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Parenting

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Original poster

Am I a bad mother if

36 replies

millibear · 14/02/2007 11:49

I leave my child locked in the car in their car seat for five mins when i pop in the shop? Just wondering!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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BandofMothers · 14/02/2007 11:58

Depends where you are really.
Not judging, but I wouldn't. Just not worth the risk.
I have, once, left them in the car while I paid for petrol, but it was a tiny station, my car was right outside the window, and I could see them all the time. Could've got out to them within 5 secs.
How old is dc?

Original poster

millibear · 14/02/2007 12:02

Have always done it tbh, . Probably coz my parents always did it with us.

OP posts:

LEMONADEGIRL · 14/02/2007 12:05

i have this dilemma also. i have once or twice to pay for petrol and other times people will see a 5ft mum struggling around local shop lugging heavy car seat with bread under other arm

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Sheraz · 14/02/2007 12:07

I do quite regularly. I think if there are plenty of people around the chnces of someone trying to break into your car a relativley low. DS2 aged 4 always falls asleep on way to school to collect ds. i always leave him locked in the car while I run and grab ds 1 ( about 5mins in total). There are lots of people around and figure if someone did try and steal ds2 someone would notice!

3LoveHeartsAndNoMore · 14/02/2007 12:11

depends on the age of your child a bit.
I always leave my Kids in teh car at a petrol station, but shops, I would only do it if my es is with me, he is 10....!
But of course depends what shop you mean, what sort of area it is in, how the parking is organised, etc...

Original poster

millibear · 14/02/2007 12:13

I do that too sheraz, when collecting dd1. Just occured to me this morning that i seemed to be the only one doing this. Was getting a bit worried that maybe it was frowned apon.

OP posts:

ComeOVeneer · 14/02/2007 12:15

Each to their own, and I would never call you a bad mother, however, I am only comfortable leaving the children in the car when paying for petrol, I wouldn't leave them no matter how quick I was, if they were out of sight.

Original poster

millibear · 14/02/2007 12:17

Only like a corner shop for pint of milk, or during pick ups or drop offs to preschool etc. Somewhere where your only a minute away. but maybe out of sight.

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ComeOVeneer · 14/02/2007 12:26

I'm not critising, it is just not what I would do. Plus I can't trust ds(2) not to get out of his car seat and climb into the front and either do something to the car or open the door and get out.

mylittlestar · 14/02/2007 12:26

Entirely up to you IMO

I leave ds in the car when paying for petrol, as long as he is in my sight. But wouldn't go into a shop where he was out of sight. But that's just me!

DetentionGrrrl · 14/02/2007 12:27

i wouldn't.

car thieves? or a car ploughing into yours while you're away? or someone reporting you?

Original poster

millibear · 14/02/2007 12:32

Reporting you?! Do you really think so. I really hadnt thought about all this. Am I really in the minority here?

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hunkermunker · 14/02/2007 12:33

I wouldn't do it if the children were out of sight.

But I do leave them on our drive if they're asleep.

And I do leave them to go and pay for petrol (anyone who takes a 2yo and a baby across a forecourt is insane).

DetentionGrrrl · 14/02/2007 12:34

stranger things have happened- there are alot of nosey do-gooders who'd be pleased to report an unattended little one in a car

Aimsmum · 14/02/2007 12:35

Message withdrawn

TeeCee · 14/02/2007 12:40

I do it every day twice a day.

Once when I walk DD1 round to her class. DD2 is in locked car in school car park.

And then again when we get home at night. I park in my road (no drive) and I carry a sleeping DD1 in upstairs, put her into bed then come back out and get DD2.

I also left DD2 the other day and ran into Waitrose to get a pink of milk. She was asleep or I would have taken her in. I could see her at all times apart from when I was deep into the aisle grabbing th milk but the whole wall is glass and looks out onto the bay where I had parked.

Original poster

millibear · 14/02/2007 12:41

ok, so honestly, if you see someone doing this. what do you think?

OP posts:

DetentionGrrrl · 14/02/2007 12:46

honestly? i think 'i wouldn't do that' because X, Y and Z could happen.

I'm not going to say you're a bad mother, because i don't think you are. That's your parenting choice, and mine is mine.

SmileysPeople · 14/02/2007 12:54

I was thinking 'No I wouldn't do that!!'

Then read people say they don't pay for petrol and leave kids in car

So rethink: 'Yes I do that.'

Only at petrol station though.

Blimey do you all get them out to go and pay?? What a faff. I hate having to get petrol as it is.

hunkermunker · 14/02/2007 12:58

It's more dangerous to get children out on a forecourt, IMO.

I don't really think anything other than "hmm, that'd be handy, but knowing my luck a freak boulder would crush the car".

mistypeaks · 14/02/2007 13:19

I take mine with me. Such a pain I try to never do 'little' shops so I only take them to supermarket in trolley rather than trying to wrestle 19 month and 6 month old round a tiny corner shop for a bottle of milk!!! This has reminded me of the time i dh had asked me to grab some fags for him on my way back from midwife I was 8 months pregnant and had the then 10 month (i think maths not good!!) in back seat. As I was only going to be a second I considered whether it was worth leaving her asleep in car. Couldn't do it in the end so I take her in. Oh my word the looks I got at the counter!!! I can see how bad that may have looked. I should have said to the assistant "YEAH BUT NO BUT YEAH they're not for me they're for my friend hayley who can't come and get them "cus she's been tagged and on curfew and anyway SHUTUP!!!" - sorry to ramble on . . .

Enid · 14/02/2007 13:20

I have done it many times.

drifter · 14/02/2007 13:33

I think once you've done it once, you do it all the time. It's the same with the 'would you leave your kids alone in the house while you popped down the road' question. At some point, most people do, and once you've done it once, you start to feel OK about it.

hunkermunker · 14/02/2007 13:35

PMSL Mistypeaks

Caligula · 14/02/2007 13:51

Oh no not this one again.

Yes you're automatically a bad mother, because if you leave them in the car, they will be abducted by a car thief and if you take them out, the hijacker who was waiting for you and your children to arrive, will proceed to hold you all hostage at the till.

Either way, you'll be considered a bad mother by someone. Does that help?

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