Ok so this morning we stopped at our local 7 eleven before taking my Daughter to Preschool to check the Redbox for a movie. As we are in the car waiting for my Husband to come back this lady pulls up in a truck-has 3 kids in it-one a baby-I couls see it in the carrier-a boy approx 3-4 who was hopping around in the back seat-and an approx 6-7 year old in the front seat-she gets out of the truck-leaves it running and goes into 7 eleven. So we are sitting there till she comes out because like my husband said I have to say something-
1. Leaving your kids in the car is illegal
2. what if the kids knocked it in gear or something
3.someone could have stole it
4.endless possibilities need I say more.......
So she come out over 5 minutes later
so my hubby calls her over to the window and confronts her on what she just did-her response is she did not know it was not ok to leave her kids in the car alone-she just wanted some coffee.So we asked her why she did not just take them in-her response was they are all over the store and she could see them out the window and she said I had my cell phone on me.
So my question is would you have said something-I know we did the right thing and u could tell it made her think. THANK! L.
OMG so I had to update this-so today we are on the way to take my DD to school again and I noticed that lady passed us going the opposite direction-she was on the phone and flipped her head around like she noticed it was my husband. So we continue on our way to drop her off and my husband is like look-she is roaring up the street behind us like a nutcase on the cellphone passes on and slams her brakes on to stop next to us bc w were at a stop sign-flips my husband off and peels out again like a nut and screeches down the street-R U KIDDING ME? And she did that why? Just bc my husband stood up for her kids and called her out on what she did wrong-UNBELIEVABLE! And yes 2 kids were in the car with her. So I got her license plate and everything and see if she pulls anything like this again since we always go the same way to school.
I would have done exactly what you did.
One time, when driving home from work I saw a car that had three little ones in it with their mother.
NONE of the kids were in car seats and the oldest had to be about 4-5. Not only that but the mom blew a red light and almost got T-boned by a pickup.
I called the cops and gave them the plate # and info on the car.
She could have at least cracked the windows, locked it, etc. Leaving the keys in the ignition with kids that old is totally irresponsible not to mention someone could have just jumped in and taken her kids and her vehicle. Next time, tell her to find a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts DRIVE THROUGH and she will avoid that craziness!
she is an overly tired mom of 3, and coffee will help her get through the day. did she make a mistake? absolutely? did you guys do the right thing? absolutely, but don't judge her. have you gone into a store with 3 kids for a cup of coffee? i am wondering, how would have she hold the cup of coffee, with an infant and two little ones. me thinkst, she wouldn't be able to. so she made a call. bad call? sure? but not police-worth calling call. i give moms a break. moms have it hard. and i only have two. if i had 3 kids, i'd probably volunteer for a looney bin for a 'vacation.'
No, I think that you should have called the police and let them handle it, certainly stick around and watch the children, but let the police talk to her, she was a stranger to you. You had no idea if she was crazy or not and you put your self in danger with a complete stranger who you were telling something that could make a less than stable individual fly off the handle. You already know that this is a person with less than stellar judgement, she had a child in the car who was not in a car seat or restrained, and she left three kids unsupervised in a running car. I mean, please, was she going to use her cell phone to stop someone from getting in and driving off with her kids? That is such bizare thinking. Let the authorities take care of these things, as much as we would like to think that all people are reasonable, some are unpredictable and dangerous.
Martna
Yep, me and my big mouth would have had to say something. That woman is an idiot! You also could have called the cops. In Florida what she is did is completely illegal and just plain stupid. She obviously has no clue. Beside what she did the 7 year old was in the *front* seat!? Nice.
Some people just aren't born with common sense. That's as nice as I can put it. :)
That's fine. He 'reminded' her....
Once, I saw 2 kids outside a restaurant... about 5-6 years old.
They were sitting next to each other, one crying the other sad.
I stayed nearby... watching since no adult was there with them.
They seemed alone.
Turns out... their PARENTS were INSIDE the restaurant... eating lunch. Then one of them comes out, hands them some pizza on a napkin... and the kids were eating like they were so hungry. The restaurant, has windows all around so you can see outside, easily. Still.
I GLARED at the parent, and said "Your kids... are not supervised so I was WATCHING them... something could have happened to them..." The parent didn't say anything! He goes back inside and sits down.
Whoa.
I told the mall security guard, then left.
all the best,
Susan
i would've called the police and told them there's child alone in a running car and i am unsure where the parent is.
i love wwud show, my husband get really worked up on some of the senarios
I would definitely have said something. At the very least, she should have locked the doors and turned off the engine. Truth be told, I have left my kids in the car when running in to pay for gas ONLY if I could watch the car. And I NEVER EVER leave the doors unlocked or engine running. While it is illegal to leave kids in the car alone, I have been told it is not illegal to step away if you can see the car at all times (emphasis on ALL). Not recommended but not illegal, at least in Illinois. So running in to pay for gas if you can keep your eye on the car would not be. Good thing you did talk to her. I would have also mentioned that leaving the car running is an extremely dangerous thing to do--even when standing by the car.
You absolutely did the right thing. Maybe it won't change her behavior- or maybe next time she will think twice before leaving the kids alone in a running car- I mean, you could have just gotten in and driven off with them!
When a child's safety is the issue, IMO, you should always speak up, call the cops, step in, whatever. A child's safety is more important than any embarrassment or trouble it might cause.
Her big mistake was leaving the kids in the car while the car was still on!!! With 3 small kids, I have to admit (and I know I will be very unpopular for admitting to this), it is next to impossible to do anything with 3 small kids. There have been times, that, once in a blue moon (maybe 3 times in my life as a mom), I have left my children in the van, but ONLY if I found a parking space directly in front of the store I was at, and could see them at all times. The van was off, of course, and I had the keys, and the temperature outside was pleasant - 60's and the windows were open. When I did this, I was only gone for a minute or two and I was staring out the window the entire time. Having 3 small kids nearly cripples you and makes your life extremely difficult. That was very dumb of her to keep her truck running b/c anyone could have jumped in and drove off w/ her kids. She and her kids are extremely lucky that nothing bad happened.
I have a 'remote start'. I will leave my kids in. 10, 6, and almost 2. But, no longer than a minute or two. My remote start locks down the car. If the door opens, the alarm will sound, and it locks the gears to where they cannot be shifted unless the key is inserted. The remote start keeps the air or heat going.
No way would I have done the same scenario as this lady. I would have said something also. I am pretty vocal. Only way I do it is if I can see mine the entire couple minutes I may be out. And, my kids have tested me, and opened the door. Takes forever to get that loud alarm to shut off when they do that!
You all did the right thing and as a M. made her aware instead of reporting her. It is just so hard to toggle with 3 small kids in and out of the car just to get coffee, but the good suffers for the bad. Of course we could imagine the worst thing happening, but the fact that she made some preparation (cell phone, parked where she could glance at them) was probably the best she could do under the circumstances. Good for you for hanging around and watching out for her.
I would have said something too. I also would have called the police. I have called the police several times when I see someone driving with unrestrained children in the car, infants sitting in the front passengers lap ect. I give the dispatcher the license plate number, discription of the occupents/ car and what direction the car is heading. It is not only illegal not to restrain your child it is negligence and in the event of injuries/death resulting from an accendent you should be charged appropiatley. Might be harsh but that 's how I feel about it. Even our dog gets put in a seat belt.
She is lucky you just said something, you could have called the cops.
You did the right thing!
She didn't know it wasn't ok? Was she serious? Did the 6 year old have a cell phone too? Otherwise, what good did her having a cell phone do? It isn't legal for the 6 year old to be in the front seat or the 3yr old to be bouncing around w/out a car seat either, is it?
If something had happened to those kids, she wouldn't have thought the coffee was worth it.
I do know someone who left their child in the car while they paid for gas....it was stolen. Luckily it was quickly found and the child was unharmed but it could have ended much worse.
I think her problem is that she left the car running. I dont see a problem with leaving children in the car at a gas station, especially if you can see it from the window.
