Leaving kids in the car article

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

Oh, and for that other 99% of the time (which for me, that ratio is WAY off, I make sevearl small errands throughout the week, and only 1 large errand each week) the risk of something happening while they're alone for an hour (which is how long it takes me to grocery shop) such as choking, getting kidnapped (because if I"m close enough to see my vehicle, I'm close enough to tackle anyone who even tries to bust into my locked vehicle), have a seizure, unbuckling themselves to get out...those are MORE likely to happen the longer they're in the car...and for 20 minutes, or an hour, it's more likely one of those things will occure than anything in the parking lot walking across it.



If my kids managed to get unbuckled, figure out how to unlock the doors AND open them before I returned a cart 10 feet away and returned, I would ahve a super child. If my child choked, they would die if I were gone for 20 minutes, but wouldn't even pass out in the 45 seconds. Same thing with a siezure and so on and so forth. Risk assessment, which is MORE dangerous, for each individual situation.

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

Meme, once again, it's about risk assessment, nto just of the general topic of leaving your child in the car, but of each and every situation of leaving your kids in the car versus taking them with you. There have been times I havn't left the kids in the car for even the 45 second jaunt to grab a cart or drop off the books in the slot, why? Because it was too hot and I didn't want to even risk accidently locking the doors and panicking for 3 minutes while I broke a window, or there were shady characters nearby. Sometimes, one situation, such as leaving the kids in the car, is safer, other times, at the exact same place, same time of day, it's more dangerous to leave them in the car. EVERY time it's about risk assessment, wether I've done it before or not.



And, there are lot of people in the world who are, in essence, alone in child raising. So if they don't have anyone to watch their kids, I believe them, it happens. What are they supposed to do? Wait a month and let their kids starve because that's when they get someone to watch their kids? In this day and age, it's MORE likely (IMO) that someone is raising their kids alone with little to no help than it was 10 years ago, 20 years ago and beyond.

Teresa - posted on 02/19/2012

You may find it hard to believe, but it is a fact of my life that I've lived every day for almost 4 years.... My kids are w/ their father 2-3 times/year and w/ their Grandpa for a night or two a few times/year. Otherwise... it's pretty much ALL me.



Again though... my girls are 10 and I know the law here.

Teresa - posted on 02/19/2012

My girls didn't have infant carriers and it was 10 years ago. I was just making a comment about the ONE time that I carried them and why I didn't use a stroller. I couldn't physically lift the stroller and I wouldn't have been able to physically lift the carriers if they had them.



I wouldn't cuss anyone out... ever. I'm not that rude.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

Right Laura but how many of those times are you leaving them in the vehicle alone??? 1% of every time you go out with them???

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

Jodi, that is exactly what I do too. I actuall do not believe in children going shopping, unless it is for them only. Or they are older than 6 and can understand what shopping is about and are not needing a nap or to eat every 2 hours. My children do not come with me anyhow, that is my time, even if it is grocery shopping.



However there have been posts saying not everybody has resources to watch their child. Which, I find hard to believe in anyone's situation in this thread, as most have already said they are married or in a relationship. If they are not and have multiple children then, I still find it hard to believe that they do not have any family or friends or even neighbours to watch their child(ren) when they run a small errand... ;)

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/19/2012

We shop as a family always!

I've almost never went into a store without the kids. If I'm out, 99% of the time both kids are with me.

Teresa - posted on 02/19/2012

There is 0.000000001% (approximately, of course) that my kids would ever die from me leaving them in the car though.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

Just to finish my thought...then I gotta get my boy down for a nap. ;)



Many of you state that is unsafe to take your kids in with you if you are just running in or out. For reasons such as them getting hit by a car, stroller getting away, dropping them on their head and I am sure there were others. So, I must ask, if like many here have also said, it is not often they do a couple minute errand and leave their child(ren) in the car. Please explain to me how it is unsafe to take them with you, since that 1% of the time you are just running in it is HIGHLY unlikely something dyer is going to happen to them in the parking lot while they are with you. It is more likely going to happen during the other 99% of the time you DO take them with you.



1% is a very small percentage, it is doubtful, actually as slim a chance as many of you are stating a carjacking, heat exposure, kidnapping, emergnecy brake disengagment, kid getting loose by opening door and placing the vehicle in neutral (which BTW - I find much more plausable cases to occur within 3-5mins) when left alone during that time.



It doesn't make sense to me. I would much rather know my kids are safe with me, not on their own. I take the chance the other 99% of the time, so I may as well go the whole nine yards and make it 100% of the time... I am not saving my child if something happens while they are unattended and I am always taking a chance when they are with me anyhow as many here have stated. Which I think is ridiculous...

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

Jodi, this is exactly what I do. My husband gets home at 6ish and on the days when I have to do a serious grocery trip and I have all these coupons and my list and I want to take my time (and oooook maaaaybe I want to get out of the house too), I will wait for him to get home. This happens once a week usually and he will give her a bath and I am back before she goes to bed.

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

Meme, for me personally, if my errand is going to be longer than a minute or two, like dropping off books, or mail in the slot or whatever, then I don't do it. I'm married, my husband gets home at relatively reasonable times, I can do my grocery shopping and what not after he gets home. I can't say the reasoning for other women, but I havn't heard anyone say they were taking a 20 minutes shopping jaunt with their kids in the car.



*edit to add, I just realized I didn't specify. When I say I can do these things after my husband comes home, what I mean is, I don't bring my kids at all. OR, I have him with me for the extra set of eyes and hands to help keep my kids as safe as possible.

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

"That would be one of the reasons I never left the house alone w/ them." I think she was trying to point out that there ARE reasons why people don't use strollers (I would think finances would be a huge one, strollers are expensive!!!) She clearly states she never left the house alone with them, therefore eliminated her personal need to lift a stroller OR a carseat.



Also, I had a c-section too and I couldn't lift the infant carrier. I was warned of the danger TO ME if I did, and that danger also applied to my baby. If I were to injure myself while alone with the kids and passed out from pain, or blood loss or whatever, what of my kids then? Both ways are risky. So what did I do? Our infant carriers stayed in the vehicle and I lifted only my children. (This was before the great stroller incident, so I could put them in the stroller!) I could lift a baby, but not the added weight of the carrier.

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

AMEN

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

I will go back to what I said a while ago. It is about 1% of the time you will likely be running a 3-5mins errand, so what do you do all the other 99% of outings with your children?? Why is it so safe that 1% but not the other? You still have to use a stroller, use a cart, let them walk if they can and hold your hand.... So I don't understand. If you do it when it is more than 5mins than what is the difference?



BTW - we have pay at the pump at our gas stations... most places do employ this feature...

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

Teresa, we are talking about when we do leave the house and we take our children with us on errands. I am unsure of what your last post pertained to?? If you can't lift a stroller, then you more than likely cannot lift the car seat the under 6 month baby is in, since I am pretty sure you aren't placing them in a cart?? If you are then they would need to be in their detachable car seat and "lifted" into the cart. What is your arguement there?



In addition, I will tell you this. If you left your child(ren) in the car and I called the cops and you decided to cuss me out, I would run like hell (meaning YOU) because I can be fairly aggresive, and I would kick your a**.. ;) I am protecting a child, I could careless if you have an issue with that. I will not walk on by and "hope" the mother will be back, sorry but that is not who I am...



BTW - I had 2 cesarians and a high danger pregnancy and guess what? I lifted the stroller and the baby in the detachable car seat.... I don't have any excuses to endanger my child.

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

lol yes 41. We are a resort town. So in the summer our population doubles for about 5 months. We would be able to get away with like 20 if it wasn't for the summer.



About your stroller story...YIKES. You'd think these manufacturers would double and triple check a stroller! I'm sorry that happened to you! I have to run out to the store when my daughter wakes up....maybe I'll carry her lol

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

Jackie, you have 41 cops?! WOW, we have 15 I think. lol Small towns are nice.



On the stroller subject, I have a double stroller, I put one child in, buckled her, went to retrieve (and by went, I mean, leaned into my van) the other child to put her in, and all 3 brakes failed on the strolled WITH my child in it and started to roll back...into the lane of traffic in a parking lot. We have since gotten a new stroller, but I still will not trust it after that. (BTW. the stroller was not facing traffic, it was facing my van, with it's back towards the car in the spot next to us, but one wheel must of made it pivot and then roll backwards.) I shudder to think of what would have happened if it had been a busy day and a car would have been driving by. I use my stroller when I have to, like anytime I will be more than a few yards away or out of sight or whatever, and I shove something underneath the wheels of the stroller. Again, risk assesment. Due to my horrible and terrifying experience with strollers, I don't trust them to actually keep my kids safe unless I am holding onto the handles myself. It's a great invention, but I shudder now! lol

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

Fair enough. Hey, at least we agree on something :)



I haven't commented on the whole gas station scenario because in NJ we don't pump our own gas. I won't put myself in someone else's shoes because that isn't fair. I've sad it before and I'll say it again. I am a mother of one child..I wouldn't put myself in the shoes of a mother of 2 or 3 or 4 or more. I can only say what I would do in situations that I have been in.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/19/2012

Most everyone here has said that if the temperature was extreme they would also call the police.

Most are on the same page on that issue.

Mostly we are debating mild weather when mom will be out of sight for a minute or two.



My stance, only if the kids asleep and it would disrupt them to take them in and out for one minute

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

I'd rather be sued or have the cops called on me than have a child die.



You are right, I am only speaking about where I live. I know all 41 cops in my town and most of them have been over my house for game night. IF I called the cops...I'd probably call their cell phone.

Teresa - posted on 02/19/2012

Since the stroller was mentioned... due to my rough pregnancy and birth experience... I couldn't physically lift the stroller out of the trunk until my girls were 6 months old. That would be one of the reasons I never left the house alone w/ them. Thankfully I wasn't a single mom until my son was born. Am I hassled? You bet, but does that mean I shouldn't have my kids? Nope. Not even close.



I'm not arguing what I do or don't do cuz no one on this post knows what it's like to live here and since my oldest two are 10 and I know the law where I live.... What anyone else would or wouldn't do where THEY live really doesn't apply. Just don't come visit here if you think you're going to cuss me out cuz I'd call the cops on YOU... and you'd be the one in trouble. ;)

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

Thanks Laura, I haven't read the posts before my original post because they would have had nothing to do with me. It would be kind of weird for her to be referencing a post by Meme from so long ago when I had just used the same word she was speaking about only a few posts ago. If what you say is true, it is an understandable mix up.



Also, I would imagine that her post would be to anyone that called a mom lazy...so she was in fact speaking to me as well.



Lastly, I am confident in my belief that some of the mothers on this thread are, in fact, selective readers.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/19/2012

Jackie I'm pretty sure Tara was not talking to you.

She knows how to read :)

I'm pretty sure she was referencing the original statement about moms being lazy made my meme.



Calculated risks ladies.

Know the laws, know the temperature, know how long you will be gone, know your city, know your child.



And make the best choice possible.

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

I have been on this thread for a few pages. I am certainly not the first mom to go off topic. The reason why I had to make an ENTIRE post about REposting what I had originally said is for the moms who went OFF topic and mixed my words up yet again...which is actually pretty sad considering it is written down and not something I just blurted out. A lot of these posts are off topic and some of the other posts are moms reiterating their point. YIKES talk about attacked.

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

"That was a general statement and I stand by it. No where in that statement does it talk about gas pumps, carts, malls, milk, heat, or even cars. "



Ummm...but the thread is about gas pumps, carts, malls, milk, heat, cars etc etc. I don't make it a practice to go onto a thread and bring up other totally irrelevant topics. When the genearl discussion is leaving kids in cars and most people are referencing, carts, gas pumps, malls, milk, heat and cars...and then we are only left to feel jduged and attacked by a comment, in that thread, calling moms lazy and saying they shouldn't have kids. If the post was about parents who never wanted kids, then had them and don't take care of them, then your comment would have been taken in context correctly.

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

No Tara you are not lazy nor did I call you lazy. I dare you to find any part of ANY of my posts that calls any one of you mothers lazy...I dare you. Are you illiterate? Perhaps. I suggest the next time you want to start preaching. Read. Very. Carefully.

Tara - posted on 02/19/2012

Jodi said "It is all about personal risk assessment, and is based on so many factors, that this is really more a debate about personal judgement than about what is dangerous or safe for everyone. "



Totally true.



I leave my kids in the van, my town has 200 people for gods sake. I know almost all of them. I have 4 kids with me at any given time, if the oldest who is almost 12 is with me, I will leave them all in the car with her.

If not, I leave them in the van, where I can see it. Honestly, to get my mail from my post office box, I get out of the van, walk 15 steps, open a door, walk 4 feet bend down and open the box. You think I'm lazy cause I'm not going to haul 3 or 4 kids into a space that is about 10 by 10 to get my mail? Or I'm lazy because I won't haul them all out to walk from my van 20 feet, into a store to hand a dude a $20 for gas? Seriously?

I'm not lazy lady, I am a mom to 6 freaking kids, I do my job well, I volunteer for all their extra curricular activities, I run the skating club, I'm a member of Lions international, I am active in my community and I homeschool my kids!!



Lazy I don't f@#%ing think so.

Practical and sensible and logical, yes? My ability to asses risk is at it's very best. Mainly because I think things through on the regular and asses all situations before I act. And then I act ACCORDINGLY.

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

"I don't understand it, no one has to have children. If a child is an inconvenience for you than don't have them. NO one made you be a mom. Stop being lazy."



I figured I'd copy and paste this separate paragraph in one of the posts I had written for those of you who may have skimmed it, saw the word lazy, and then beat up your keyboards.



That was a general statement and I stand by it. No where in that statement does it talk about gas pumps, carts, malls, milk, heat, or even cars.



Here's an example: My beautiful sister is a hair dresser at a very posh salon in a resort area. She loves her casinos, and she loves her mixed drinks. She loves to get dolled up and go out and party the whole night. She loves her life (from what she tells me) and she wouldn't want to change it. Although she loves my daughter very much and we hang out as much as we can, she has made it very clear that she doesn't want children. She said that isn't who she is. Is there anything wrong with that? Absolutely not. We all support her no matter what. If she had a child (not planned obviously) I would imagine that child would be at my home most of the time and she would be one of these mothers I am referring to as lazy. She is just smart enough to know who she is and who she isn't.

**Jackie** - posted on 02/19/2012

Jodi, I have just finished skimming all of these comments and I have to tell you...thanks for the laugh. Do you skim too? I said if children are an inconvenience for you than you shouldn't have them. Furthermore, IF I saw a child in a car on a HOT day (which is all I was talking about....I never said anything about a gas station because we don't pump our own gas and I feel that it wouldn't be fair to put my 2 cents in on that one) I would not only call the police but follow up with CPS.Also, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to help myself, I'd have a few things to say to the mother. It is already been established that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and it is quite apparent that everyone differs in cultures, temperatures, laws, and even shopping cart retrievals. I am only stating my opinion and I am allowed. If you don't like it...I suggest you mumble to yourself and make faces at the computer.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

just for the record, I have never called anyone lazy. If you have children it is very difficult to be lazy, unless you are a loser parent, of which absolutely no one on this thread is. So, FYI, I do not believe anyone here is lazy, quite the contrary. We all work very hard at being a mother and it is a very stressful and trying job in the least, ;)



However now that I have gotten some insight to your situation, I can see why you may make the decision at times, to leave them unattended. IMO, a child over 6 should be able to wait 3-5 mins while you are running into the store. My thoughts are for children under 6 only.. However they should also be able to walk and obey the laws of a parking lot. A child of age 3 and up should be able to stick by their mother, otherwise, IMO, there has not been enough practice in explaining the importance of being safe. My daughter was once 3 and she walked on her own while holding my hand. If she refused then she got swiftly brought back to the car and brought home.



Have a good night and rest Jodi, it is early morning here, time to start our day. ;)

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

Anyway, I am not going to change my mind, and it is really a redundant debate for me now - my youngest is 7. I leave her in the car on occasion, other occasions I won't, depends if her 13 and 14 year old brothers are with her, depends where I am. Good night all :)

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

I have no problem that you believe you are right. I have never said you are wrong. But I am right too. For MY circumstances and in MY risk assessment, which you are actually in no position to assess.



The difference between you and I is that you think you are right and I am wrong. And you are prepared to call people lazy and you are prepared to be self righteous about it.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

BTW- I do feel my way is right, or I wouldn't be debating it.



Leaving your children unattended unless retrieving or replacing a cart is not required. Which BTW I wouldn't do either... Although I have one child under 6 and the other of 13 can most definitely walk on her own...



However, I understand what you are saying. I agree somewhat, maybe, just a smidgen. I can only speak for myself and where I have lived over the past 36 years, not everybody. ;)

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

As I said, I was addressing someone else who used these terms. Calling mothers lazy and telling them they shouldn't have children IS telling them they are bad parents. I didn't say that IS what you said. You responded, so I assumed you must have said it too at some point. I wasn't on much yesterday either. I don't recall you making those particular comments.



Now allow me to tell you about my local convenience store. It is small. It is glass fronted. I can see my car from ANYWHERE in the entire store. I can also see, before I even enter the store, how busy it is. If the queue is long, I can make the call to take children in with me. If there are only a couple of people in the store (which most of the time is actually the case), it is a 2 minute trip (at most) in full line of site of my locked car, which is parked in the shade.



That is my point about environment. And that doesn't even address the cultural aspect of the small community, the lack of robberies in the area, and so on.



It is all about personal risk assessment, and is based on so many factors, that this is really more a debate about personal judgement than about what is dangerous or safe for everyone.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

And Jodi, you do have a problem with a persons personal view. Otherwise you would not be debating that it is OK to leave your child unattended and be forceful in your personal opinion. There are two sides, it is OK or it isn't and for most their side is based on their opinion, experiences and mind thought.... Not many people debate saying well I wouldn't or would but the opposition is OK too. That does not make sense. I haven't heard anyone as of yet on the position that it is OK, say I understand why a mother would not feel comfortable. So what are you saying?

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

Jodi, I was simply addressing all the posts in reference to my post yesterday or the day before, I wasn't on much yesterday so cannot recall without looking back right now.



I don't agree that lazy is a correct term either. I feel more inclined to say hassled. As poster's here have said they are not going to unbuckle 4 kids to get a jug of milk. If it is a hassle then the kids should not be on that specific errand, or there are too many kids for the sanity of that one parent.



I have also said before that no one here is a bad parent. I have also said that there is no one here that can say they don't have resources for their children when they have to run small errands. If you have 4 or more children and are on your own and have no one to help EVER throughout the week, then by golly you have full hands and I sympathize fully....

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

SO are you saying you DID specifically call mothers lazy and they shouldn't have children? And then you try to say you aren't calling anyone a bad parent?



Fuck me.....

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

I have no problem with someone having a personal view on the issue. I take issue with someone, however, thinking their view is the only right one in this specific instance, because this debate is very cultural and environmental.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

I have sepcifically said that, it was more than likely 4 pages back is all.. ;)

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

No you didn't specifically say that. My ORIGINAL post about being "lazy" and "shouldn't have children", to which you decided to respond, was actually referring to someone else's comment. I wasn't even addressing you. You took it upon yourself to argue the point.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

So, what do you expect one to do here? We are not suppose to use our own personal views, we are not suppose to use our own personal experiences, we are not suppose to use our own knowledge of incidents that have occurred, all BTW in your opinion. So, what is this all about? Are we suppose to say - Way to go parents that have enough balls to leave your child unattended, I don't have those balls, so I will take mine in with me??



I have said numerous times, that I strongly believe everyone on this thread are good parents. I just feel that risk has not been fully addressed, if you leave your child unattended to do anything but retrieve a cart. So many things can happen that are not within your control once you leave, that is all I am saying...

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

There you are putting words in my mouth again, Jodi. I never said anyone was a good or bad parent. I am saying there are implications to all actions. Leaving your child in a vehicle can have dyer outcomes. No, Jodi, I don't ALWAYS go to one corner store, we have 100's of them in HRM... ;)

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

That's you. Your convenience store. In your area. With no cash in your purse to make a quick payment. Don't impose YOUR individual circumstances on everyone else.and then make judgements on who is and is not a bad or good parent.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

Last time I went to the corner store, I could guess how long I would be in there but there have been times the line up was longer than expected and there have been times where the debit machine happened to have a brain fart while I was paying. This ended up taking longer than I had guessed it would. That means my child(ren) would have been in the vehicle longer than expected. It is also easy to lose track of time, especially when were are talking 3-5mins and 6-10mins...



I also have never said a parent is worse than I for leaving their child in a car. I just believe there is absolutely NO reason for it. You are simply playing with fire, you cannot fortell the future, even if you would like to. This is something that can be avoided at all costs but some still feel it is appropriate for them and their child. I simply do not understand, I guess I never ever will...

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

Who are you to say the chances are it will take longer than 3-5 minutes? As I mentioned previously, the risk assessment we all undertake, as GOOD parents, when it comes to making a decision on whether to take our children, or leave them in the car, is very much a cultural one, and very much based on individual circumstances. Just because I (for example) don't make the same decision as you do in a similar circumstance, doesn't make me an inattentive or worse parent than you. That different decision could be based on a difference in environment. That's all I am pointing out.



So as a result, this debate is a very culturally based debate, where what one mother does may be very different to what another does, and neither of them may be wrong in their assessment, and their children are just as safe as one anothers.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

If you are going inside for anything, the chance is there that it could take longer than 3-5 mins. So when I say 3-5mins that is the guesstimated time some parents here are reffering to, you have no true actual time until you are back in the car....



No, it is not OK at any time except to perhaps retrieve a cart. No by-passer knows who or where the parent is, if they are away from the vehicle. Most people however, can tell if the parent is retrieving a cart. A by-passer has a place to look for a parent, the cart coral(s) closest to the vehicle. Other than that, I for one, would not know where else to seek the parent... Therefore I must take the next action of notifying the police and possibly smashing a window. Smashing a window would be an assessment on my part, is it hot or freezing out? How long does it look like the child has been there. If I cannot answer the how long part, then I take the step of notifying police and smashing the window... I have objects in my SUV if anyone is wondering how I would do that...

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

"Children should NOT be left unattended for 3-5mins or more. They simply should not be, I think most of you realize this and just feel arguing is more fun."



Actually, I think that perhaps you are the one not reading. Most people here aren't arguing about anything longer than 3-5 minutes at all. Are you saying that it is okay if it is in line of sight and for no more than 3-5 minutes?

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

Wow - you guys seriously only read what you want. I said I would smash the window BECAUSE IT IS HOT OUT AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE PARENT HAS BEEN GONE! YES, I SURE WOULD.. I ALSO DID NOT SAY I WOULD IF YOU WERE RETURNING A CART! I SAID IF THE PARENT WAS NOT INSIGHT (how does anyone know the parent is 30feet away? Are we suppose to yell "Hey is there a parent around for this kid left in the car"??).... Wow, I am seriously offended with how inapt the ability is here to fully read my comments! In addition most insurance companies will NOT replace your window if it was due to a child being inside. Oh and have fun trying to sue someone, if you were inside a store even for 3-5mins, too bad, no one can prove that, it is your word against the by-passers...



Anyhow I will say this. You guys are arguing about wanting to leave your children in the car for whatever reason (minus a cart reason), so go ahead. I believe that if you had too many children to take them into the store with you while you get a jug of milk, then you had too many children for your own sanity. I do know mother's with 4 and 5 children, they do not leave them in a car, except perhaps to retrieve a cart. BTW - 4 or 5 children cannot fit in one cart, so what do you usually do with them all?? Children should NOT be left unattended for 3-5mins or more. They simply should not be, I think most of you realize this and just feel arguing is more fun.



So be it. I will not be leaving my child in a car, except perhaps to retrieve a cart. If I go inside anywhere they come with me. End of story.



Remember those children that know how to open a door, could do so for anyone. I honestly don't believe any of you would put your child in harms way. Just maybe need to really think of all implications before doing something.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/19/2012

I also must ask, does no one know about strollers? I mean so many are speaking of how they cannot carry 2 or more babies at the same time, I am curious if you don't use a stroller. They make them with 1 seat, 2 seats, 3 seats, 4 seats (probably more too but I haven't seen them). I don't understand that one at all. I always use my stroller, my son is 25lb and 16 months. For those with multiple little ones, use a larger stroller, I mean you said you're only running in for 3-5mins, so whatever you're buying will fit under the stroller.



There are always multiple ways to get from point A to point B, some just take a little extra effort. I am willing when it comes to my children.



As Desiree said, we also have cart guys. You can ask any store for help with your cart or carts. I have many times when I had two carts of groceries....

Jodi - posted on 02/19/2012

And Desiree, that is exactly why this is such a cultural argument, because each of us has a different cultural environment. So there is no NEED for any one person here to call others lazy and tell them they shouldn't have children, when the decision is based on cultural risk assessment. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that it is a bit rude.