OP, I left my child in the driveway napping from the time he was a toddler. I also left him to return shopping carts to a stand or to get money out of the ATM in front of the bank (I was parked right in front of the ATM).

I started leaving him alone in the car at more public places about age 12.

I am comfortable leaving my 18 year old in the car and run errands. Sometimes I sit in the car and let my 18 year old run errands.

Anonymous wrote:This is so ridiculous when other countries are letting their kids take transit and walk to school at age 4 and 5.

+1

I remember reading this....

http://www.parenting.com/blogs/show-and-tell/kate-parentingcom/police-called-swedish-mom-who-left-baby-outside-restaurant

and realizing how laid back so many other countries are compared to our uptight helicopter country.


http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/08/12/339825261/global-parenting-habits-that-havent-caught-on-in-the-u-s

Anonymous wrote:Varies by county. In Loudoun it's 9. To be alone anywhere at all. Ugh.

What??? That is terrible. What about to walk home from the bus?

This is so ridiculous when other countries are letting their kids take transit and walk to school at age 4 and 5.

OP ~ 14 YEARS old.

Just don't do it. Not worth it. I left my sleeping 4-year-old in the car while I ran into a bank vestibule to use the ATM. I could literally see her from the vestibule while doing the transaction. Some "helpful" bystander approached the car within 45 seconds and was lurking around it--when I ran out (transaction cancelled!) he asked me if she was my baby and said he just wanted to make sure she was ok. It was extremely unpleasant.