Leaving kids in the car....

Lalaladybird

If I ever have to stop at a shop or petrol station I always go through the palaver of taking my child in to the shop with me to pay, but the other day I saw a mum leave her kids in the car while she ran in to pay for her petrol. I know it's a hassle but I'd rather take mine with me than suffer the consequences. Just wondering what other mums do?

tessie_bear

i always take mine in with me...where ever im going....better safe than sorry i think...even though it can be a pain

csh_2

Lalaladybird wrote: »

If I ever have to stop at a shop or petrol station I always go through the palaver of taking my child in to the shop with me to pay, but the other day I saw a mum leave her kids in the car while she ran in to pay for her petrol. I know it's a hassle but I'd rather take mine with me than suffer the consequences. Just wondering what other mums do?

Why? Why does it matter what others do. Do what you want with your own children.

Or are you just looking for a pat on the back for doing what you think is 'right'?

There is no right or wrong. Some people may think that having toddlers walk across garage forecourts is more dangerous than leaving them in the car.

Each to their own. As long as children are not left in the car while the parents do a weekly shop in Tesco it doesn't matter.

Nipping in to pay for petrol or using the cashpoint within full visual contact I think its perfectly acceptable to leave children in the car.

Yorkshire-Lady_3

You have to think sensibly about this!

I am a childminder and have a baby in a car seat, a 13 month old, a 22 month old and 6 yr old twins to think about.
My risk assessment says NO WAY!
Ofsted are happy with that.

I lock the door and can see the vehicle at all times - in my opinion thats much safer than 5 children tagging onto me at a busy forecourt.

lauren_1

If i am using the first row of pumps (nearest the garage) then yes i leave them in the car, they are 8 and nearly 4 btw.

If its raining, i leave them too.

But its rarely they are with me when i go shopping and fill up on fuel.

Cool_Username

I personally see nothing wrong with leaving them in the car for the minute or two it takes to pay for petrol - as csh has said you're in visual contact with them the entire time and walking across forecourts can be dicey at the best of times even as an adult on your own without dragging one or two children with you.

Alikay

I'm a foster parent and I use the drive-through pay window at Asda petrol staion or get DH to fill my car for me. Various training courses and safer caring documents have made us experts at covering our asses so I'd never leave a child unattended.

If it was my own children, no queue at the till, nearest pump to kiosk and and slinging it down with rain would I leave them? Yes, probably.

Justicia

tessie_bear wrote: »

i always take mine in with me...where ever im going....better safe than sorry i think...even though it can be a pain

Shouldn't talk about your children like that... :D

flutterbyuk25

Can you not just use the pay at pump instead of having to go in? They have them at most petrol stations

x

xmaslolly76

I leave mine in the car but then they are soon to be 12 and 8 if it just me and bubs who is 6months old he would always come with me but 9 times out of ten i would rather wait to go to tesco or asda where i can pay at the pump :-)

bestpud

I took mine in when they were tiny as I had this awful fear they'd be engulfed in flames and people wouldn't be able to open the car doors as I always lock the car when I leave it.

Once they were old enough to open the door themselves, I started leaving them in there. DD(8) stays in the car while I pay now, but I always pay at the pump if I can anyway.

At a cash machine, or sometimes outside the house if they were asleep, I would leave them in the car but nowhere that I couldn't actually see them.

DD(8) has stayed in the car while I've popped into the local shop a few times of late but I won't do that unless I can park near the door and I always get her to lock the door as soon as I get out.

I'm not sure it's a big problem tbh.

I'd be more wary if I thought my child might attempt to get out of the car!