Poll Clicky - for Parents and Moms-to-Be

DownToEarthGirl

Poll about leaving kids alone in a car (presumably in a safe neighborhood/place).

[Poll]

Mrs.Greeko

That's funny DH and I were just talking about this. My parents used to leave us in the car all the time to run into the store or whatever.  Nowadays it seems like the cops get called if you do that with any kid under like 12.

stella_blu

I've left Harper in the cr in our garage when I forgot something inside. I've also left her in the car when I dropped stuff off, but I never go in. To me iif it's similar to pumping gas, she will stay in the car buckled up. I think it will be a long time before I run into the gas station or whatnot while she is in the car though. 

RoxBride

She'd have to be really old for me to leave her sight.

That said, I do wonder what age would be appropriate to run in somewhere if she's in sight the entire time - like our dry cleaners, where I'd be about 7 feet from my car, in  sight all the time, and only takes maybe 3 minutes, tops.

DownToEarthGirl

I fully admit to doing this, but also being nervous about it.  I probably did it starting around 3 with B when I would go into a house to get my 1 yr old from daycare.  Now - especially when I pick-up both boys from daycare.  Often B stays in the car while I go grab M - I'm out of site about 3-5 min max - through a door with a window to the car drop-off pick-up parking, but I also have taught B how to call 911 and I always leave him my phone.  Now I don't ever leave M in the car when I get B, b/c it's past a fence, around a school corner and down in the basement from the parking lot.  Doesn't really make it any better, I still leave kids in the car unattended. 

MTJunebride

My friend's sister got a child neglect ticket from the cops for doing this in Chicago with one young kid (about 1) and an older sibling (about 5) while she ran into a convenience store to buy diapers.  The younger one had a major blowout in her diaper while in the car and she was out of clean diapers.  She would never normally leave them alone even for a few minutes, but I guess she made a judgement call and definitely paid the price.  

DownToEarthGirl

MTJunebride:

My friend's sister got a child neglect ticket from the cops for doing this in Chicago with one young kid (about 1) and an older sibling (about 5) while she ran into a convenience store to buy diapers.  The younger one had a major blowout in her diaper while in the car and she was out of clean diapers.  She would never normally leave them alone even for a few minutes, but I guess she made a judgement call and definitely paid the price.  

I would be pissed b/c honestly, who best to watch my kid while I run into the store than a cop. 

In all reality, I've never done it at a public place like this and that would make me really nervous at a gas station in Chicago.

MTJunebride

I'm pretty sure it was a residential neighborhood in a wealthy suburb, but I hear was you are saying.  She majorly regretted her decision.

DownToEarthGirl

MTJunebride:

I'm pretty sure it was a residential neighborhood in a wealthy suburb, but I hear was you are saying.  She majorly regretted her decision.

See probably why I still feel nervous doing it, but do it anyway. 

We talked about this with a group of mom friends about 9-months ago and all 6 of us very educated, professional women admited that we had left a kid unattended in the car at some time or another.  Only one of the six didn't feel bad about it, but the rest of us all admitted to it and felt bad...but that didn't stop us. 

WonderRed

Since moving into our building a year and a half ago (when N was 3.5) I have left him in the car maybe 2-3  times to run back into the apartment if I've forgotten something.  Out of sight for no more than one minute and we're in a secured parking garage here and everyone who parks by our car (assigned parking) knows us.   Before this the only time I've left him in the car "alone" was when he was 2, it was below zero and blowing and I had to get windshield wiper fluid at 6 am.   Car parked right in front of the gas station door, no more than 10 feet away from where I was standing, no line for me to wait in, and I could see him the whole time. 

I can't imagine right now when I'll feel comfortable leaving him while I run into the store to buy something for 5-10 minutes or longer, but I'm sure my mom did it with me when I was 6-7.

whitdog23

I have a friend who was arrested for leaving her sleeping 6 year-old in the car while she ran into a gas station to pay because the outside payment was broken.  He was in plain view and the doors were locked and she had the keys with her.  I probably would have done the same thing before I heard about all the trouble, now Im pretty sure I'll be dragging him with me until he's old.

goldenjes

whitdog23:

I have a friend who was arrested for leaving her sleeping 6 year-old in the car while she ran into a gas station to pay because the outside payment was broken.  He was in plain view and the doors were locked and she had the keys with her.  I probably would have done the same thing before I heard about all the trouble, now Im pretty sure I'll be dragging him with me until he's old.

That's ridiculous.  Eight year old kids are legally fine to stay home alone (not that all of them should).  

WonderRed

whitdog23:

I have a friend who was arrested for leaving her sleeping 6 year-old in the car while she ran into a gas station to pay because the outside payment was broken.  He was in plain view and the doors were locked and she had the keys with her.  I probably would have done the same thing before I heard about all the trouble, now Im pretty sure I'll be dragging him with me until he's old.

That's absolutely absurd.