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Leaving your children in a car? - Zara - 02-19-2014 12:24 PM
I'm just looking for opinions, and really what actual parents (or mums most likely here) do in real life. This came about from reading the Laurence Fox article, in which he said he was called something like a terrible human being by a PCSO for leaving his five year old son in the car, whist he "dashed" (his words as he's ever so posh!) into the chemist to get some medicine for his younger son (who was at home). Winston (the 5 year old) asked if he could wait in the car, and Laurence, reasoning that he was parked outside the chemist and would only be gone for a matter of minutes, allowed it. Upon returning a PCSO said his boy was crying and very upset, although when asked Winston said he was fine, so Dad couldn't see what the issue was. Words were exchanged, and Laurence posted how rude and silly the PCSO was for his remarks on his twitter feed, which got a lot of responses from people.
The most common answer was "would you leave them when you go and pay for petrol" which is something I hadn't even considered before, and got me and my other half talking about what we would do. I can't recall ever being taken out of the car/van with my dad as a kid, to go and pay and I remember (fondly!) being left in the car for many a reason, at my own request, at various different ages, sometimes with my siblings sometimes not. It didn't scar me for life, but of course the fact is I'm remembering it as a child of 7,8,9,10 not a baby or toddler, (they're a totally different story.)
But my actual question; is it ever acceptable to you to leave your child/ren in the car, have you ever done it, or been asked to by them and said yes/no to them? What age do you think its ok, Winston is 5, and really I don't know many five year olds to know their maturity level generally. I think I'd be worried about them getting out, as kids get impatient. I guess that goes to Dad saying he could see the car the whole time. But then it annoys me when people are in shops hurrying everyone up because they're parked on a double yellow, or "their kid is alone" But that's a whole other rant!
Kathy- so you would leave a child in a car then!
Y- I don't see that a bath and a car are comparable at all!
- Lars Donk - 02-19-2014 12:28 PM
people do it all the time, its usually not considered neglect unless its for hours.
it should be considered neglect as soon as you run into the circle k to get your cigarettes.
- Kathy - 02-19-2014 12:35 PM
I would never leave a child in a car alone. At least not until they are old enough to be aware of their surroundings and know how to lock and unlock the door.
ADD: Yes. Aren't I evil? I left my 15 y.o. I the car because she wanted to work on her homework. Shame on me!
- Y - 02-19-2014 12:40 PM
My wife received a ticket for leaving an 10 year old and a one year old in the care as she ran in to pick up my meds a few years back.(I was still in the hospital after a surgery)
I have never left the kids in the car, always have taken then with me, not even in the driveway if I had to run into the house because I forgot something. Would you leave a little one in the bath to go answer the phone? It is recommended not to do so, the recommendations are based on a variety of statistics. Would you want something to happen to a child when it was completely within your power to have prevented it?
- Moya - 02-19-2014 12:49 PM
Just dont do it . Here in australia u get $ 5000 fine or jail for this .
Ok
- desmeran - 02-19-2014 12:51 PM
in many places it is illegal. with a 5-year-old i would also consider it unsafe. if the kid is not an age where they can safely navigate traffic if they step out of the car, they should not be left alone in the car near traffic.
with an older child, i don't consider it unsafe, and think hysteria about leaving a 9- or 10- or 11-year-old for three minutes in a car is part of our current national collective overprotectiveness. .... that said, it's not a point i'm particularly interested in getting ticketed over, so i haven't left even my older kids alone in the car.
- MADLUV - 02-19-2014 01:01 PM
the only time i see it being acceptable is when our standing out side talking with someone and the doors are open.
- littlesummer947 - 02-19-2014 01:07 PM
I have three children, all young enough that they're in carseats with a harness, and can't very easily get out on their own. Yes, I leave them alone in the car sometimes. At times, it's just impossible to take three kids in with me, and it would take ten times as long to unbuckle them and rebuckle them as I would be away from them. There have been several times when I've gotten the boys in the car ready to go, and then I remember something I left inside, so I will leave my children to run back inside my house to get whatever, and be back out within thirty seconds. When I am out and about, I will only leave them in the car when I know that I will be able to see the car at all times when I am inside, like going in to pay for gas, I can see the car through the windows the whole time. I would not run inside a grocery store for anything because I won't be able to see the car. My kids are fine with me leaving them for short periods and wouldn't be screaming or anything, I doubt they even notice that I'm gone.
- TriHarder - 02-19-2014 01:08 PM
I don't leave a child alone in a car until they're legally old enough to be left unattended at home as well. So the age of 13. And yes, I could easily get a ticket for leaving a 5 year old in a car unattended, even if I was just "running in for a minute," even in sight of the car.
I wouldn't call the police on someone or anything for it, but it'd definitely leave a very bad taste in my mouth if I witnessed it.
- Chickie - 02-19-2014 01:09 PM
Years ago, parents did leave their children in the car for a quick minute or two here and there, but in the world we live in today, it is just not safe. There are too many predators to worry about. I think when a child is closer to being a teen, that is when they are mature enough to know to stay in the car, keep it locked and not talk to strangers - not to mention use a cell phone to call if there is an emergency.
Also, you have the issue of the child over-heating in the summer or freezing in the winter. I think the best policy is to just be safe and take your child(ren) with you no matter what until they are older.