Leaving kids in the car for a few minutes…
Posted
August 5, 2007 at
7:54 pm by
Jessica
The other day, I left work to go to lunch — I was eating in the car, overlooking a very fungi infested pond. All was routine until I suddenly noticed that I forgot to bring a drink. It was really hot out, maybe 92 degrees or so, so I decided to run over to the 7-11 and grab a soda or something.
Now, I normally don’t look into people’s cars, especially minivans with tinted windows (almost black-out windows under the bright light of the sun), but something made me peer into the back seat as I went to shut my car door. A pair little pink shoes caught my eye, and attached to them was a little body in a car seat. Upon further peeking, I noticed four toddler eyes peering back at me.
As I walked to the door, a young dad approached. I couldn’t help but give him the evil eye — he looked around, jumped in his minivan and took off.
Don’t people know by now how dangerous it is to leave little kids in a car while running errands? Even a quick errand?
So, I go about my business, buy my soda and walk out, and you wouldn’t believe it! Parked next to me is an SUV, again, with the dark, tinted windows. What are the odds? So, I took a quick peek and low-and-behold, another toddler and an infant are sitting there, in the back-seat.
WTF, I thought. Am I being filmed or something??
The mom walks out with a bag of ice. I remember even exchanging small talk in the check-out line about Lindsay Lohan’s loser antics on the cover of People magazine that week.
Now, I know those kids were only in the car maybe 3 minutes tops, but still! The mom had the keys in her hand, which I’m still undecided about what’s better — leaving the car running with air-conditioning in heat that could quickly turn into a fatal situation in as little as 10 minutes, or running the risk of having some idiot swipe your car with your kids still in it!
It reminded me of a story one of my previous babysitters told me that her Polish immigrant sister-in-law and how her visa was going to be revoked after she left her kids in the car to go pay cash for her gas. Apparently, someone narced her out, took her license plate number and police wound up on her doorstep and took her to jail. She didn’t spend a night in the joint, but she was booked. I guess it’s illegal in most states to leave your kids in the car, even for one minute.
Have we all been there, or should we just know better? What are these parents thinking?
Tags: child-abuse, heat-stroke, leaving-kids-in-car, Parenting |
14 Responses to “Leaving kids in the car for a few minutes…”
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1. Petulant Pixie said:
August 6, 2007 @ 11:29 am
I would never leave a toddler or infant in the car unattended for even a minute. I’d take them into the gas station with me to pay, pain in the ass though it would be.
When it gets tricky for me is those middle years. My 12 y.o. obviously is able to be alone in the car, or even be the responsible party if I wanted to leave his sisters in the car with him. He could decide the car is too hot and get a cart and put his toddler sister in the cart and have the 8 y.o. walk with him inside to find me if need be. But, the 8 y.o. is a tricky thing. I don’t trust HER, I don’t think that SHE is ready, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an 8 year-old out there who is trustworthy. So, I dunno, 8/9/10ish depending on the kid, I guess would be all right.
2. Jessica said:
August 6, 2007 @ 11:43 am
I should have prefaced the “illegal in most states”, with the fact that I believe the age is 6 and under that is prohibited from leaving unattended for any amount of time.
3. Jill said:
August 6, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
I would not leave a child under 10 alone in a car.
4. Not a saint said:
August 6, 2007 @ 3:00 pm
I have been known to get my money ready, run into the convenience store, grab the milk and run out while the car is running with the AC on and the child sleeping.
I definetly dont stop to chit-chat and I only do it if I absolutely need only one thing. Its just such a pain in the @ss to move those car seats. I definetly get the $ ready first so if necessary (long line) I can just leave it on the counter. Ex, milk is $2.99 - you can keep the penny. If I need more than that I go to the regular supermarket and get a cart.
When I do take the child out of the car - if its going to be anything other than the run-in-out thing. For example: The pool store. I take him out for that even tho its usually only a fraction longer than the convenience store, but there is a chance you could be longer.
I feel like all things in life are compromises and sometimes I’ll go for speed.
5. Petulant Pixie said:
August 6, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
I certainly understand the temptation (I have physical issues that limit my ability to lift, so it’s even HARDER for me to get the baby/toddler out of the car), but I rule my life by that little voice in my head. No, not my conscience, but my little Cop Voice. Cop Voice sounds something like this, “OK, so let me get this straight, ma’am, you left your sleeping infant in the car to run in and get some milk and when you came out the car and infant were gone?” And there’s me, in my imagination, holding the gallon of milk, nodding.
If I can’t seem to justify my actions to my Cop Voice without sounding like a horrible person, then I just go ahead and take the hard route to avoid any problems.
6. Jessica said:
August 6, 2007 @ 4:14 pm
I feel like all things in life are compromises and sometimes I’ll go for speed.[/quote]
I dunno. I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that.
Can I ask, why not just lock the doors while you run in? At least that way, nobody could take your baby. Doesn’t that scare you? It only takes a second.
7. prpledrm76 said:
February 13, 2008 @ 8:11 pm
The only time I have ever left my daughter in the car by herself for a couple of seconds is when I’m stopping quick at the post office just to get my mail. I open the windows just a crack, not large enough for anyone to get their hand through and not right by her…I always open the other windows than I lock her in for the few seconds it takes me - and I definately don’t do it when it’s too hot. It can be extremely dangerous to leave a toddler etc. in the car by themselves, especially if they know how to get out of their car seat.
8. sara said:
February 14, 2008 @ 3:43 pm
[quote comment="103106"][quote comment="103097"]I have been known to get my money ready, run into the convenience store, grab the milk and run out while the car is running with the AC on and the child sleeping.
I feel like all things in life are compromises and sometimes I’ll go for speed.[/quote]
I dunno. I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that.
Can I ask, why not just lock the doors while you run in? At least that way, nobody could take your baby. Doesn’t that scare you? It only takes a second.[/quote]
I feel the same way as the op.Not only can someone take car and child witch locking dooor would solve the problem but unless kids can’t undo their carseats they can get out and play with the gears witch is deady.My husnabds cousin(about 5 years old) went into their unlocked car sitting in their drivway and put it in reverse.Lucky for her it didn’t go far but it could have bben worse.
9. Maureen said:
February 14, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
What state do these people live in??? Around here, it is ILLEGAL to leave a child, let alone a dog in a car alone!!
10. colette said:
February 17, 2008 @ 12:38 pm
OHG!!!I really can’t even believe this is a discussion. I have four children of whom i have raised most of my life with my husband away on active duty military. I have seen this time in a time out along with people who have a baby sitting in front on someones lap.
Under NO circumstance would I or have I left a child in a car alone. It only takes that one time and that is it. To me it is a no brainer. NOTHING and I mean NOTHING in a convience store or any store where you run in for a few seconds, or even the post office of which is at least around here the longest line all the time is worth the danger you put your child in. I know it takes more time to unbuckle or unbuckle the car seat than the actual time in the store but it also only takes that few seconds for a situation to turn ugly and bad. I do not believe and do not want to come across as holier than thou i just have NEVER EVER done that. Even with my older pre-teen and teen agers get out of the car and come with me into the store. It always means i end up paying for something i didnt go to get like gum,candy bar or drink but i would gladly pay that than someone trying to highjack, or putting their lives at risk. It just takes a second, thats all. A blink of an eye and anything can happen.
11. prpledrm76 said:
February 17, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
I mentioned the post office, as in run in run out. not standing in line anywhere. You must not have an actual post office box, in which you run in use a key get mail run back out in about a minutes time. all while my car is within view of a ton of people
12. colette said:
February 17, 2008 @ 8:59 pm
only takes a few seconds..the risk certainly does not out way the risk.
13. colette said:
February 17, 2008 @ 9:10 pm
I did not mean to insult anyone by my comment about post office. I have actually witnessed a girl running from gang bangers and came to a gas station where upon exiting her car she was murdered. I could only wonder how awful that was and how it could have been even worse if someone left someone in the car. I live two towns away from the “murder” capital of the country Gary Indiana. But along with being a bit more parinoid than most i would not and did not ever leave any child in the car even when we where on base and it was the tightest security there is. I know with 4 kids it can make a 2 minute run somewhere to a long ordeal..but having safe kids seems to be worth it.
14. Stacey S said:
June 8, 2008 @ 3:54 pm
It’s so odd how different we are as parents VS. how our parents were with us. I’m only 34 and granted I grew-up in a VERY small town…but my mom OFTEN left me in the car while running into the store for milk, bread, etc…I also slept in the backseat w/ no seatbelt on car rides, and rode in the back of the pick-up truck while we went cruising down the road which I loved because I could sing REALLY,REALLY, loud & nobody told me to stop)by 10 I walked home all by myself where I stayed until my paretns got home around 5:30 or so. My how much has changed!