Leaving Kids in the Car

[teach1rusl]

Quote:

Yep...out of sight means anything could happen these days. But if they're in clear sight... Now, imo adolescents are certainly old enough to be unsupervised in a locked vehicle, maturity dependent. Things sure aren't like they used to be... I don't think most of the cars my mom owned even had seatbelts in the backseat (not sure about the front), my brothers and I practically lived outside (you didn't come in till dinner time, and nobody really worried about where you were), and of course we stayed in the car while mom ran into the store for a bit (there were three of us each a year apart). I don't think I let my son ride his bike three blocks away until he was in middle school (our streets were pretty busy w/lots of speeders), and I always expected to know where he was. Some communities are still kind of like "the old days," but not many...

 

[maplesky7]

read page one and page 5 but in IL. it is a state law that you can not under any circumstance leave your child in the car.

There was even a woman who dropped off money in one of the salvation buckets with her car insight but still had to go to court.... it was later dropped.


The law is the law.

 

[shawnkfl]

never. locked car or not. most cars are stolen without keys and it happens very quickly. kids in the car these days are ransom money with a car to boot! i used to be a locksmith. i guarentee you, i can get in almost any car without a key faster than you can run out of a store to stop me. thieves are even faster! one car had loccksmiths at a loss. it was a geo prism. when i had a call to unlock the door on one of those, i would just hand the owner a brick. i could not pop the lock on those cars.

 

[onthespot]

I had a geo metro and the three or four times I had locked myself out, it took nearly forty five minutes each time for the locksmith to get it open. They have some kind of a blind deflector built into those things so you almost have to destroy your equipment to make it work on that car, and it will never work again right for any other car once you have mangled it to work on a geo.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I just can't leave mine in the car, I would be nervous wreck. I just think the world is becoming more dangerous every day and we really have to watch our kids more careful now.

Certainly, not like when I was growing up. I would walk to the store by myself, now the kids can't even play in the front yards without them going missing.

I'm a worry wart too. Keep my black cloud over my kids heads 24/7. My husband says I need to lighten up, but I just can't.

I would say if you feel comfortable doing so, then you should. If you have any doubts, then don't do it.

 

[ranchhand]

It's a choice only you can make, but I was pretty shocked this last week or two.

A lady in N. Charleston, SC left her baby asleep, all strapped in, in the car while she ran in to the PO to get stamps. When she came out, the baby was gone. Luckily, someone had seen a woman running with a baby and peeling out, and the baby was later found.

Sounds eerily strange, and as a result, I would have to say no, don't leave kids in the car, there are all kinds of people out there, and some aren't very nice.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/nov/26/baby-angel-returned-to-his-parents/

 

[dichotomymom]

Whether you choose to or not (within the confines of the law), I think it's important to remember not to pass on paranoia to your children. While we should all teach our children safety practices, the most valuable element of childhood is innocence and it can be deprived so easily by a parent who is too fearful.

 

[Mattemma]

The only time I leave my kiddos in the car is if I park right in front of the mailbox drop,or movie drop slot.I also turn off and lock the car.Mind you these are bigger kids.Babies to preschool came with me ALL the time.

If I have to park away from the things in question they get out and walk with me. I try to get stamps at the grocery store when I shop while the kids are in school.They hate stopping anywhere unless they are getting a slushie.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Quote:
I would rather you take that extra time.....rather than your next thread be "I need prayers...my kids have been kidnapped" always take them in with you unless you have a older teen or adult with you. Sorry just my opinion. God gave the kids to us to take care of and not to complain that they are a burden on us. You taking that extra time shows them and others around you how much you care and love your kids. It only takes a second for someone to snatch your kids right out from under your nose and it would take less time when your no where in sight.

 

[hikerchick]

I would rather be frazzled than childless. I would never leave a child alone in a car or at home, regardless of the amount of inconvenience.