Hellobee Boards

@Andrea: it takes less time to drop off a book than to pump gas and no one expects you to take them out for that! I would definitely pull up and drop off a book without thinking about it. I feel like it takes me longer to collect my coat and bag when I leave the car.

I should also say if we had a house with a garage I would feel comfortable leaving them in there to finish a nap or go get something I forgot. I just don't have that right now and a building garage isn't the same.

I haven't left her in the car. But DH is home a lot so if I ever need to run a quick errand I just leave her with him or do it on my way home from work when I'm alone.

@Foodnerd81: That would depend on whether you're paying at the pump or going inside to pay. If you're going inside without your kids, then I guess that's not acceptable!

I've left her sleeping in her seat to walk up to the ATM and to return a movie at Redbox. I leave my car running and locked and am out of the car for a minute or two. If I have to go inside somewhere, even for the same amount of time, I take her out.

In theory it doesn't seem like a big deal to run in and pay for gas, or go to ATM with LO in the car, but in the moment I can never bring myself to do it. The only time I've left him in the car is to push the shopping cart back to rack or run back in the house to grab something.

@rachiecakes: @Applesandbananas: I always park near the cart return, even if it means parking much further from the store. Too paranoid.

@Andrea: I just mean actually pumping your gas- like standing there and holding the gas pump. Not going inside to pay for it (which I have actually never had to do I don't think, but usually Dh gets the gas anyway).

I think I have a couple times when I forgot something inside the house. I would be okay with going in somewhere if it was quick and I could see the car the whole time. Honestly, I worry far more about somebody reporting me than any real danger to my child, which is a sad state of affairs.

@catomd00: which states?

We have sometimes in our driveway for like a minute while we go get the other kid in the mornings. Even that leaves me uncomfortable. DH has a couple times if our LO is sleeping and he's running in to grab takeout Etc and the car is right in front of the window. But even that makes me nervous.

I'm in NZ not the US, but I leave both kids in the car when I get gas but only use gas stations where I can park at the pump closest to the door, or where it's serviced so someone is pumping the gas for me.
Drop mail off, use the ATM - if I can park within 8ft or so, once in torrential rain I ran inside to pick up a grocery order (you can only pick up between certain times) and couldn't see the car for about 10sec and I felt terrible about it.
At the gas station it seems safer to leave them both buckled in while I run in to pay rather than take a 3yo and 4mo across the forecourt with me - but I think that's fairly normal in NZ - it is at least amongst my friends. My local station is full service and the lady pumping the gas pulls faces at the kids through the window and makes them laugh so I use that one the majority of the time.