Leaving kids in the car

[Niddlynono]

I was listening to the radio this evening and they had a discussion about the woman who had left her kids at home while she went on holiday. They had someone on the show who ran a parenting website (not Mumsnet) who was commenting on various situations where children might be left and was basically saying that it's not necessary to take a baby, particularly one that's sleeping, out of the car at a petrol station while you go in to pay.

I just wondered what other parents do in that situation. My view is that if I wouldn't leave a £5 on my dashboard when I go to pay, why on earth would I leave the most precious thing in my life in my car? When DS was a baby, even if he was asleep I'd get him out of his car seat and take him with me.

I'd be interested to hear what you all think.

Totally agree, perverts are just waiting for that kind of opportunity.

This subject has come up before a few times - you will find about five hundred opinions if you do a search!
And it gets a bit heated sometimes!

I leave my 2.5 in her car seat when I go to pay if it isn't busy. I obviously lock all the doors but if it is busy and I will queing to pay then I take her with me.

I grew up in a place where people are carjacked at gunpoint - and sometimes, unfortunately, their kids are in the car and that's the last time their parents see them alive. There is NO way I will EVER, EVER leave my child in a car w/me not in it. It's just something I can't do.

I have nver left DD (3yo) in the car at a ptrol station, or anywhere. Never intend to either.

heres one
I leave both my kids in the car when I go to pay - always have done.

oh arse are "perverts waiting for the opportunity"

I have ranted about this exact same subject before on mumsnet and I'll do it again.

It is not dangerous to leave a child in the car for a couple of minutes while you pay for petrol or whatever. In fact, at a garage, it is more dangerous to drag them accross the forecourt with you. Cars kill far more children than do perverts and car jackers combined in the UK.

When have you ever heard of somebody smashing a car window in order to steal a baby?

There is a woman I pass every day bringing dd home from nursery who leaves three young children locked in her car while she walks the 200 yards to the school, picks up anotherchild, and then walks back. She can be gone sometimes for 20 minutes. It horrifies me that she can be so blase where young children are concerned.

never left dd in the car on her own. dp did it once, when he went to the chippy. he was parked right outside the door, could see her and it took him 2 minutes to get his order. he said afterwards he would never do that again as he was just so anxious.

I wouldn't leave mine for 20 minutes. I would for 5 minutes though, and I have, lots of times.

but, WWB, if she took the 3 with her and came back with 5, how safe would they be then? She only has 2 hands!

ISn't it only recently that people started fussing over this - when I was a kid we were all left in the car all the time, weren't we? Or was it just my mum!

I don't want to start a ruck, I just thought that it was a bit irresponsible for someone, who had been invited onto the show, as an 'expert' to suggest that parents do leave babies in the car.

I'm not passing judgment on other parents who may well leave their children in the car in this kind of situation - also I realise that where you live will probably have a huge impact on whether you would leave them or not. I live in London which is perhaps why I would always take DS with me. If, say I was in a deserted petrol station in a remote country lane, perhaps I wouldn't wake DS up.

never left dd in car at a petrol station when she was little , but i do now. but she is 10. wouldn't have left her out of sight before she was 8 or so.

But they do, Bbb - within reason, in certain circumstances, it is safer than taking them out.

What will happen if you can see the car from where you are?

I left DS when I went to get petrol today. Figured he was safer in the car than wriggling to get down as I walked across the forecourt.

How about people with a toddler and a baby? Twins? Twins and a toddler? Should they unload them all each time they get petrol?

but bexibooboo, she's dead right to suggest that. being an expert she will know that it is no more dangerous than crossing the road with them.

BBB, I live in London too.

don't remember doing it with dd1 but with dd2 i have to admit, the petrol station is a spa and it's all glass front, IF there isn't a qeueue(sp)and IF i have the right money to chuck at them, i have left dd2 in the car-locked.
I do feel a bit guilty but totally agree with SP, i'm sure some survey will have been done, (let's face it it has about everything else on the planet), to prove that statistically it's more dangerous getting them out on a petrol forecourt.

Until I discovered mumsnet I never would have believed that anyone took their children with them when they went to pay for petrol! Nobody I know in real life does.

hunkermonker, exactly, i have a 4 year old and 4 month old!!

Am v interested to know what's going to happen if you leave your locked car in full view of you while you pay for petrol.

Angeliz, I have a 15mo who will be 21mo when DB is born. No way will I get them both out - I don't get him out!

i leave DS even if i am just running into the local shop. what i need and where i pay is still where i can see the car at all times and it is obviously locked and he's asleep. i feel it would be unfair to wake him and i can see him at all times i'm no more than a few yards away.

Just go to Tesco's pay at the pump

I've never left dd or ds fwiw. But I am a worrier-type person who can always dream up awful scenarios.