leaving kids in the car -- evil or sensible?

[oregonianabroad]

Is it totally wrong to be tempted to leave kids in the car just for a few minutes to avoid waking them and strapping them into pushchairs? I sometimes think it would be so much easier to leave them in and pop inside for a minute, but always worry that something terrible could happen while I was in the shop or whatever (but of course, we could all be flattened by a bus on the way in, or even more likely, my 2 year old could pull over a shelffull of crap in his quest for getting whatever he wants). Just curious what other people think?

there are very different scenarios here

1. leave your child, strapped in their car seat, in a locked car, for at most a couple of minutes while you pop inside to grab a bag/pay for petrol etc. and all the time they are seconds from you and within sight at all time

2. leaving a child in a car while you go into a shop/nursery whatever and they are out of sight and more than a few seconds away.

i would do 1), do it all the time infact, and no way is that neglect
i would never do 2 though.

they are not the same thing.

"although it is illegal to leave a child unattended (anywhere)"

Which country are you referring to Nightshade? It is not illegal in the UK. Perfectly legal to leave say a 15 year old home alone for an evening. You remain responsible for him, but it is not illegal.

Right so at what age would you do 2)? Surely before the child is 16?

it is not illegal afaik, and I don't think anyone is going to be prosecuted or have ss on them for living their kids in sight in a car for a few mins. I used to always leave the dts in the car, in the nursery car park where I cud see them, but had to walk slightly further than across a petrol forecourt. I actually had social services turn up there one day (for an unrelated matter) and they didn't comment at all about the dts in the car.

my DCs are 3 and 1 so i can't say at what age i would feel comfortable doing 2).

but my niece is 13, i would leave her in the car for 10 mins i suppose. but then she has her mobile and could call me!

i used to get left in my dads car with a bottle of pop and bag of crisps while my parents had a drink in a pub for a few hours!

You would leave a 13yo for 10 mins? I would leave a 13yo for 1/2 hour or more (say doing full supermarket) if said 13yo were happy with that.

I was appalled when my DH left our DS1 2 at the time in the car while he went into supermarket to buy flowers and champagne to congratulate me on delivering DS2 safely! Apparently DS1 was asleep and remained so but he'd have been terrified if he'd woken up not to mention the hideous things that could've happened! Needless to say I don't think he'll do the same again when no 3 arrives,,,, his ears have only just cooled after last time's roasting!