Kids in Cars - Real Mum story on MoM

9 Comments

A few days ago, I pulled into the baby car park at our local coles (love that feeling of oh yes there is a spot available, not taken by someone with no kids!!!) As I was getting madam out of her seat, a large four wheel drive pulled into the next spot. A woman got out, carefully checked she had her purse and phone, and started to walk away. I peeked in her car window, thinking no kids just selfish, when I realised there were 2 kids in the car, and young ones at that.

I stopped her, and mentioned that she had forgotten to get her kids out. She glared and said she was going shopping and walked away. Seems her phone was more imprtant….

I called after her that I would have to stay and watch her kids for her…

Holding my child to prevent her from running into the car park, I waited for her to turn and come back.

She didn’t.

I stood there stunned, thinking what do I do now? Several passers by had seen this, but just kept walking. After a few minutes I decided I would have to report this, so I called the police, as although it was not hot, it was warming up, and her kids were looking rather unhappy.

As I spoke to the police, she returned. I told them the mother was back and hung up. They had asked if possible to get a photo of the license plate, so I quickly snapped a picture. This oh so delightful woman then started screaming abuse, carrying on that she was a lawyer and was going to sue me. I politley asked if she cared at all for her kids, which I probably shouldn’t have as it made her even more foul mouthed.

I then went in, shaken and upset, to do my shopping.

I mentioned this incident to some mothers I knew at the local playground, and was appalled to find that no one seemed to have a problem with leaving kids in the car to run into the shops, or even leave them sleeping in the car when they got home.

I would like to know what others think on this, as I feel leaving kids in the car for anything is a huge risk, not to mention illegal. The longest mine is ever alone is the time it takes me to shut the drivers door and open the back door to get her out. I know it can be a pain in the bum, constantly getting them in and out when you have a lot of running around to do, but surely their health and well being is worth more than a little bit of nuisance factor?

What does anyone else think?

Posted by katelt, 12th April 2013

9 Comments

- - june11 said
  - 23 Jul 2016
    7:43 pm
Even in really cool weather it doesn’t take long for a car to heat up.
A friend of mine sometimes leaves one child in the car sleeping while he runs in and quickly collects the other one, but he leaves the motor running with the aircondtioning working. This is on private property under shade. It takes 2 minutes of that. Apart from that their kids are never left in the car alone.
In fact it could be classed as child abuse in some states

- - mom81879 said
  - 08 Nov 2015
    6:51 pm
I’m with you. I’m horrified at the number of kids left in cars, some are left so the parents can go in the pub and play the pokies. I’ve just read of a small baby dying from being left asleep in his car restraint. He was not strapped in and his airways became compromised as he was unable to support his head. Terrible

- - 4littlemunchkins said
  - 31 Oct 2015
    9:24 pm
I leave my kids in the car when I check the PO box (literally less than 20m from the car and in my sight the whole time) and when I pay for petrol. There are only 2 petrol stations in our town and they are always both crazy busy so to drag 4 kids out of the car into the busy petrol station is more dangerous IMO. But again I can see the car the whole time and am gone for minutes. No other time are they left in the car though.

- - mom113055 said
  - 17 Oct 2015
    1:24 pm
kids in care

- - dannsbuild said
  - 30 Sep 2015
    12:12 am
Its more dangerous for them to be out of the car at a petrol station I think! But always take then into the shops! Never leave them alone!

- - mom113055 said
  - 06 May 2015
    2:41 pm
nice exellent

- - mom57522 said
  - 26 Dec 2014
    3:57 pm
Now that my kids are older (7 & 8) I will run in and pay for petrol but they still come out if it’s the shops.

- - Michelle said
  - 29 Jul 2014
    3:04 pm
Of course not and you did the right thing.

- - meimei said
  - 25 May 2014
    5:09 pm
We can’t leave the kids in the car for shopping. It can be make the kids sick and in danger situation if hot weather.