What age would you leave a child in a car for 3 minutes?

[ThatsGoingToHurt]

After dropping DS at pre-school was accosted my a parent who told me they were going to report me to the police for leaving my 6 year old child for 3 minutes in a car. I left DC1 in the car whilst I dropped DC2 to pre-school (DC1 school doesn’t have a pre-school). It was not hot this morning and the car was locked. School is on a quiet residential street not a busy main road. I was parked maybe 20/30ft from the school gates. Quickly walked DC2 to the pre-school entrance and handed him over with no chit chat. When I got back DC1 was still sat happily in the car and asked me why the lady was staring at her.

😆😆😆😆😆

I leave my children (8 & 5) in the car for a few minutes all the time! I think it depends on the child, if you know they are going to be ok and well behaved then not a problem. By the time you get them in and out the car, I could have done what I needed and be back!
I also leave them at home whilst I pop over the road/next door/to the post box etc.
How are children supposed to learn about responsibility and behaviour if we never give them a chance?!

Actually, I have left my eldest at home when she was I'll to take my son to school (2 min walk up the road). I wasn't dragging out a poorly child in the cold for no reason.

It's fine. If your child is sensible, I cannot see an issue. She's paranoid.

I’d have done the same, very minimal risk of anything happening. Only possible risks could be someone crashing into the car, and equally they would be just as likely to crash into you walking, or perhaps stealing the car with the child in it. I can’t see many thieves selecting to steal a car with a 6yr old sat in it.

It depends on the maturity and personality of the child. As someone who works in a primary school, I would say approx 50% of our 6 year olds would be sensible and confident enough to be left in the car for a few minutes without us being concerned by the parent's decision.

It depends on the maturity and personality of the child. As someone who works in a primary school, I would say approx 50% of our 6 year olds would be sensible and confident enough to be left in the car for a few minutes without us being concerned by the parent's decision.

I think its fine 🙂

If I can't see the car, then no I wouldn't do it.

Petrol station, I only ever use a pump nearest the window for this reason.

I do the same with my eldest - it was pouring down this morning so left her in the car while I dropped DC2 off. Took a couple of minutes, I could see the car the whole time.

Unless you are on a teenager thread, then they should be doing their own washing, ironing, cooking a 4 course meal and have a sideline job by age 6.

OP, let her report away. If ds was happy to stay, then I do not see the issue.

What do you think is going to happen that will be prevented by you being able to see through the window?

😂 ahh, don't forget brain maturity isn't complete until around 25..😉

DC1 is sensible and she was still sat with her seatbelt on. I can take her with me but this morning she had decided to be a pickle and take her shoes off.

Normally, DC1 goes to breakfast club so would be the first drop not the second.

If you are within sight of the car and it’s only one child any age. Out of sight and with siblings maybe not.

Cars are tricky ones. I agree that it's not practical always to supervise your children 100% of the time and sometimes you have to leave them in a safe place for a couple of minutes. I've left my DC in the house (older child watching TV, baby in the highchair) while I've knocked on our (attached) neighbour's door to give them a parcel.

But I don't think cars are particularly safe places to leave children unaccompanied. They can overheat, run electrical faults, lock unexpectedly, randomly catch on fire and people steal them. It's not unknown for cars to be stolen with young children inside. Maybe safer if you have an old banger like we have that no one in their right mind would want 😁.

@Clymene well I'd certainly be able to step in if there was a suspicious character near the car!

Wouldn’t leave my DD (5.5) but mostly because she’s just not very sensible and I don’t trust her not to fiddle with the handbreak or whatever. I think the risk of the car being stolen with her in it is very low (especially my 16 year Old Ford focus)

I always say within sight and able to get to in seconds fine, especially at a school as someone would help if something happened. Other places, maybe not, I was once sitting in a car myself and a drunk guy came over and started pounding on the windscreen, and this was in the morning l!!!!! I also never agree with kids being left outside a shop/petrol station as my dad was once in a car outside the pharmacy and a car hit into him.

I'm really struggling to see what on earth this woman thinks is going to happen? Surely if your 6 year old is relaxed about being left, and you're pretty close and it's a busy school run, the risks are low? Assuming you don't live in the middle of Kiev or something.

And I'm not buying the comparison to a handbag or laptop vs a child. the reality is that there are a LOT more people who would smash a window for an opportunity to steal a handbag than they are who would grab a child.

If I could see the car, from birth? Unable to see the car, from about 3/4ish. Ill leave my 7 year old with his 11 year old brother if I'm nipping shop and just take my 5 year old with me. I'll leave all 3 in the house if I'm taking the bins out and get chatting to the neighbours etc. I live in a very safe and rural area though. I would probably feel differently in a city.

Really not seeing the issue with doing this

when the child is old enough to be trusted to leave the car and walk to come get me if something goes wrong.

so it very much depends on personality and setting. Lots of cars whizzing around, much, much older. Quiet area and it’s very obvious where to come find me, much younger.

I'd let the Karen report you and let her have the police / social services laugh in her face when they explain that nipping out for a few moments leaving a 6 year old is totally fine and in no way a crime. What did she think was going to happen? Someone smash their way into your locked car and kidnap your child? The car spontaneously combust? Aliens???

In Europe people leave their babies sleeping in prams in the street whilst they go into cafes for coffee. It's fine. Zero kidnapping. No one traumatised.

People in this country are ridiculous.