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Original poster

What do you do with your child/ren when you fill up with petrol?

69 replies

fadingfast · 07/10/2008 22:07

Dh says he has always taken ds with him when he goes to pay. I try to avoid filling the car with petrol, but when I have to I have always left him (locked) in the car . We now have a dd to factor in and I am in a quandry about whether it is acceptable or safe to leave them. What does everyone else do? Ds is 4, dd 6 months.

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LittleBella · 07/10/2008 22:09

I go to the pay at the pump ones

Failing that, I tell DS (9) to take the car for a bit of a spin while I pay...

BlackPussyCat · 07/10/2008 22:09

Pay At Pump at Tesco's... though sometimes this facility is out of order on which occasions I have had to leave ds locked in the car. Really don't like doing it though

snice · 07/10/2008 22:10

Give them the squeegee and get them to clean the windscreen

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dizzywitches · 07/10/2008 22:11

I leave them in the car, they're never out of my sight and I think its safer than watching all 3 run riot on the forecourt

LittleBella - can't wait till dd1 who is only 5yrs can reach the pedals and shall go down that route too!!

Friendlypizzaeater · 07/10/2008 22:11

Take him in - I always remember when I was having driving lessons my instructors best friends car had gone up in flames with his 5 yr daughter in the back and he couldn't get her out - he saw her burn, so I never risk this even though its a pain in the bum !!!!

SuperPsychoTrollSlayer · 07/10/2008 22:11

I leave ine now, but when they were tiny I always got DH to fill the car.

saved me money

jelliebelly · 07/10/2008 22:12

Avoid filling up when ds is with me if possible. Otherwise use pay at pump if out of order then take ds (3) in with me.

canofworms · 07/10/2008 22:12

I've heard both sides of the argument but I leave mine firmly strapped in in the locked car. I try and pick a pump i can see from the cash desk and they've never tried to get out. Think it's far safer than trying to get them out of the car and across the forecourt safely

elliott · 07/10/2008 22:12

I go and pay. Always have.
this is one of those recurring threads that always leaves me wondering if I live in a parallel universe. It would never occur to me to haul them out of the car while I pay.

Martha200 · 07/10/2008 23:56

I use the pay at pump ones to avoid what to do!

BloodshotEyeballsintheScarySky · 08/10/2008 00:22

Pay at pump and never let it get low enough to be desperate. Wouldn't leave dd as pumps are always too far from shop but occasionally will pop in for bread quickly if no queue and car parked right outside. Don't like doing it though.

IdrisTheDragon · 08/10/2008 00:28

Generally leave them in the car (DS nearly 5, DD 3).

NappiesLaGore · 08/10/2008 00:48

me too elliott - never occured to me to think about dragging them in till i read one of these threads on here.
but then, i had 3 under 3. given that im not the incredible hulk, its prob safer all round if they just stay in the car starpped in

Slurch · 08/10/2008 00:50

yes Nappies, I am guessing that trying to keep three dc safe on a forecourt presents more of a risk than them being saffely strapped in their car seats.

NappiesLaGore · 08/10/2008 00:52

ooh just you wait slurch, People will be along shortly to tell you what Terrible Parenting that is....

Slurch · 08/10/2008 00:59

aye aye but I have late night impunity. In that I can post inflammatory remarks and then only log in again at midnight tomorrow

Acinonyx · 08/10/2008 10:01

I leave dd (3) in the car but always within sight of me - sometimes that means pulling the car up to the shop before paying. When she was under 2 I used to haul her in with me but that was largely because she was scared to be left in the car. I wouldn't attempt that with two. We are out in the boonies so pay at pump is not always an option.

The chances of something happening to her in the car are considerably less than if she gets out.

elliott · 08/10/2008 10:38

Also, I don't think we have pay at the pump here - I've not seen it at the pumps I use regularly anyway.

CharleeInChains · 08/10/2008 10:40

I pay at pump.

If i can't i generally lock them in the car and alarm it and then watch from the garage at all times.

becklespeckle · 08/10/2008 10:46

Pay at pump if available, if not I lock them in, I can't imagine that dragging them all across the forecourt is safe at all.

willali · 08/10/2008 12:08

I'm with you elliott - what do people think will actually happen in the time it takes to pay at the counter??

LindzDelirium · 08/10/2008 12:47

lock DD in car - she's 6 though and she knows how to unlock door if there is a problem.

darkpunk · 08/10/2008 12:49

leave them in the car.

tortoiseshellWasMusicaYearsAgo · 08/10/2008 12:50

Leave them in the car.

littlestrawberry · 08/10/2008 12:51

I use pay at pump if I can but otherwise leave them in the car, locked generally. I don't think I've ever been to a petrol station where I couldn't see my car from the shop.

The reason I lock the car is I genuinely think my 4 and 6 year old boys are much more likely to decide to get out of the car than the car is to catch fire with them stuck in it.