Have You Ever Left Your Child in the Car Alone

Have you ever left your child in the car alone? I'm not talking about going inside for an appointment or to open a bank account. I'm talking about a quick run to the store, or dry cleaners, or atm stop.

There was a story of a lady who was arrested for leaving her seven week old baby in the car unattended while she ran in to the bank. Someone saw her leave the baby unattended and called the cops. The cops arrested her because regardless of what time she claimed she left the baby, it was 15 minutes from the time they received the call to the time that they arrived on the scene, and the baby was still unattended and crying. They also said the temperature inside the car had reached 90 degrees.

I cannot say I have never run an errand with the kids in the car. One rainy morning I made a milk run to the grocery store. The weather was horrible and I only had to pick up two or three items. I parked in front of the store (illegally), they have almost entirely glass walls where you could see inside/outside, and the cash registers are located in front of these windows.

The babies (over a year old) were fast asleep, and I was in and out in four minutes total. I timed myself. I still felt guilty about it afterward, but I did not want to take them out of the car another time in the rain, and they were sleeping. I know it wasn't the best thing to do, and now I take them inside with me regardless.

If they were that young (seven weeks old), I could not imagine leaving them alone in the car. When my kids were 7 weeks old we were attached like glue and glitter. I was their ultimate protector, keeper, provider, their mother. But obviously that feeling is not as strong, constant, or deeply embedded in some woman as it is in others. I know that I will never leave my babies alone in the car again.