2007 11:55

ah, thanks dg

paulaplumpbottom · 14/01/2007 12:03

I would never do this. You'd have to be crzy to.

WideWebWitch · 14/01/2007 12:04

I leave mine at petrol stations, it wouldn't occur to me to take them out. I would pop into a shop where I could see them too, although I wouldn't leave them if I was going to be gone for any length of time.

Kazziegirl · 14/01/2007 12:38

No I never have, either at petrol station or supermarket or even when collecting DS from school - I've seen lots of other Mums leave their younger children asleep when picking up the older ones. I was freaked out a few years ago when hearing on the news of 2 children who died when their Mum left them in the car asleep on her drive and the car caught fire and they couldn't get them out in time.

bandstand · 14/01/2007 12:44

only petrol station... not school or nursery .. may be 2 minute dash to shops but my ds dont remember what age opened the window and was waving his arm out, at passing cars, so decided tat was a bad idea after all!

Greensleeves · 14/01/2007 12:51

I would at a petrol station, although I'd be a bit nervous and would try to be quick.

Leaving a child in a supermarket car park is just plain wrong IMO. It's an unnacceptable risk and it's cruel. I remember really hating it when I was a child.

Lorina · 14/01/2007 12:51

I would never have left mine in the car alone.

Anything could happen. What if another car crashed into your parked car ?
What if your car got stolen with your kids in it ? That has happened.

NurseyJo · 14/01/2007 12:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

geekgrrl · 14/01/2007 12:55

errr - if another car was driving erratically enough to crash into your car, they may just as well crash into your child as he/she crossed the forecourt with you. I dare say it's less damaging to be inside a car than out in that case.

bandstand · 14/01/2007 12:56

we used to sit in the pub car park with lemonade and crisps...as children.

ProfYaffle · 14/01/2007 12:56

I leave dd in the car at petrol stations, our local Safeway petrol station used to have a sign up telling parents to leave their children in the car when paying. Wouldn't leave her outside a supermarket though.