Do you or would you do this?
I've just seen a post saying to leave a child asleep in a car in any circumstances is neglectful, well I must neglect my child then because I've left him sleeping in the car outside the house or while I've popped into out local shop quickly. I always lock the door, and if I do I check on him regularly. I wouldn't do it in a massive car park like asda or anything like that and 9 times outta 10 tommys there as well.
But if he's not, Charlie has never woken up by the shop and when he wakes outside the house he's never distressed or upset.

I do this too.

If ellie falls asleep in the car on our way home, I leave her in the car. She's very safe as the car in the drive way and our drive bends round so a car can go under the front room window, I sit in that room until she wakes.

Also at the petrol station I do this, Ellie fine and happy as she can see me and I lock the doors.

I do for the local shop when I can see the car, or the petrol station or cashpoint.i don't if I'm at home butshe very rarely wakes when I lift her out of the car so I usually just put her into bed.

I have never needed to as shes always in the care with me and adam (I dont drive) I wouldnt leave her sleeping outside as we dont have a drive just a residential carpark.

I saw that too & thought there were a lot of liars on that post, or I too am a cruddy mum.

I leave Caitlin in the car at local shop for 5 min at a time - awake! I lock the doors, she is strapped in, no cigarette lighter in car.... I dont have a prob with it. I maybe only started leaving her awake from she turned 2. Before that I still did it if she was sleeping.
To be fair though I wouldnt leave her at a shopping centre like that post was about, and not for 20 min.

My mum hates me doing it but. She remembers about 20 years ago a little girl dying in a fire that started in car outside a shop due to a cigarette lighter. It does make you think maybe we can be too relaxed, but then you wouldnt relax ever if you thought through every little thing that could happen every minute of the day.

I always leave imogen at the petrol station, asleep or not, as it's jst hassle and actually with all the cars around I think it's safer than taking her out. Plus the other drivers waiting would only get annoyed with me fannying around for 5 minutes.

We don't have any little local shops with parking immediately outside so that hasn't come up, but I wouldn't for instance park in a parking bay then nip round the corner. Maybe when she's like 7 or 8 I might do, it's hard to tell at this age, when they would be old enough.

I couldn't leave her asleep in the car outside the house as it's a terrace so only on-street parking and we enter at the back of the house so you can't even charge out quickly in an emergency. We always bring her in and if she wakes, she wakes.

Having said that, my friend left their daughter asleep outside my house just parked opposite then sat facing the window so she could see her at all times. I think the idea was that it was better for the girl because she would otherwise probably not have a nap and then be really cranky and unhappy.

i wouldn't do it......not until elijah was maybe 10 or something, even then he would be coming in with me. if eli is fast asleep the shop can wait no???

Petrol station yes, cash point yes. Otherwise no ive always got the kids out.

Im the same, petrol or cash point yes....but I can see them all the time, its only a few steps away, but otherwise no.

If you can see them at all times then ok, but otherwise there are just too many freaky people out there, its just not worth it.

I have done it at petrol stations or cash point or local shop for 5 mins i must be a bad mummy too.

i leave alfie in at cashe points and petrol statiosn whether hes asleep or awake. i have left him in the car while ive nipped in the shop where theres parking directly outside and i can see him. for example if i nip to pick up a take away. if i cudnt see him i wouldnt leave him x

I don't get the kids out if I'm paying petrol because I think a petrol forecourt is a dangerous place for toddlers to be, weighing up the risks I think its safer they stay in the car. Having said that I always use the pay at the pump ones where available.

Cashpoint I wouldn't get them out if I could see them.

Local shop I probably wouldn't because although the parking is right outside the door, the windows are blacked out by adverts etc (small co-op) and 2 minutes usually ends up being 10 coz of crappy till people

Supermarkets I leave them in to go get/take back trolleys/put parking tickets on but wouldn't go inside the shop without them.

I do however leave them in the car if we get home and they are sleeping. We park on the drive which is right in front of the front window so sit and watch for the waking up.

If they were awake there is no way I would get away with leaving them in the car anyway - they would go bananas - like their mum, too nosy and think theyre missing something . Thomas can get out of his seat anyway so climbs over and lets himself out the driver door so I would NEVER leave him somewhere I couldn't see him and Hannah has a breakdown if I go to the next room without her so no chance there either

This all coming from the woman who locked her toddler and 4 month old in the car for 3 hours though doesn't really mean much

xx

xx

yes i would sleepig or awake at cash point, petrol station and local shop where car is parked in front, if they are asleep when we get home we put the car down the gennel behind the house, leave the gate open and check every few minutes


does that make me bad then?

Josephine wrote:

yes i would sleepig or awake at cash point, petrol station and local shop where car is parked in front, if they are asleep when we get home we put the car down the gennel behind the house, leave the gate open and check every few minutes


does that make me bad then?

Apparently yeh! I was gob smacked that someone could say its neglect!
Ah well it's a good job I don't care about people's opinions and will never meet any of them! I must be a terrible mother lol

so wish i could do this but i just darent, i have never left them in no matter where i am, well except pay at pump petrol but never would if i had to go in to pay!
x

no I dont.

I always get petrol on way to work on a monday so shes never in the car with me anyway.

and when I go shopping she comes in. to be fair she doesnt sleep much during the day at all unless its a long car journey so I dont have a reason to leave her takes me two minutes to get her out her seat.
like mari said if shes sleeping the shop can wait.

but I dont think anybody is neglectful or bad for doing this

Can i join you niglectful lot too! I leave them in for cashpoint,petrol and local shops...you can see the car through the window anyway.i dont leave him to sleep in the car at home as i dont feel the needas he will sleep through me getting him out then will sleep longer in bed...but i have left him to sleep in my mums drive which goes right to the back out of view from the street! Id never go into asda or owt though, or if the car wasnt directly outside the shop x

Can i join you niglectful lot too! I leave them in for cashpoint,petrol and local shops...you can see the car through the window anyway.i dont leave him to sleep in the car at home as i dont feel the needas he will sleep through me getting him out then will sleep longer in bed...but i have left him to sleep in my mums drive which goes right to the back out of view from the street! Id never go into asda or owt though, or if the car wasnt directly outside the shop x

Can i join you niglectful lot too! I leave them in for cashpoint,petrol and local shops...you can see the car through the window anyway.i dont leave him to sleep in the car at home as i dont feel the needas he will sleep through me getting him out then will sleep longer in bed...but i have left him to sleep in my mums drive which goes right to the back out of view from the street! Id never go into asda or owt though, or if the car wasnt directly outside the shop x

OOOOHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOO I would NEVER do this.... because I don't have a car

SemoandHaribo wrote:

OOOOHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOO I would NEVER do this.... because I don't have a car

Lol you nutter

Lol just read the other post...thing is i can see where people are coming from with the fact that someone could hit the car...but someone could quite as easily mount the kurb when you walking down the street....or more likely hit the car when your driving...wherever your kids are theres a chance that something could happen...even in your own home x

If I have to yes I will. I always go to a cash machine that I can park right outside of it (i.e 5-6 steps from the car) petrol I pay at the pump if not they stay in the car.

as debs said it is safier they are in the car then getting two small children out holding one, chasing the other, trying to pay, telling rowan to put the chocolate back, telling him to come back etc.

If I need something from the shops i get OH to pick up but if i need a pint of milk whilst on my way home say, i park out the front door and the till is right by the door and i keep my eyes on them the whole time.

but if you were hit in the street then you would be with your child.
I think its the fact that your child would all alone and you wouldnt be there. I just read the post too and I think it is neglectful to leave your child for 20 mins while you went shopping in mothercare.

Everyone has agreed that nipping to the bank or to pay for petrol while you can see the car is different. But I know I couldnt do it. Id be in the shop panicking.

my oh was out with hannah today and he strapped her in the car then came back in the house for a doll she was asking for and I was nearly panicking at the thought of it and that was for two minutes but he couldnt see her at all times. call me paranoid but its just how I felt.

can you imagine explaining to the hospital that you were in mothercare shopping and thats why it was only your child involved in the accident?

p.s where is this post?