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What is the risk of strapping a child into a car seat and then walking the grocery cart to the cart return in the supermarket parking lot? I'd think it would be riskier to bring them with me to the cart return because the chances of getting hit by a car while walking through a parking lot seems greater then anything happening while strapped into their car seat in a parked car in a parking space.
I agree. Parking lots are dangerous places. Returning a cart, ect probably is safer with child in the car.
The OP mentioned quite specifically going INTO the post office or INTO a store.
If we want to play the CD extremes game, go ahead, but the OP came back and mentioned that far more than the returning a grocery cart this has morphed into. Like most things we can pick the extreme ends and make it meaningless. Seems kind of pointless.
The OP mentioned quite specifically going INTO the post office or INTO a store.
If we want to play the CD extremes game, go ahead, but the OP came back and mentioned that far more than the returning a grocery cart this has morphed into. Like most things we can pick the extreme ends and make it meaningless. Seems kind of pointless.
When people mentioned things like, returning a cart or dropping books in the book drop they still got the, "I would NEVER do such a thing" responses. Which leaves the people who do think those things are ok wondering why.
Agreed. No one HAS to leave their child in the car, and really, no one HAS to leave their child unattended ever. This is why I attend school with my children (can't quite figure out why DD's college professor has a problem with this?) and am right out on the soccer field with them when they're playing in a game, or on the stage when they're performing in the middle school orchestra concert. The risk is just too great.
Smart. We have to be on top of that stuff in today's world.
You never know when some kid is going to poke your child in the eye with his violin bow.
The OP mentioned quite specifically going INTO the post office or INTO a store.
If we want to play the CD extremes game, go ahead, but the OP came back and mentioned that far more than the returning a grocery cart this has morphed into. Like most things we can pick the extreme ends and make it meaningless. Seems kind of pointless.
And yet, you responded regarding the book drop scenario as well:
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissTerri
I don't think the risk of leaving your kids in the car for a minute is even remotely high. The reward is, if they are asleep, you can let them continue to sleep uninterrupted and you can also save time. Are you really telling me that you wouldn't leave a child in the car for a minute to return a grocery cart to the cart return, or get money out from the ATM or return a library book to the book return, all within sight of your kid? What do you think could happen in those instances? How high do you think the odds are of something bad happening in these types of instances?
When I was little parents frequently left kids in the car (not under five, but not much older) while they went into the grocery store for a full shopping trip. I sat in the car alone many times. I know many other kids who did the same. How did we go from that to, "not even a minute" all in a few decades?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lkb0714
No, I would not leave a child in a car unattended.
The risk, even remote, is too high compared to the "reward" which is self serving at best.
Quote:
Again, there is a reward/benefit to teaching older children how to become self
sufficient by leaving them unattended for longer and longer periods of time as
they get older. The only benefit to leaving an infant alone in a car is
convenience for the parent. Clearly a decent number of parents value that
convenience higher than whatever risk there maybe to the child. That is their
choice.
And even upped the ante with the with the "well, it might be ok for SOME parents who don't value their child as much as I value mine"....nice!
When people mentioned things like, returning a cart or dropping books in the book drop they still got the, "I would NEVER do such a thing" responses. Which leaves the people who do think those things are ok wondering why.
I would not do those things because it is not worth the risk to me just to avoid taking a child out of a carseat. You could trip and fall, you could see your chatty neighbor, a hundred scenarios we can't think of now, whatever, that could make these things take longer and thus increase the risk that something could happen. For every person who thinks it takes 30 seconds, I urge you to go get a stopwatch and time it. It doesn't which isn't even the point, the point is, that if you are that poor a judge of time that you underestimate time by greater than 50% than you shouldn't be trusting your judgement with regards to time.
It was not anyone on this board, I don't think, it was something that a poster saw. And I didn't say, "left a child under the age of 2 at a park alone and went someplace else", I said "LET THEIR TODDLERS (under two) PLAY AT A PARK SOME DISTANCE AWAY". Lots of people defended this parent; one wouldn't quit, quoted me days after I had last posted.
And yet, you responded regarding the book drop scenario as well:
And even upped the ante with the with the "well, it might be ok for SOME parents who don't value their child as much as I value mine"....nice!
Do you know what " mean? Quotation marks? They mean a direct quote was made. I never said that, you are making up what I said, and putting it in quotes. I hope you know what that is.
Anyway, no I wouldn't do that, for one reason, I do not value my convenience in that situation, over even a slight risk to my children. That is a fact, not an opinion. Because it is a FACT, that no matter your opinion, there is a small risk ANY time you leave a small child unattended in a car.
Parents are always taking different levels of risk with their children, I took mine surfing when they were fairly young. It is a risk, but it is one that has a real reward. My issue with all of the people leaving their children unattended isn't particularly the risk, but rather the fact the reward is one I wouldn't choose for myself. Luckily, the risk is small, so for most people, likely nothing will happen.
It was not anyone on this board, I don't think, it was something that a poster saw. And I didn't say, "left a child under the age of 2 at a park alone and went someplace else", I said "LET THEIR TODDLERS (under two) PLAY AT A PARK SOME DISTANCE AWAY". Lots of people defended this parent; one wouldn't quit, quoted me days after I had last posted.
I would not do those things because it is not worth the risk to me just to avoid taking a child out of a carseat. You could trip and fall...
For the love of Mike, you could trip and fall while holding your child!
It is significant to me that so many people are scrambling for the most unlikely scenarios to demonstrate that it's necessary to take a child out of the car for a 30-second task and are completely unwilling to grant that sometimes a child is actually safer in the car. (Not going to argue about how long it actually takes--how do you know how good a judge of time I, and others, are?)
And may I add, that not everyone has just ONE child? At one time my three were aged five and under. It's not that easy or safe to herd three little children through a parking lot, and if all I was doing was dropping books in an outdoor slot, you'd better believe I left them in the car--not just out of convenience (though that too) but because they truly were safer there!
The more I read this thread, the more I wonder how some of these people ever dared to have children if they are that fearful. For instance, if you were home alone with your baby, would you give the baby a bath? What for some totally unforeseen reason you suddenly passed out and the baby drowned in the tub!? Clearly it is not safe to have just one adult alone with a child, you need to have at least two at all times...
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We have to be on top of that stuff in today's world. 
