Can anyone tell me if it's against the law ...

[Ghouleez]

to leave your baby in the car whilst you pop into the shop.

If my DS has fallen asleep in the car before I get to the shop then I'm damned if I'm going to wake him up so he can cry and do his ironing board impression whilst I struggle to lever him into a cold trolley seat.

If he has gone to sleep I sometimes do a big shop as I know roughly how long he sleeps for and that he doesn't cry when he wakes up.

Is this 'allowed' though?

I know Child minders are not allowed to leave their mindees in a car alone but that I understand.

Do you honestly leave your ds in teh car whilst you do a big shop??
Would you leave your most expensive belonging on the back seat of your car? I bet you wouldn't.

If I saw your baby in the car I'd report it.

I have no problem with nipping in somewhere quickly but doing a big shop - no way.

OMG!! never would I leave my child in car sleeping whilst I do my weekly shop.
Is this a troll?

hercules - if I saw a baby alone in a car and no sign of the parents nearby, I would also phone the police.

The law IS confusing on this sofa but I guess common sence comes in to it.

same here belgo

I think that if this isnt a troll post it is absolutely shocking. I cant believe you would leave a baby in a car while you go and do a big shop - what the hell would you do if god forbid something happened to the car?

Irresponsible behaviour whether its against the law or not.

Just done a search on the op and she is a childminder. I suggest you are very careful as any accusations of neglet towards you won't bode well with your job.

Ahh. I must confess to doing something which might be against the law. I sometimes leave DS2 (20 months) strapped in the car, parked across the street from school, when I drop DS1 and a friends I drive to school. This is only on the day when the friend has guitar lessons, and both boys are toting rucksacks, reading bags AND lunchboxes (as well as said guitar). I quickly run in and out after depositing children and gear (max 10 minutes).

Otherwise, I would have to carry a squirming DS2 PLUS all the gear, which is far more dangerous.

Is is against the law?

I can remember being left in the car with my friend whilst her mum 'popped' to the shops. She was gone so long (I don't know how long, but any length of time waiting when you are 6 feels like forever) that we let ourselves out of the car to find her .

I would never leave either of my DC in the car, even for 10 minutes. What if another car crashed into it, you would never forgive yourself!

SO you take your kids in with you to pay for petrol?

Can't say I'd leave a child that age for 10 minutes. Getting petrol is a different scenario altogether- doesnt take 10 minutes, you're in full view of car, safer to leave them in car than take across forecourt etc.

I use the 'drive-thru' petrol station

Well, guess I'll just have to leave DS2 at home with a fairly neglectful DH next time (trust me, he's safer in the car - DH would leave DS2 in the playroom alone for hours at a time and only come down (maybe) if he heard an explosion!).

Re petrol station: yes, normally it does only take a few minutes, but there is one I use which also has a M&S mini mart attached and sometimes there is a long queue making the wait more than 5 minutes.

Well then you have bigger issues than if leaving your ds in the car alone for 10 minutes is a safer option than leaving him at home with your dh.

You see I would in your case get petrol from a place that didnt have such a long queue rather than leaving a child this age for 10 mins.

Um, sometimes I don't have a choice (it's on a motorway!).

I dont want to labour the point but I dont agree you dont have a choice. Surely you either just make sure you have enough petrol or take the child in with you.
I've never had to be in a position where I've had to leave a child this age alone in a car for 10 minutes even now they are 13 and 6.

Of course now they are older it's different and they can be left but the situation has never arisen where I've had to.

As a child my sister and I were left in the car for up to an hour at a time while my mum went to various shops in our local town. One time my sister was very poorly and was sick all over herself, she must have been a maximum of 4 years old as my brother wasnt born, It was a horrid experience and thats the reason why I would never do it.

If you are a childminder that is even more shocking - im glad you are not mine!

I think it's more dangerous to take my DS out of the car when I'm getting petrol than leave him in it.

I agree scarymonster but is it safer if the child is left for 10 minutes? WOuldnt you rather go to a place where it would only take 2-3 minutes?

didn't someone post yesterday about leaving the children to pop into sainsburys and eldest ds climbed out of the car window and stood crying in the carpark? And it wasn't the first time it had happened....

tells you all you need to know really.....

there is always online shopping...