Kids and cars

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in surgical, neuro, education.

Going along with the thread about the missing children--I wonder how many of you leave your children in the car when you are running errands. I have known parents to leave young children in car--with it running--to go into the bank. I have not done that--but I will admit leaving them to go pay for gas (only in selected areas and only if I can see them at all times, the door is locked, and if my oldest is in the car). I know I shouldn't --but I would never 'forget' I had them in the car (like the moms recently who left newborns in hot cars to go to a party, one went gambling, another went into work).

Sometimes it is more hassle to get them out of car seats and booster seats--then hear how they want "this' etc. when all i would have to do is pay attendant my money. Now my hubby will leave them in longer--unlocked--but no keys. I have gotten on his case about this and he doesn't do this anymore (that he would admit to)--but i just couldn't imagine having anything happen to my little angels

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Careful zumalong - Mario will come around telling us how to be parents :rolleyes:

I usually get my gas at those little stations where the attendant sits in their little box right in the middle for this reason. The car, not running and locked, is never more than 5 feet from me. Don't have to deal with a lollygagging kid, or the gazillion requests for candy hr has at the check out.

Other than that, I really don't have alot of reason to do this. I mean, if it doesn't have a drive thru, I save it for another trip.

Heather

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I have a 7 month old and NEVER leave her in the car by herself. You could say that I am a little bit of a paranoid parent...but I don't care. I only get gas where you can pay at the pump and I take her in everywhere else that I go....no matter what. If I think that it is going to be to much of a hassle then I wait to run whatever errand it is.

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ernurse, OBnursHeather an zumalong,

You all sound exactly like great parent's. I too have never left my son in a car by himself. I still stand at the Men's room door asking "Everything OK in there?" He is 12 and is none too amused w/ me, but tough cookies, he is MY BABY!

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My son is getting to the age where he's a little embarrassed to go into the women's bathroom. I tell him he can pee in there or hold it. "shoulda thought of that before we left the house....."

Heather

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My youngest is a Senior and I'm so glad. This world is getting more dangerous every day. A preacher was arrested for raping a 15 year old in the paper recently. You all sound like great parents. I wish you love, luck and patience.

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No matter what, I have never left my kids in the car......unless, like Heather, it is a station with the attendant right there.

Most of our children were over 2 when they came to us...regardless...if I had errands to run, it was done when dad was available to watch them.....or, I had a train :) (thus, the screen name).

When we did have a baby, with all the info out there, no way was I leaving that young man out of my sight.

More and more, this world is unsafe........sadly, even in our own homes now.

Used to watch a child that decided to take the car for a drive....the keys were in her reach, she took them (she was home with parents at the time), started the car, put it in gear......and rolled it down their 100 yard drive......luckily, just missing a tree. Totaled the car.....she was 3 years old!

My keys aren't even where the kids can get them, after that!

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I have left my 15 year old in the car at times, but never with the keys in the ignition! But I remember when he was a baby, I told hubby #1 never to leave the baby in the car, no matter what. One day he was getting gas, and went in to pay. He took the baby, corificeat and all, in with him. When he came out, he discovered that the grocery bags and a radio we had in the car for beach trips were gone! He said he was only gone for a minute, and he was so glad that the baby was with him, because someone could have snatched him just as easily as they snatched the groceries.

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Not saying the mom that did this and had her baby snatched was a bad mother, but I don't even return my shopping cart when my kids are in the car! I'll leave it right there in the lot!

I only use pay at the pump and drive through ATMs.

Isn't this sad??!!! What kind of society are we that children aren't valued and protected?

I saw a mother leave her two small children in a running car while she ran in a dollar store! I was so unnerved I stood and watched them untl she returned. I said nothing to her. You know you can't tell people how to raise their kids. But if something had happened.....

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

never. not for a lousy shopping cart...or tank of gas. that is what insurance and gas cards are for....kids are much more important than a lousy tank of gas or a stupid shopping cart rolling down the parking lot. it's a no-brainer!

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Originally posted by OBNURSEHEATHER

Careful zumalong - Mario will come around telling us how to be parents :rolleyes:

I usually get my gas at those little stations where the attendant sits in their little box right in the middle for this reason. The car, not running and locked, is never more than 5 feet from me. Don't have to deal with a lollygagging kid, or the gazillion requests for candy hr has at the check out.

Not running & locked OK in my book :); anyone that leaves their car running NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CHILD INVOLVED is a potential hazard.

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I know a nurse, from a European country, that I was at work with one day. Her husband came to have lunch with her in the cafeteria. After they came back we were talking and come to find out, they left their two kids, both under 2, in the car in the parking ramp---"they were sleeping". I was shocked, and questioned them. It was like I was the bad guy in the situation!

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