Sigh. There's a huge difference between leaving a three year old in a car seat in a car for a half hour and leaving a 9 year old in the car for three minutes.

My 9 year old can easily escape the car if there was an emergency, and if he wants to sit in the car for the three minutes it takes me to run into the post office and drop off a package, that's fine.

The bigger issue is that nosy people would probably call the police if I did this "omg, she left a child in the car alone!" People really need to understand risk benefits analysis around here. It's like we lost it all in 2020.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2020 taught me that people have zero ability to judge risk. I see 2021 is continuing the theme!

People have no tolerance for any risk and no judgement skills!

This!

OP, feel free to not leave your kids in the car ever. Us normal, well adjusted people will assess the risk and decide accordingly.

Agreed.

I saw a few tweens flying down a hill on skateboards the other week, both wearing masks, but no helmets. If that doesn't capture our collectively piss-poor ability to contextualize and evaluate risks, I don't know what does.

Anonymous wrote:I never do. It just isn’t safe and it’s illegal. My children are the last thing to go into the car before me - always. And the first thing out of the car after me. My father is a cop and he drilled it into us along with numerous horror stories.

None of which were true. It is extremely rare when the parent is standing RIGHT THERE. Most abductions are by family members. And what are they going to do? Hot wire the car while I'm standing by the rear putting in two bags of groceries?

Or are your kids not able to stay seated and go to the front of the car while you are standing at the trunk?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s illegal where I live.

And I don’t get the rational that makes it okay. If you wouldn’t leave a four-year-old home alone, why would you leave them in a car alone?

While I push the grocery cart to the collection area 3 spaces away? Or put gas in the car? I don't do it because people around here are nuts and would call that in. Maybe your kids aren't well behaved, but mine sit there nicely for 5 seconds. Windows part way down, car locked, in full sight and within a few feet of the adult.

People are ridiculous around here. Much more likely that my kid will get hit by a car in the parking lot while I return the cart than someone car jacking my locked car.

Do you really think that’s what we’re referring to? Putting gas in the car? Five seconds with your hands on the car?

I carry my toddler and hold hands with my five year old to return the grocery cart because it’s a distance. It’s not hard.

Do you know how many times I've almost been hit with my kids and a shopping cart in a parking lot around here? Mostly in the marked crosswalk. Do you know how many times someone has even approached my car while I'm within 4 or 5 parking spots? The answer to the latter one is zero.

How far away are you parking from the cart returns? Everywhere I go there are car returns within a few spaces. You do you. But don't get on other people for something that simple.

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Don’t do it. It’s stupid and illegal.

But, parents are so full of excuses today for doing the wrong thing so this will fall on deaf ears.

It's not illegal. Good lord people are stupid.

I never do. It just isn’t safe and it’s illegal. My children are the last thing to go into the car before me - always. And the first thing out of the car after me. My father is a cop and he drilled it into us along with numerous horror stories.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s illegal where I live.

And I don’t get the rational that makes it okay. If you wouldn’t leave a four-year-old home alone, why would you leave them in a car alone?

While I push the grocery cart to the collection area 3 spaces away? Or put gas in the car? I don't do it because people around here are nuts and would call that in. Maybe your kids aren't well behaved, but mine sit there nicely for 5 seconds. Windows part way down, car locked, in full sight and within a few feet of the adult.

People are ridiculous around here. Much more likely that my kid will get hit by a car in the parking lot while I return the cart than someone car jacking my locked car.

Do you really think that’s what we’re referring to? Putting gas in the car? Five seconds with your hands on the car?

I carry my toddler and hold hands with my five year old to return the grocery cart because it’s a distance. It’s not hard.

Anonymous wrote:It’s illegal where I live.

And I don’t get the rational that makes it okay. If you wouldn’t leave a four-year-old home alone, why would you leave them in a car alone?

While I push the grocery cart to the collection area 3 spaces away? Or put gas in the car? I don't do it because people around here are nuts and would call that in. Maybe your kids aren't well behaved, but mine sit there nicely for 5 seconds. Windows part way down, car locked, in full sight and within a few feet of the adult.

People are ridiculous around here. Much more likely that my kid will get hit by a car in the parking lot while I return the cart than someone car jacking my locked car.

Anonymous wrote:It’s illegal where I live.

And I don’t get the rational that makes it okay. If you wouldn’t leave a four-year-old home alone, why would you leave them in a car alone?

Because if car is off and locked and you can physically see the car the whole time (like dropping off a package or grabbing coffee to-go), it is fine. No one is going to be smashing your car window in. Your child can't get out. As long as they are in view and you are only a couple minutes, I see no issue with this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh good grief. My parents left me alone in the car all the time as a kid when I asked to stay and read. It was FINE. Crime has only gone DOWN since then, not up. And I wasn't defenseless - I could get out of the car and go into wherever my parents were. My kids have stayed in the car numerous times also, with no problem. Nothing will happen in the store or restaurant to prevent me from just turning and walking out if I need to. It's fine.

Settle down, Susan.

Your parents probably didn’t bother to put a seatbelt on you and raised you on a diet of Mountain Dew and Lays given your IQ level. Do you do the same for your kids?

Sorry, I’m with PP. My kids are older (10 and 8) and it’s insane to think they can’t wait in the car for a few minutes.

Feel free to sling more insults.

Hope your kids can read better than you. I specifically wrote young kids. Moron.

Hence the qualifier that mine are older. Reading is fundamental! Also, judgment.

(Over the top trolling, agree with PP, 2/10)

It’s illegal where I live.

And I don’t get the rational that makes it okay. If you wouldn’t leave a four-year-old home alone, why would you leave them in a car alone?

Way back in the sickening 70s we got left in the car all the time. It was the standard punishment for misbehaving at the grocery store or when our parents took us out to eat.

Never in hot weather, obviously. But I was left when I was pretty young. I suspect back in those days it wasn’t a big deal to leave a baby on the backseat when you ran into the package store for ciggies and a six pack. Actually probably on the front seat. And we didn’t have car seats then, either.


I agree never leave the vehicle running, some punk could come along and take off with the car not realizing there’s a kid in the back. But honestly you could get carjacked anywhere at any streetlight so probably you should probably stay home and never take the kids anywhere in the car.

I agree. Don’t do it. It’s stupid and illegal.

But, parents are so full of excuses today for doing the wrong thing so this will fall on deaf ears.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh good grief. My parents left me alone in the car all the time as a kid when I asked to stay and read. It was FINE. Crime has only gone DOWN since then, not up. And I wasn't defenseless - I could get out of the car and go into wherever my parents were. My kids have stayed in the car numerous times also, with no problem. Nothing will happen in the store or restaurant to prevent me from just turning and walking out if I need to. It's fine.

Settle down, Susan.

Your parents probably didn’t bother to put a seatbelt on you and raised you on a diet of Mountain Dew and Lays given your IQ level. Do you do the same for your kids?

Actually my parents were the “the car won’t turn on if everyone isn’t buckled “ types. I’ve never had Mountain Dew and we mostly only ate chips when we grilled. My IQ is fine. I’m capable of critical thinking and knowing what my kids are likely to do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh good grief. My parents left me alone in the car all the time as a kid when I asked to stay and read. It was FINE. Crime has only gone DOWN since then, not up. And I wasn't defenseless - I could get out of the car and go into wherever my parents were. My kids have stayed in the car numerous times also, with no problem. Nothing will happen in the store or restaurant to prevent me from just turning and walking out if I need to. It's fine.

Settle down, Susan.

Your parents probably didn’t bother to put a seatbelt on you and raised you on a diet of Mountain Dew and Lays given your IQ level. Do you do the same for your kids?

Sorry, I’m with PP. My kids are older (10 and 8) and it’s insane to think they can’t wait in the car for a few minutes.

Feel free to sling more insults.

Hope your kids can read better than you. I specifically wrote young kids. Moron.

Np. Think you’re confused as to who looks like the moron here.