When is your child old enough to be left alone in the car?

If you haven’t done it already, you’ve most likely thought about it. It would be so much faster to run into the library to pick up your reserved books or run into the grocery store for the one item you need if you didn’t have to unlock your child from the car seat and haul him or her into the store.  A blogger over at  was confused and curious when she discovered a baby and a young child (7 or 8 years old) alone in a car at the local grocery store. The blogger assumed the driver of the vehicle was making a quick trip in and out—and the doors of the car were locked so there were no worries of child-nappers dragging the kids out of the car. But the blogger herself didn’t seem too upset at what she saw—just curious. So she posed the question to her readers: When is it appropriate to let kids sit unattended in the car? How old were you when your parents left you alone in the car?

Comments

[melissa]

NEVER!!

[jude]

my parents didn't leave me in the car by myself - they sent me into the store by myself!

[Leslie]

I am 31 and remember being left in the car alone and being sent into the store alone. I think, as long as it is not either blazing hot or freezing cold, that if you are in eyesight of your child, with the doors locked and windows cracked slightly, that you are not a terrible parent or negligent for running into the gas station without taking your kid, baby, etc. Mind you because I do not want the cops called on me, I wouldn't personally do it; however, the gas station, etc suffers because I can not make impulse purchases!

[Bargain Loving Mom]

Children, regardless of age, should NEVER be left alone in a car. There are too many bad senarios that can happen, so why not be safe and have your children go with you instead of staying behind in the car.

[Renee]

My brothers and sister and I were quite often left in the car while mom ran in to the store. Of course we were various ages. Even though I don't truly feel society's ideals have changed that much within the past 30 years, laws have. It's just not safe to leave any child inside a vehicle until they are holding a driver's license, unless you are responsible enough to face the consequences. I don't like to live in 'worse case scenerio' state of mind, but accidents and child abductions do happen--mostly when we least expect it to. More importantly, a car is NOT a babysitter! I spent 9 hard months protecting and nurturing a child in my womb--why would I jeopardize so much devotion for a quick jog into the post office? It's just not worth the risk.

[Melody]

Your baby can learn so much from even those short trips into the store. You should never leave your baby alone in the car.

And if this link doesn't tell people that you should just walk past a baby left in a car... than I don't know what else to say. This poor 18 month old died because his father left him in the car while he was at work, because he forgot he was there.

[Melody]

Here is the link.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6627317.html