well, I parked at the back door of a consignment shop and ran my weekly clothing bag in to her, there were these ladies freaking me out by just sitting in their car, so as i waited for the lady to get my bag,. I think i went to the door about once per minute while i waited. Anyhow, i think the ladies thought i was abusing my kids by leaving it running with air conditioner running full blast. They call the police! This consignment shop is in a very non busy part of town and i parked at her back door, I have 3 kids to run erands with today.......have you ever left your kids for a minute......i have never done this before....but i have never lived in an area with no family or friends to keep my kids either. Very hectic day to say the least.
added: No the ladies freaked me out because i was waiting for them to go in so i stood at the outside door and waited around....they were waiting for me to run in so they could call the cop, which i didnt know that at the time.. I was going to run my bag of stuff in, i would have never left my kids out there with that other car of ladies sitting there. They were acting weird because they wanted to report me, but i stood there until they left and went in, they saw me run in and pounded 911 int o their phone (i am guessing)
My daughter is 5, son is 3 and 1 yr old (think he was asleep)
The cop said no child is allowed to stay in the car with no adult.....what is the age when its not a child, i guess i am wondering that too?
well,for the fear of being turned in....again, i will never do it any more. This first time will also be my last! I wish all stores had drive thru windows ;) i was never but a few feet from them.....but....
Nope, especially with the car running. People have stolen cars with kids inside or kids get loose and put it in drive, etc. I'd wait till I could bring them in or see if someone from the shop would meet me at the door. And it's illegal, to boot. No way!
My neighbor just got arrested for leaving 2 toddlers in the car while she "ran into the store" The article was in the local paper and made local news! So to say the least...bad idea :(
Only if my 16 year old is staying in the car with the younger ones. Otherwise no way would I risk it.
I would never do this. My husband used to be a cop and he would get calls all the time from people whose car got stolen b/c they left the engine running while they ran into a store for literally a minute. Even if you're watching the whole time from within the store, there's nothing you can do but watch if the carjacker runs into your car and just drives away. And if you're thinking that somebody wouldn't do this if there were kids in the car, you're wrong. Just a few months ago, a local mom who ran into a convenience store lost her son who was sleepign in his car seat b/c someone took off with her car with the son in it.
No, I never leave the kids in the car. It's illegal. Also, I have called the police on small children left alone in the car. I don't really care about the feelings of adults when children's welfare is compromised.
If your car was stolen with your kids inside you would be even more upset. It happens more often than people think.
Edit* I just remembered a story that might be helpful to you. My friend left her kids in the car to run drop something off at our church. Her 4 year old son got out of his car seat, got in the drivers seat, put the car in gear and drove through the wall of the church. Thankfully he didn't pull into traffic, but he and his siblings could have been seriously hurt! Anything can happen!
I can't think of any time that I did, but given that my daughter is over 30 years old, I could have and just don't remember.
It is VERY dangerous to leave children in a running car! I'm sorry, but they did the right thing calling the police. If someone had gotten into the car and took off during the 59 seconds that you weren't watching, you would be writing a different post today and we'd be seeing pics of your kids on the news. Think about how many seconds it takes you to open the car door, get in, put it in gear and drive away. Nowhere near 59 seconds. Your kids could have been stolen. You knew that; that's why you waited for the ladies to drive away.
Just because others may have done it, doesn't make it right. Two wrongs (or more) don't make a right!
No. I even make my 11 yo come in with me, unless my 14 or 16 yo's are with him.
In our town last sumemr a woman was arrested for leaving her 4 yo and 13 yo in her car at a friend's house while she ran in to go to the bathroom. THe 13 yo had the keys and the car was on.
One should never leave their child in a car while running in anymore for a minute because all it takes is a minute for children to get kidnapped. Also, if pumping gas, never leave keys in car running.Someone could jump in your car and take off with the children.
Nope. I don't do this and wouldn't at the ages of your kids (all under 4). We can all come up with reasons why we want to or should leave our kids in the car during errands -- it would be easier!!! -- but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.
Never, always in my sight. She knows the rule too, when she asks if she can go in another aisle in the store I ask her if she can see me ?(The answer would be no.) If i cant see her, she cant see me. Convenience vs safety, always err on safety.
no honey. it takes a second for something to go bad. all of your kids are at the very young age unable to fend for themselves if need be. bad idea.
Yes I have left my kids in the car for a minute, with the doors locked and my other set of keys in my hand.
Thing is you say a minute and go on to say you went to the door about once per minute which means you didn't leave them in the car for a minute, it was minutes. They called the police and they arrived while you were still there, this would indicate at least ten minutes.
I have never left my kids in the car for 10 minutes or more. That is not in and out, that is not running in, that is irresponsible.
I probably would... but I wouldn't leave the car running. I'd lock it up and take the keys with me.
J.
It's just a bad idea....so....no.
There's being safe and there's tempting fate.
Those women "freaked you out" yet you left them in the car?
Maybe I'm missing something...
Nope. Just like your car of ladies today, that's a really good way to find youself on the evening news for child neglect!
No. Here, it's illegal. And sometimes it's the "just a minute" that turns into something very different, like being longer and the kids get heatstroke, someone puts the car in gear, someone breaks into your car....not worth it.
If all you are doing is a drop off, find out what charities do a pick up in your area. Then it's just a bag on the porch and you don't need to take the kids anywhere.
You don't say the current ages of your kids - your profile says 4, 2 and 9 mo.
NO WAY.
I would run errands when someone else could watch them, I'd pay a babysitter for a couple hours, trade out care time with a friend or I would only go places that I could bring them with me.
My daughter is 11 1/2 and I have only let her "sit in the car" for the past year or so.... and THAT's only if it's literally going to be minutes. Although..... last week I did run into Babies R Us to buy a pair of baby shoes for my niece. So, my daughter stayed in the car for about 10 minutes. But that's a decision I made based on the area of the store, where I was parked, time of day and temp outside.
I'm not worried about abduction, necessarily.
What if the little one spit up and vomited? I wouldn't want her to be without air for a minute. What if one of them unbuckled their seatbelt and climbed over the seat and knocked the car into neutral and it started to roll?
So, NO. I know it's tough to live in an area with no family and friends, but no way would I do this and Yes, I would call the police if I saw kids that young in the car alone.
Just my $0.02
ETA - typically kids can stay alone around 11 or 12. Most states have "guidelines" of things the police would investigate - like can they call for help, do they know what to do in case of an emergency etc. Again, my daughter is 11 1/2 and we are JUST NOW doing this. Your kids are WAY TOO YOUNG.
I know you don't have help or support. It's up to you to FIND SOME. make friends, join a mommy and me class, get your kids registered for mothers day out or whatever to give yourself the time to do your "work".
No, I never would. For a multitude of reasons. There is just no way to justify it into a good idea, in my opinion.
My rule of thumb is that I have to see them all the time. For instance, my dry cleaners has parking spots right in front of the shop and a full floor to ceiling window - so I am never in a position to have my eyes off them. But that's really the only errand I run where I leave them. It's more stressful for me to leave them than take them in. But my two are 6 and 3 so it's not so bad.
I didn't know it was illegal - just thought it was bad decision making. It makes sense that it's illegal.
No way. Not even my 15 yr old!
Your description sounded more along the lines of putting your shopping cart in it's place, not running into the store to buy a gallon of milk. You were able to see them at all times (Except for a few seconds when you checked to see if the lady was there to take your stuff yet). What you did sounds fine to me. Leaving the child in the car to grab a gallon of milk (Or something similar) is not.
No, but I see mothers do it. These woman probably called the cops to help raise awareness to the situation. It may seem harmless enough to leave for just a minute, but all it takes is a second for something bad to happen...better safe than sorry. Be glad they called the cops and he spoke to you about it, now you know and won't do it again...and your kids will be safer. And you can help spread the word by sharing your story with others!!
No I never did this. That is how kids get kidnapped and killed. If you don't have time to take the kids in with you, run your errands another time. If something happens, you'd never forgive yourself. And if nothing happens but the police are called, how embarassing would that be. That would take more time out of your life than doing your errands another time.
To answer your question, I did it ONE TIME and my mother ran up one side of me and down the other. She gave me the business! I only ran in the store to pay for gas. I never did it again because I didn't realize bad of an idea it really was.
Never, not even once.
The reason?
I would never forgive my self if something had happened to her and also, there was a child here in Austin that caught the inside of his moms car on fire with the lighter.
He was a good boy, never had done anything like this before.. She was only in the store for a few minutes. He also had 2 brothers.
She always went into the store with me, or we did not stop if she was not going to be able to handle her behavior.
Consider calling ahead next time and just see if the sales people would be willing to go out to he car and get the bags of clothes from you.
When I managed a store, we did this a few times.. Moms would call ahead and have us charge them for something and then call us and we would dash it out to them, so they would not have to take their sleeping child out of the car seat.
No but I know plenty of moms who do. Believe me I've been tempted many a time! I know its hard especially with small children to unload and load kids. But its not for me personally. My luck someone will steal my car the first time I leave my child in it. Plus, its bloody hot here in Texas, so that helps put things in perspective. You can't sit in your car for more than 5 seconds without burning up. Its easy for me to keep in mind that if I can't handle the heat, neither can my baby and child, so I never leave my child in the car, even to just drop off a letter.
I have if I can see the car at all times and its a 90 second run in and I can keep the car locked (meaning it has to be cool weather outside). But never ever with car running. There is one place I would do it consistently (windows down no keys in ignition) if my kids let me and thats at our local farmers market, which is an open structure and enclosed by a gate with almost no street visibility. However, my kids love to get out too much so I can't do it anymore (but i see moms do it there all the time).
The only time I leave my kids in the car (6 yr old, 2 yr old) is when I run in to he pizza place which has front window parking and is approx 15 feet from the car to the pizza counter. The keys are out of the ignition and I'm looking right at my kids, so it's not a problem. Anywhere else, I would never leave them in the car.
I don't leave them if I have to go inside a building. The only time I will do it is at the ATM - and only if I can park directly in front of the ATM and there is no line, if I am dropping something off at someone's front door and it's in site of the car, or when I return books to the library (same thing - I can see the car from the drop box). I don't ever go into a building and leave them in the car. I also turn it off, take the keys, and roll down all the windows so I can hear them.
The one time i have left my daughter was a few months ago, just shy of her 3rd birthday. She locked me out of the car at the gas station at night, in the rain, with the car running. I had to call the cops. It was a nightmare. All I did was turn around to pump gas. To make it even better, i had on ratty sweat pants and a tank top with wet hair.
I don't leave her in the car anymore!
NOW I do...but then again my kids are 14, 11 and 9. But NEVER with the car running. NEVER for more than a minute or two (any longer and I insist they come with me). And NEVER, EVER when they were little. I used to haul all three of them out every single time. It was a total pain, but something only has to happen ONCE to become a tragedy. I just wasn't willing to take that chance.
only in certain situations, like for instance, the other day it was raining, and i was paying for gas with cash, so i locked the doors, gave my 4yo the phone, and ran in and gave the lady the cash and ran back out. but this only works while it rains. any other time, soon as I turn the keys out iof the ignition, i hear buckles unclip, and they are jumping out of their car seats telling me what they want. but never to run into the store to buy things, or anything like that. Also, once when i ran into the dry cleaners to drop off my clothes, but the parking spot was right infront of teh door, and they were alseep, and the lady met me at the door as i held it open with my foot. my kids are 3 and 4.
I live in a small town and will sometimes order some things for lunch from
our little store. I pull up and go right to cash register at front of store. All
glass front and I never take my eyes off car and I have keys. Would I leave
them and go in an wait for an order or do some shopping, no way.
No, I never have. I will admit that I have felt the temptation! Absolutely! My kids are 3 and 18 months, and there have been sooooo many times when getting them out of the car just to run in some where is daunting, and just locking the doors and being quick is sooooo tempting. But I never have, and I suspect I never will.
The year I was pregnant with my son, a man in our area ran into a gas station to get a coke while his daughter was asleep in her car seat the back of the car. He said he felt safe because he parked right in front of the gas station and the wall was entirely windows, so he could see the car at all times. Well, the car was stolen, and because of those windows, he got to watch it happen, but by the time he got outside, the thief, his car, and his baby were driving away, and they were probably on the interstate before the 911 dispatcher had even sent out the police.
We live in a very safe area. We walk at night regularly without any concerns. But any time I get tempted to run in somewhere just for a second because it's convenient, I remember that man and his little daughter, and how terrible he must have felt, how terrified, how sick, how guilty. I know it isn't worth the risk for me. I have never lived anywhere where I DID have family to help me, so I have just kind of gotten used to doing it myself.
P.S. The girl and the car were found abandoned two hours later, the baby was awake and very upset but fine. My theory is the thief had no intention of kidnapping anyone, and when he discovered the baby in the car, he freaked and ditched. Thank God. It could have been so so so much worse.
I have, but that was before it was illegal. It was common when my kids were 12 and under. I always took them with me when it was too hot or too cold. AND I always left the windows down, unless it was raining.
If you were to call the cops on the same people that called them on you, they would have been pissed. But the busybodies always feel they are right and above the law themselves.
There is no justice for the gestapo. They always get away with it.
Good luck to you and yours.
My son is a little curious george so I'd never leave him in the car. It would surely result in the car rolling away!
Not with car running. I have left one in the car long enough to carry one in asleep and come back and get the other. I lock the car, have it off. Go in, put down # 1 and come back for #2. By this, I mean in the driveway of my house. We don't have a garage - just a driveway. I can't imagine this is illegal - how can you carry two sleeping babies at the same time?
I am in your shoes w/2 little ones (2yo & 4yo), & a husband that works a lot!! So my kids are always w/me. I run all errands, etc, w/them. I totally get what you were doing. It's takes longer to get them out of the car, than it does to drop off your clothes. However, it is against the law.
I believe the law is 12yo to be left alone in the car.
I'm sorry these ladies were so 911 happy.
I have only left my son in the car to pick up dry cleaning or run into the UPS store ONLY if I can see the car from where I'm standing and I don't have to leave the car running (windows half open) and it will be a literal "pop in"...the equivalent of pumping gas. Where we live it is often too hot or too cold to stay in the car without it running. So, generally speaking, no. I don't leave him in the car.
My husband will leave my 11, 6, and 4 year old in the car for minute, BUT he never leaves it running. I hate that he does it, but he says it is fine. When our kids were the ages your profile lists, there is NO WAY I would leave them in a car running or not by themselves! Way too dangerous in my opinion!
