Leaving baby in car

[Naomi]

Would you leave your baby or young child in the car:
* while you returned the trolley to the trolley bay at the supermarket?
* while you filled the tank/paid for petrol?
* while you bring groceries in from the car?
* if you forgot something and had to run back inside?

Our driveway is right next to our front door, and our garage leads straight into the house, so if I need to quickly grab something from the loungeroom I will leave him in his car-seat. If I'm bringing groceries in, I bring him first (with a couple of bags with the 'cold' stuff) and go back for the rest once I've put him down safely). I carry him with me when I return the trolley (okay, and sometimes, I don't take the trolley all the way back to the bay if it's miles away). The petrol one is a toughy - and in fact, I don't recall buying petrol on my own (with Hugo) since he's been born so it hasn't come up. But I don't know what I'd do - especially if the queue was long.

[Pam]

*Guiltily puts hand up hoping no one notices* ..I did all the above when my kids were babies :(

I think times have changed a lot tho *trying to find an excuse*


Come back to add: I'd do a lot of things differently now tho I think, times honestly have changed a lot. I don't think I would be quite so relaxed. I had my children in quiet country towns too.

[Julia]

When I had just Holly I used to bring her in when paying for petrol, but she wasn't walking & it was pretty easy to carry her. Now I have two they stay in the car & I run in & pay. I used to be so against other mothers doing this but I honestly believe it's safer leaving them strapped in than trying to dodge cars with an unpredictable toddler & a new baby. If the queue was long I'd go to another petrol station...if that wasn't an option I'd either sit & wait for the queue to go down or take them with me. This has never happened as I have a choice of about 10 petrol stations so check out which one looks the quietest. I will wait until I can run in & be served immediately. EFTPOS card is already in my hand :)

When I go to the butcher, if I can park right outside I leave the kids in the car, if I can't park directly outside they come with me...again, a huge hassle & risky in itself as I have to carry Matthew & walk with Holly.

Supermarket: They always go in the car first, my trolley was hit by a car recently...thankfully I'd already put the children in the car. I always park close to the bay, so I don't have to walk far.

Home: Well, you've seen my set up. I'm about 20 metres off the road. I leave them in the car while I take the shopping in. That doesn't happen often though, generally I go to the supermarket before Andy goes to work so I don't have to take the kids period.

Any time they're left in the car even if it's for 10 seconds I lock it.

Whatever you do, I think you do what you think is best. I'm not trying to be lazy leaving the kids in the car, I'm weighing up what I think is more dangerous...leaving them strapped in a locked car for 20 seconds or taking them with me & risking Holly running off...which she is prone to do.

I do take exception to people who leave their children for extended periods or where they're out of sight...ie: going into a shopping centre for 5 minutes or gambling at the casino. I think that's downright irresponsible.

[MissieK]

I leave the kids in the car while putting petrol in, but take them inside while paying.

I have left them if I've run inside for something - our car is right next to the front door. And I leave them in the car if I'm taking shopping inside - I don't trust them not to run outside again, or to leave the shopping alone!!

Supermarket - I take the kids with me to return the trolley, or I leave the trolley near the car - depends on how tired/cranky they are & how far away the trolley bay is.

Melissa

[semele]

I saw this poor lady park outside the Chinese takeaway store and rush in to pick up her food. She had a couple of kids in the back of the car... then the policeman walked by.... waited for her to come back and then he roused on her.

[Leigh]

I don't drive, so don't really have a problem with this.
We never leave the kids in the car for longer than a minute or 2 at home, if we need to run in to get something.
If we are out, one of us is with them, or Jake takes them with him. While I am sure the sight of 3 kids in a car would be enough to put most theives off, you never know. When there are older kids, that can get out of seat belts, or help undo them, it's not worth the risk that someone will play with something, take the hand brake off, put the car in gear etc.
I guess you just get used to loading them in and out of the car, it becomes second nature and you don't really think about it.

[Clearbrite]

So far,the only time i have left Caitlyn strapped into the car is when i can leave the door open for her,and that's usually in the carport at home when i take the groceries inside or coming home from playgroup etc and i have a couple things to bring in before i get her out.
Carport is next to the front door,so i feel not a major issue.I can see and hear her while i try to get the house open and a little organised.
As for shopping,depends on where i go and how close or not the trolley return is.If its close i put her in her seat and have the window/s open and quickly return the trolley,but if its not then i keep her in the trolley,return it,then go back to the car.
Now that she can walk,it does make things a little easier,but did the same when she was a newborn/younger.
Petrol station,most times Chris is in the car when i get petrol,so they just stay in the car.If its just me and Caitlyn,i take her with me to pay..heard to many horror stories to take that chance.
May change as she gets older though.

I would never ever leave any child in a locked car though,windows partly down or not,for any longer then a couple of minutes..they can and do die of being cooked to death.

[Lav_angel]

Nope I never left my son in the car when he was a baby. I had a thing about this...just knowing that something bad could happen. Always got him out an took him with me.