QUESTION:
"I have a friend who has young kids three and under. She leaves them in the car to pay for gas or do something quick. But my question is, is that okay? I get it’s quick but it scares me. I feel like cps needs to be involved but she claims it’s legal."
RELATED: Worried Your Child Might Be Overheated? Here Are The Warning Signs Every Parent Should Know!
TOP ANSWERS (AS SELECTED BY MODERATOR):
"No you shouldn’t call CPS! If you have a concern and it’s a friend, mention it to her. Getting two small children under three out of car seats to walk in and pay for gas which usually takes one minute or less, is a huge hassle. We use our credit card to pay at the pump to avoid doing exactly that. The doors are locked in the cars right there where she can see it it’s not a big deal. If you don’t like it then don’t do it, but don’t cause trouble for her just because you don’t like it."
"CPS worker here! Do we get calls on this? ALL THE TIME. Have the police charged people on it… absolutely. But honestly there are so many extenuating circumstances around this that it’s really a case by case thing. CPS would go out if you called it in, but I don’t know what type of results you’re looking for…it’s absolutely nothing we would take children over (as long as it is quick/no injuries/proper temp/etc). That mom would more than likely just get a parenting class. Would I do it with my children… no, but my job has ruined me from a lot of things. Have I thought about it Absolutely! Why don’t you try talking to this mama or offering to help once and a while so she can run her errands? I would try assisting before calling CPS unless there are other safety threats not mentioned here."
"Sometimes it's safer to leave them in the car. I lock in with a.c. running. Mate, you could take her car and get her the fuel for her. Or run errands or even care for her kids while she does it. Help a friend out instead of criticizing them."
"It would take her so much longer to unload and reload the kids and if she is parked at the door and (like most of us who do this) lock the doors with the AC on if it's hot then it shouldn't be a problem. To involve CPS on something this basic would only cause unnecessary pain for the entire family and it's a waste of time for CPS as it is. It's not like she's going shopping and neglecting them."
"I would never do that. My baby goes into every store. No matter how quick it is. And when I'm pumping gas, I either hold her or keep the back door open so I can see her. But to each their own I suppose."
"Don't call CPS. But maybe have a talk with her. How do you know she does this?? Are you there with her? If you are, are you staying in the car with them? How far is the car from her? Does she lock the doors and take the keys? Does she leave the windows down? Does she have an eye view of them? Don't get CPS involved but maybe just have a chit-chat with her, and make sure she is aware of the dangers. Also, why isn't she using the pay station at the pump, instead?"
"I never leave my kids in the car, it makes me nervous but I don't think CPS is needed.. that's a little much. As a mom of 3 myself, I understand."
"I don't ever think this is okay BUT not a CPS thing. And being a friend doesn't mean ignoring something that concerns you. Is have a chat and stuff. It's so dangerous. They could get locked in if you lose keys, get too hot, someone could break in and more."
"And cps does NOT need to be involved. Just talk to her, show her videos of how quickly a person can steal her car with her kids inside."
"Maybe pay for gas, because you can usually see them, and only if she locks the car and takes the keys. But not for running in somewhere that she can't see them, that's just wrong. They are under three!"
Have a response to this question? Leave it below to help a mama out! Or leave your own question and get responses from real moms!
READ ALL ANSWERS BELOW: