Can I leave my infant in the car alone to...,

[Anonymous]

I left my kids in the car to run inside and get something out of the house the other day and I was literally gone 45 seconds, but it makes me nervous for the reasons posted above and I have only done it twice ever (both times to go into the house).

For the ATM when I can see the car two spaces away, maybe, but like other posters said, not on a day like today. But I live in the burbs so it's super easy to find a drive through ATM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone needs to post the Salon.com story where the mother left her child in the car and some random person videotaped it and called 911. Even though the mother was long gone by the time the police arrived, they still prosecuted her.

These stories were about a mom who left her kids for an extended period to go tanning or to a job interview - not to an ATM 15 feet from the car.

Sometimes I leave the baby in the car while I unload groceries at my house or when I am returning the shopping cart at Safeway.

You are all overreacting - anything can happen at anyone at any time but you cant live your life in fear.

Actually, no. A woman left her kids in the car for five minutes, to pick up dry cleaning or something like that, and someone videotaped the entire thing and then turned her in, even though the kids were fine and she really was only gone for five minutes.

I thought that mom left her son for 15 minutes to buy headphones to entertain him on the flight home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll pull into the spot right in front of the ATM (usually a handicapped spot) and leave the car/air on with the doors locked for the 60 secs it takes to get money from the ATM. Car and baby are within 10 feet of me.

Its really not that big a deal.

Please don't. My father really needs that spot and is entitled to it by law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd do it. I'd also do it to drop a library book in the walk-up return.

He

Ditto, also frequently buckle kids into car in driveway and the go into the house to collect crap we need for wherever we are going, pee, etc. We live ut in the burbs on a dead end street. I would roll the window down though on a day like today. If you can see the car from the ATM how is it different from your baby sleeping in another part of the house? It doesn't seem to be a safety issue to me, but an "avoiding busybodies" issue.

[Anonymous]

2 spaces away? Yes I would.

[Anonymous]

I find it interesting how many say they do it but it "makes them nervous", others park illegally... How about just don't do it? Then you're not nervous or breaking the law! Problem solved!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Ditto, also frequently buckle kids into car in driveway and the go into the house to collect crap we need for wherever we are going, pee, etc. We live ut in the burbs on a dead end street. I would roll the window down though on a day like today. If you can see the car from the ATM how is it different from your baby sleeping in another part of the house? It doesn't seem to be a safety issue to me, but an "avoiding busybodies" issue.

Yes, let's compare your secure home in the burbs to a machine that hands out cash in a public area...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:OMG, what if some thief jumped in your car and stole it, with your baby inside?!?!

Really, is this sarcasm? You realize you are more likely to be carjacked at a traffic light or while getting gas? Also, I'd think the mom would lock the car.

While it is rare, it does happen. It's the risk you take. It may seem well worth it on days that are uneventful but so NOT worth it if you happen to be the one and someone drives off with your baby.

You know what isn't rare? Car accidents. Yet we all drive our babies around all of the time. This is just further proof that people are incredibly bad at assessing risk.

but this one is an easily avoidable risk, driving in this area not so much.

You are just trading one risk for another. You could get held up at the ATM, in which case your baby would have been much better off in the car. Both are as likely happen, which is to say very rare.

Additionally, most people drive their kids places that aren't necessary. I could do PeaPod, but we go to Whole Foods sometimes. We could play in the hard, but we drive to the park sometimes. We could never live this area, but we fly on a plane to a vacation destination. The idea that you can eliminate risk is ridiculous and people hyper-focus on stupid stuff that has an incredibly low likelihood of harming

Totally agree. I am always amazed at the "what if" scenarios people come up with in certain circumstances (like this one) when they do hundreds of things every week that have a much higher risk of bad outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. Imagine if you somehow lock yourself out and the baby in, in today's 100 degree weather.

Then you break the window...not that complicated folks.

[Anonymous]

I imagine many of the nay sayers are the same ones I see texting while turning the corner or parking their cars. Even if your kids aren't in the car, my kids are and are just as entitled to your care. Some people are very blinkered about what constitutes true risk.

[Anonymous]

No way, not with an infant where the consequences could be disastrous if for some reason you could not get back in. Also I would call 911 immediately if I saw an unattended child in a car on a hot day, anything over 80 or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, what if some thief jumped in your car and stole it, with your baby inside?!?!

Really, is this sarcasm? You realize you are more likely to be carjacked at a traffic light or while getting gas? Also, I'd think the mom would lock the car.

While it is rare, it does happen. It's the risk you take. It may seem well worth it on days that are uneventful but so NOT worth it if you happen to be the one and someone drives off with your baby.

You know what isn't rare? Car accidents. Yet we all drive our babies around all of the time. This is just further proof that people are incredibly bad at assessing risk.

but this one is an easily avoidable risk, driving in this area not so much.

You are just trading one risk for another. You could get held up at the ATM, in which case your baby would have been much better off in the car. Both are as likely happen, which is to say very rare.

Additionally, most people drive their kids places that aren't necessary. I could do PeaPod, but we go to Whole Foods sometimes. We could play in the hard, but we drive to the park sometimes. We could never live this area, but we fly on a plane to a vacation destination. The idea that you can eliminate risk is ridiculous and people hyper-focus on stupid stuff that has an incredibly low likelihood of harming

Totally agree. I am always amazed at the "what if" scenarios people come up with in certain circumstances (like this one) when they do hundreds of things every week that have a much higher risk of bad outcomes.

The difference is you are creating a risk for no good reason. Not the same as your other examples.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, what if some thief jumped in your car and stole it, with your baby inside?!?!

Really, is this sarcasm? You realize you are more likely to be carjacked at a traffic light or while getting gas? Also, I'd think the mom would lock the car.

While it is rare, it does happen. It's the risk you take. It may seem well worth it on days that are uneventful but so NOT worth it if you happen to be the one and someone drives off with your baby.

You know what isn't rare? Car accidents. Yet we all drive our babies around all of the time. This is just further proof that people are incredibly bad at assessing risk.

but this one is an easily avoidable risk, driving in this area not so much.

You are just trading one risk for another. You could get held up at the ATM, in which case your baby would have been much better off in the car. Both are as likely happen, which is to say very rare.

Additionally, most people drive their kids places that aren't necessary. I could do PeaPod, but we go to Whole Foods sometimes. We could play in the hard, but we drive to the park sometimes. We could never live this area, but we fly on a plane to a vacation destination. The idea that you can eliminate risk is ridiculous and people hyper-focus on stupid stuff that has an incredibly low likelihood of harming

Totally agree. I am always amazed at the "what if" scenarios people come up with in certain circumstances (like this one) when they do hundreds of things every week that have a much higher risk of bad outcomes.

The difference is you are creating a risk for no good reason. Not the same as your other examples.

I am creating the risk to make my life easier. That is at least as valuable as creating a risk purely for entertainment value like going on vacation. Again, people are crazy and don't assess risk very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No way, not with an infant where the consequences could be disastrous if for some reason you could not get back in. Also I would call 911 immediately if I saw an unattended child in a car on a hot day, anything over 80 or so.

You sound crazy. Immediately? You wouldn't wait 10 seconds to see if the mom was chasing down an older sibling, or returning a shopping cart?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, what if some thief jumped in your car and stole it, with your baby inside?!?!

Really, is this sarcasm? You realize you are more likely to be carjacked at a traffic light or while getting gas? Also, I'd think the mom would lock the car.

While it is rare, it does happen. It's the risk you take. It may seem well worth it on days that are uneventful but so NOT worth it if you happen to be the one and someone drives off with your baby.

You know what isn't rare? Car accidents. Yet we all drive our babies around all of the time. This is just further proof that people are incredibly bad at assessing risk.

but this one is an easily avoidable risk, driving in this area not so much.

You are just trading one risk for another. You could get held up at the ATM, in which case your baby would have been much better off in the car. Both are as likely happen, which is to say very rare.

Additionally, most people drive their kids places that aren't necessary. I could do PeaPod, but we go to Whole Foods sometimes. We could play in the hard, but we drive to the park sometimes. We could never live this area, but we fly on a plane to a vacation destination. The idea that you can eliminate risk is ridiculous and people hyper-focus on stupid stuff that has an incredibly low likelihood of harming

Totally agree. I am always amazed at the "what if" scenarios people come up with in certain circumstances (like this one) when they do hundreds of things every week that have a much higher risk of bad outcomes.

The difference is you are creating a risk for no good reason. Not the same as your other examples.

I am creating the risk to make my life easier. That is at least as valuable as creating a risk purely for entertainment value like going on vacation. Again, people are crazy and don't assess risk very well.

Stfu. The point here is to weigh the severity of a small risk. The outcome here would be so severe that it is perfectly rational to say it is not worth it just to make your life easier for a second.