Children/ cars

holley79 wrote: Ok I am probably oh so fixing to get blasted here for today.

What do you do when it is just you and the baby and you stop to get gas? I normally using my Wal Mart card and pay at the pump but I hadn't recharged it. I was parked right next to the cashier booth and ran up to pay and left her in the truck. Am I stupid or not alone with this? If I did a total big no no in your opinion then tell me. I was just sitting here thinking about it. I could see the truck at all times, the doors were locked, I was only gone a minute

Hillbilly Housewife replied: I'm not going to blast you for it - but for ME to do so would be unnacceptable, and I woulg give me DH heck for it to. If I learned our parents did that, they would never ever be allowed to take the kids out ever again.

So much can happen in an instant.... even with all precautions taken. I just couldn't do it.

So in MY opinion, that is a complete no no. sorry!

holley79 replied: Ok strike billion for the new mom. I wanted honest and totally see what you mean. Was just wondering. That will NOT happen again.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: You wanted honest and I gave you honest... I hope you weren't offended - plenty other people leave their kids in the car alone.

CantWait replied: YES I do it also under the same circumstance, if it's anywhere else and I have to run in a get milk from the store, I'll leave Robbie and Anthony together, but never just Anthony.

luvmykids replied: I'm guilty of it too when the twins were smaller, but I saw an Oprah where all these freak accidents happened in similar circumstances and two of the people were moms. I don't remember the details but their kids being in the car alone were a major factor.

C&K*s Mommie replied: I have done it, I am not going to say that I do it often though, because I do not. For somewhere like the Walmart gas station, I know what you mean. It is not even a full convienence strore, just a box with snacks on the outside and the cashier/cigs on the inside. I usually run very low on gas anyhow, just because I hate to drag the girls out of the car, just to run in for 20secs. Chris is usually the one to pump gas into my car, on Sun or Wed when he is off. I do it when I do not have the kids with me, too.

But I know it is wrong....I am pretty protective of our girls in every other area too. At the chance of being a hypocrite, I would not suggest it for anywhere else~ but I understand that at Walmart it was a slightly different thing, & I understand.

paradisemommy replied: i've seen and read too many stories of carjackings with only a baby inside - scared me enough to never leave my baby unattended for any amount of time..

MamaJAM replied: I am so thankful for pay-at-the-pump stations! They are all I use.

BUT....in the 'old days' when you had to go to a cashier to pay for gas --
If there was a little 'hut' right at the pumps to pay at...I wouldn't get the kids out of the car (though I'd have the keys in my hand, not leave them in the car).
If it was a station where I had to go inside - I'd have my keys with me...and my kids - I would never be inside a building (even a gas station with a window-wall) if my kids were in the car. Even now - I won't run into a building and leave any of my kids in the car -- not even my 13 year old.

PrairieMom replied: I would not do it at the gas station, but I have done it at the post office, when I ran in to check the box. I always park right in front of the door, and the PO box is right on the other side of the door. I would lock the doors on the car and it would literally take me about 5 seconds to get the mail. Its a No No too, but its soooooo cold here in the winter for little ones.

BAC'sMom replied: I have done it too. And yes it is a BIG no-no. That was many years ago before the pay-at-the-pump gas stations, but the truck was locked with alarm set. It was a dumb move on my part so I don't do it anymore. But when I see some else do it I get angry, especially when they keep the car running. I guess that makes me a hypocrite. In my old age I have come to the conclusion....

Would you leave your purse in car with all of your identification, money, and credit cards?

Then why leave the most precious possession that you have in the world?

I still like you, you just make a rookie mistake.

AND WE ALL HAVE MADE THOSE!

fashionmumofboys replied: I have never done it before just because things can occur in matter of seconds and I usually do my errands during the day at work or leave the boys with DH or mom, cause to afraid if something happens to them while I'm running that one second errand. I find it to risky, so I don't want to take a chance.

You hear all kinds of scary and crazy stories and our society is so dangerous today, that it's not worth it.

Sorry, just being honest.

kimberley replied: i can count on one hand when i have done exactly what you said and was always within sight but wont anymore. there are just too many sickos and scary possibilities. the risks far outweigh the hassle of getting baby out of the car imo.

and dont be so hard on yourself. you are a new mom and the fact that you questioned it after you did it tells me you are already becoming a great one!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I always pay at the pump, but I have locked Wil in the car (I had the keys) and returned a grocery cart to it's corral. We talked about this once before here. And I've also locked the car with him in it to run to drop off mail in a mailbox or get my mail from my mailbox. I was only steps from the car and he could see me. I think it's okay if you lock the car and the baby is secured in the carseat, but I'm sure a lot of others don't think so. Now I would never go as far as to where Wil couldn't see me or I couldn't see him. I'm very careful about making sure I have my keys on me at all times, so they always go in my pocket instead of my diaper bag.

holley79 replied:
No I wasn't offended at all.

holley79 replied: I had locked all the doors on the truck also. I haven't been driving my truck much so I didn't realize I needed gas till we were on our way to the Dr office. I work for the Sheriff's office and should KNOW better. I do the reports on incidents so I know how quickly things can happen.

Ok Annika is falling asleep here. Time for me to go get some .

to everyone. I'll be back when the princess wakes me back up.