s/o leaving kids in the car

[galaxy8227]

I work in a clerks office in my town hall. I was waiting on a customer when I saw a woman come in with her 3 kids. She told my boss she had to go get cash and my boss said ok and sat back at her desk. 5 minutes later (once my customers left and I could see behind them) we realized that she had left her 3 kids (including a newborn in an infant carrier) who dont' speak English (and who had no idea where there Mom was) in my office--without telling us!! She was gone for over 10 minutes and we honestly thought we were going to have to call the cops

When she finally came back I said to her that I wasn't sure where she went or when she was coming back and she said "Oh it's ok".

WTF??

[biscoffcookies]

How old were the other two kids?

[slug*bug]

It's things like this that make me feel like I'm the most paranoid mom around: I'd never dream of leaving kids alone or with strangers for any length of time.

I had a mom leave a 5 week old baby (in his infant carrier) in the hallway (!) outside our office while she came into the clinic with her older child. :-| I think the likelihood that someone would've harmed/taken the baby were extremely low, but it's a public hallway with tons of randoms passing through all day long: I couldn't believe she just left the baby out there. I wouldn't even leave my purse in the hallway unattended: she left a BABY out there.

[satama]

When I used to work retail we had women do this all the time. Like leave kids by the register and go shopping on a different floor of the department store I worked in. They were mostly super rich ladies who I guess thought we were there to serve them and would of course be happy to watch their bratty kids.

[thatgirl2478]

I can't imagine leaving my child and walking more than 5 ft away from her... that just seems odd.

[Deleted]

We have people leave their children here every single day. Now, I get that I work in the youth room of a public library but let's put this in perspective. The public areas of my library total 102,000 square feet. The youth room alone is 18,000 square feet. And parents leave children as young as three and four alone in the play area...which has no adult supervision. They also act offended when we have to talk to them about it.

[liveintheville]

Ok I might be the offender here. Kid 2 used to sleep in the stroller when I went to the coffee shop. I'd sit there, read, and drink my latte. Whenever I had to use the bathroom I'd ask one of the employees, on break, to keep an eye on the stroller for a minute.
I swear, they always tell me it's fine. And I know them. They're not some nameless barista.

But it still sounds bad, doesn't it

[Willis Jackson]

I left DD, in her stroller, in an aisle of Lowe's today while I chased down DS who had slipped out of my death grip. I can't run fast enough if I'm pushing the stroller.

I mean, what am I supposed to do? It's like Sophie's choice. I'm glad she was where I left her and no one decided to "teach me a lesson".

[oregonpachey]

Jul 12, 2012 17:16:19 GMT -5 liveintheville said:

Ok I might be the offender here. Kid 2 used to sleep in the stroller when I went to the coffee shop. I'd sit there, read, and drink my latte. Whenever I had to use the bathroom I'd ask one of the employees, on break, to keep an eye on the stroller for a minute.
I swear, they always tell me it's fine. And I know them. They're not some nameless barista.

But it still sounds bad, doesn't it

That is quite a bit different than asking a stranger. Or just getting up and going without saying anything.

I honestly can't imagine the PP's situation. Leaving my 3 kids for more than 10 minutes? And a newborn? Not going to happen.

I am very much a freak about stuff like this after what happened to my brother.

[galaxy8227]

Jul 12, 2012 17:16:19 GMT -5 liveintheville said:

Ok I might be the offender here. Kid 2 used to sleep in the stroller when I went to the coffee shop. I'd sit there, read, and drink my latte. Whenever I had to use the bathroom I'd ask one of the employees, on break, to keep an eye on the stroller for a minute.
I swear, they always tell me it's fine. And I know them. They're not some nameless barista.

But it still sounds bad, doesn't it

But tha's the thing she didnt' even tell us she was doing it! And we had never seen the woman before so to be honest we weren't totally sure she was coming back

[galaxy8227]

Jul 12, 2012 15:04:41 GMT -5 biscoffcookies said:

How old were the other two kids?

Probably 3 and 5 yrs old

[shell403b]

Seriously, who does this shit? Leaving your kids locked in a car in the middle of the summer while you get S-bux? Leaving your three kids in some random office w/o telling the people who work in said office that you're rolling out WITHOUT YOUR KIDS...? Again, seriously, WTF is wrong with people? OMG.

Just continues to prove my point that we live in the land of stupid.

[beaver12]

Jul 12, 2012 15:25:32 GMT -5 mishy said:

If I see children unattended like that, I'm tempted to take them out of sight as a lesson to the parents. But, I don't want to scare the kids and I don't want to get arrested.

My mom used to watch my cousin when we were very young. One day he had just gone down for his nap after a really rough morning. My mom had to go pick up my sister from preschool a couple blocks away. She decided to just run out really quick as it would only take 5 minutes. My aunt happened to come home early, which never happened, and took my cousin and hid until my mom came home. My mom almost had a heart attack when my cousin wasn't in the crib when she got home. Luckily nothing happened and my aunt wasn't angry, but my mom definitely learned her lesson!

[Deleted]

Hmmm... I'd have to see the whole situation to truly judge. But as a mom of 3 who knows the real struggle of hauling 3 kids to do errands, the sleep deprevation of a newborn, the physical heaviness of carrying an infant carrier & managing 2 other small children--I tend empathize with her & reserve the judgment for other things. I wouldn't do it & didn't but I "get" it & definitely have felt the temptation of doing things quicker vs. The "safest" option. That first year of having 3 (0,2 & 4) was the hardest time of my life by far. Nothing was quick & easy & it is so exhausting. She must have been pretty desperate. See I am the nice one who tries to think the best of people

[Deleted]

Jul 13, 2012 0:59:22 GMT -5 jenny1980 said:

Jul 12, 2012 17:22:46 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

I left DD, in her stroller, in an aisle of Lowe's today while I chased down DS who had slipped out of my death grip. I can't run fast enough if I'm pushing the stroller.

I mean, what am I supposed to do? It's like Sophie's choice. I'm glad she was where I left her and no one decided to "teach me a lesson".

BAD MOTHER!!!!!!!!

I swear to Jeebus, the world would be a lot better if people were first inclined to be helpful as opposed to shaming/holier than thou.

:Y:

I am SURE I was judged today. I had to drop off DD1 at Art Camp (3rd time being there that day already) & DD2 had left her water bottle in the basement (where her classroom was) that morning. So DD3 was being a complete butt (AKA a typical 3yr old needing a nap) not wanting to walk, not wanting to cooperate, not wanting to walk up a flight of stairs & then down a flight of stairs. Of course I CANNOT leave her in the car, nor allow DD1 to walk in alone as that would also be judged. Anyway per my OBs orders I am not supposed to carry anything more than 1 gallon of milk because my bladder is FALLING (prolapsing) so I make her walk most of the time. She's 30lbs, not exactly a light thing to be carrying up & down stairs. Anyway she was pitching a fit the entire way in & so I left her in the middle of the empty basement stairs (totally enclosed w/ a door at the top) to walk around the corner to watch DD2 go into her (now empty) dark classroom to look for the water bottle & I was looking in the hallway bins, I could hear DD3 whining & crying. Anyway it got quiet & I say to DD3 "are you coming down now or what?" Then I hear some lady talk & I look around the corner & see a pow-wow of 3 women standing over DD3. Whoops...I am sure they think I am TERRIBLE mother to take my eyes off her (not my ears). Anyway--they ALL gave me the look, that look of distain & started questioning me. "Is she scared of going down the stairs" "Did she think you left her?" I saw one a few minutes later outside & she did a double take when she saw I had 3 kids with me (DD1 forgot her snack in the car so we had to go out AGAIN :@ ). Yeah, lady that's right I don't leave my kid on the stairs just for sh*ts & giggles. Oh well, can't win them all.

[slug*bug]

Jul 13, 2012 0:59:22 GMT -5 jenny1980 said:

Jul 12, 2012 17:22:46 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

I left DD, in her stroller, in an aisle of Lowe's today while I chased down DS who had slipped out of my death grip. I can't run fast enough if I'm pushing the stroller.

I mean, what am I supposed to do? It's like Sophie's choice. I'm glad she was where I left her and no one decided to "teach me a lesson".

BAD MOTHER!!!!!!!!

I swear to Jeebus, the world would be a lot better if people were first inclined to be helpful as opposed to shaming/holier than thou.

I didn't think that there was anything that screamed 'off with her head!' in the OP's post at all.

I've gladly held/watched babies for other moms (whom I did not know) in airport restrooms and other random places.

But there's a difference between asking for help and just leaving a small child(ren) in an office that you're visiting w/o letting anyone know why or when you'll be back. I seriously doubt the OP would've found it post-worthy if the mom had said, "Hey, I'm in a bind: could they sit here while I run to the restroom/mailbox/whatever."

[bronxgirl]

Jul 13, 2012 0:30:17 GMT -5 beaver12 said:

Jul 12, 2012 15:25:32 GMT -5 mishy said:

If I see children unattended like that, I'm tempted to take them out of sight as a lesson to the parents. But, I don't want to scare the kids and I don't want to get arrested.

My mom used to watch my cousin when we were very young. One day he had just gone down for his nap after a really rough morning. My mom had to go pick up my sister from preschool a couple blocks away. She decided to just run out really quick as it would only take 5 minutes. My aunt happened to come home early, which never happened, and took my cousin and hid until my mom came home. My mom almost had a heart attack when my cousin wasn't in the crib when she got home. Luckily nothing happened and my aunt wasn't angry, but my mom definitely learned her lesson!

OMG, what a shiitty thing to do!! Yes your mom had a slight lapse in judgment, but what your aunt did was just cruel. Has your mother ever forgiven her for that?

[galaxy8227]

Jul 13, 2012 18:14:30 GMT -5 slug*bug said:

Jul 13, 2012 0:59:22 GMT -5 jenny1980 said:

BAD MOTHER!!!!!!!!

I swear to Jeebus, the world would be a lot better if people were first inclined to be helpful as opposed to shaming/holier than thou.

I didn't think that there was anything that screamed 'off with her head!' in the OP's post at all.

I've gladly held/watched babies for other moms (whom I did not know) in airport restrooms and other random places.

But there's a difference between asking for help and just leaving a small child(ren) in an office that you're visiting w/o letting anyone know why or when you'll be back. I seriously doubt the OP would've found it post-worthy if the mom had said, "Hey, I'm in a bind: could they sit here while I run to the restroom/mailbox/whatever."

Exactly! If the woman asked me to watch her children for a minute so she could run to get cash I would understand that. I'm a mom, I would want to help. But she just walked out and didnt' say a word while she left her kids. We didnt' even know they were there at first!

[jena]

I think the OP's experience was really weird. I can't even imagine leaving the kids without telling anyone.

Last week I was at Lab Corp for 3 hours (glucose test), and some lady came in with a 3yo. She needed to take a drug test, but there was a sign posted about their new policy - kids can't go in the bathroom with you and the staff can not watch the kids. So basically you are SOL. She asked me to watch him and I did (of course the preggo lady with happy meal toys in her purse is probably a safe bet).

I don't know if I would have asked a stranger to watch my kid, but there's a HUGE difference between asking someone to watch the kid and simply disappearing.

[Becca]

I found a baby in the middle of the street the other day. He was wearing only a diaper. He could walk but not talk. I would guess 14ish months. He was nearly hit by a car (missed by a foot or so) before I was able to get to him.

His brother (4ish) eventually came looking for him and told him to get out of the street, and then brother went back to what he was doing, while baby picked up a sharp garden tool.

I rang their doorbell multiple times with no answer, while baby kept trying to walk back into the street

I called the police and brother got suspicious and eventually convinced mom to come outside (I could him yelling and begging her). All while I kept preventing baby from killing himself.

Mom's explanation? "I left them in the backyard" ummm, yeah, there is no fence and they are mobile. She also "heard the doorbell but was busy with laundry". So, she knew her kids were outside alone, and didn't answer the door when the bell was rang repeatedly.

I was furious. She did not care ONE BIT that I found her baby in the middle of the street. She gave a half- hearted scolding to brother for not watching baby (because it is his job)

I spoke with the police officer later and he made it sound like it wasn't the first time he had been to their house.

Nice cars in the driveway, well dressed mom, no language or cultural barriers/differences. She just plain old didn't care.

I will never understand some parents.

[Becca]

Sorry for spelling/grammar issues above. On my phone.

Also, I was with baby about 15 minutes before mom came out. Who knows how long he was alone before I found him.