What’s your opinion

This is just something I was curious about and wondered what you ladies think...

I'm talking about the issue of leaving your baby in a car if you were to go into a shop. Not a shop in a mall or bank or anything, just a dairy or even a petrol station where you know there is no queue.

So far in my case, I always seem to have my mum with me when I'm going out, so if I need to go in to a shop and do something quick, she waits in the car with the baby.. If I was alone however, I don't see what the huge issue is with running in to do something really quick (not actual shopping or anything), say if baby is asleep in her carseat and you'll only be gone for 2 minutes such as someone posted recently about going to a money machine.

What is the actual problem with people not liking this? I mean, is it because they are worried about the heat if it's a sunny day? Cause I think the car is just as hot whether or not you have an adult in there waiting with them...Or is it because people are worried that the car might get stolen with the baby in it? (I have heard of this but surely it's not a common occurance?)... I guess I'm just curious what is the actual reason for mothers being told off about it? Any ideas?

Some people do it and leave their kids in the car for ages.. kids die in overheated cars.. some people leave them while they play pokies etc so the police are onto this as you can never really tell how long a kid has been in a car.

I leave Ella in the car if I'm going to pay for petrol, or go to the ATM. I have left her across the road a couple of times to grab something from a shop, but I can see the car the whole time. I ALWAYS lock the car and make sure I have my keys. Oh and she's always buckled in too, as my mum told me that once when she and her brother were kids they let the handbrake off on a hill, and the car rolled down, eek.

Yeah I agree you'd definitely want to be able to see the car at all times, and I probably wouldn't leave her in the car if it wasn't parked right outside the place I was popping in to.

If Jack is asleep I leave him but this rarely happens as I usually plan my outings around Jack being awake or I take the pram. I leave him if its at the gas station tho and I always have the windows down a bit and lock the doors. What are your thoughts on leaving them to sleep in the car when you get home?

completely off topic, but i remember as a young girl (about 8?) we were driving up our street in our family car(an austin 1100! hehe) no seat belts and my door swung open, i remember looking down at the road as it was flashing past, argh. good thing i didnt fall out!!!

I left mine in the car while I ran into the bakery today. I locked the car, left the front windows down a crack and was gone less than 2 mins. The logistics of getting three kids out of the car then back in again for what was such a short trip was crazy, and I could see them the whole time.

I will leave them in the car to pay for petrol and the atm if Im right by it, car locked and alarmed but I wont leave them if i cant see them like in a dairy or anywhere else.
I dont generally leave them in the car to sleep unless its in the garage (internal access) and i leave the doors open and make sure I've undone the seat belt. My friends mother worked with a lady who did this once and the car caught fire, was something with the dodgy wiring, luckily she had only gone in side for a couple of minuted before coming out to get the rest of the groceries and saw the smoke.
Rachel I remember those days, no seatbelts and 5 kids piled into the back seat! My hubby used to baby sit a girl who's door opened and she fell out and was dragged, she survived but lost her arm.

Personally I never leave Charlotte in the car by herself- ever. I take her out to go to a money machine right in front of the car, to pay for petrol, everything. But- I only have one kid and have never been in a situation when she is asleep in the car and have needed to do those things(and not in a capsule that I can take the whole thing out). She usually only ever sleeps in the car on long trips and on the way home from what ever we have been doing so it just happens that I have never needed to stop. I can understand why people do whip in places and don't think its that bad- as long as its quick and they can see the car. I think that people who don't have young kids and don't know the full situation are pretty quick to criticise Mums- people tend to get more judgemental in their old age too!

I choose not to do it as the thought of someone stealing the car with her in it(people still steal locked/alarmed cars) or taking her scares me more than the inconvenience. But, like I said- I only have one and I can see why others don't do the same as me. You guys probably all think I'm way OTT!

Edited by Jennz

there was a similar thread on this a few weeks back to when someone got told off by a guy on the street for leaving her kids when using an atm...
I am still under the influence of my usa state laws where kids werent to be left in a car at all and the joys of having to take a one year old and a three year old into a shop with me like a 7 eleven etc...ugh!
I would still leave a bubs if i could see the car easily here like an atm, dairy etc. But i also drive with my doors locked (again usa expereinces) so wouldnt just leave a car unlocked etc either with a bubs inside. I know how it can become difficult tho when more than one - and glad it isnt against the law here.

I believe here in new Zealand its not as 'bad' to leave the kids in the car for a couple of minutes, I wouldn't however do it in America, the reason they don't want/like you to leave them in the car over there is because of carjacking (and that a major thing over there!)