Leaving your children in a car?

[mtgcnv67]

My boys are 3 and 1, and with how much work it is putting them in and out of carseats, I can't express enough how often I WANT to sometimes! But I'm just too afraid of something happening to them, them getting upset, or somebody calling the cops on me for doing it! (Honestly, the latter is my biggest fear!)

Certainly I'd never consider it if I were going to be gone for more than a minute or two, or if I had no view of them. The only times I've even considered it are when I run into a Papa Murphy's or a 7/11, when I can see there's no line at the moment and I find a parking spot right in front with a clean view of the car. But still, I've never had the nerve to actually do it!

The only times I've left them in the car were at the ATM machine (no line, parked right in front, clear view) and at gas stations (where, technically, I never really leave them, because I always use my card right there at the machine...I haven't been inside a gas station store in 5 years!).