Talk about bad parenting...

I would have gone to the service desk and had them make an announcement that made the parents look REAL bad!! I think you did the right thing with that. As far as reporting to the cops I don't know if that would work, so I probably wouldn't have. My thinking is that they'd probably take the information down but lolly-gag and take forever to get there and just be like "whatever"...you know. I just wonder why if they didn't want to take their kids in the store, then why take them at all? Now THAT right there is why we won't leave my oldest in the car. He's 8 and there was one day (yes, only one) where it was just the three of us and my fiance and I questioned if we should just leave him in the truck because we were just running in. We decided not to because ANYTHING could happen in such a short period of time, like a car jacking, and I couldn't live with myself if anything were to happen to my family.

Sometimes in these situations I hesitate to report it. Because like most people in our society today, we try to stay out of other people business. But when children are involved and it is an obvious disregard for their safety I believe that we have a duty to say something. I think you did the right thing. Think about it this way, how would you have felt if something had happened to those kids and you knew you could have prevented it by just alerting a store employee or the authorities. Parenting and caring for children is a privilege, not a right. And yet, too many people treat it as burden. If we as adults don't protect children, who will?

Do you have a cell phone? Could you have called the police right then and there? You went into the store and when you came out they were gone. How do you know that it was the parent that actually left with the van and children? It could have been, as you said, a kidnapper or carjacker. If you had been around to hear the sirens and the police arrive you would have felt terrible for not doing something sooner. That was soooo not right. Where I live it is illegal to leave a pet in the car unattended, air or no air. I have been so tempted to make a phone call but always figure they'd be gone before the authorities got there. Plus, I don't have a cell phone. That was terrible judgement on the parent's part.... especially with keys in the ignition, car doors open. Hopefully next time you see a situation like that (and anyone else who reads this discussion) at the very least you will think to write down the plate number. Heck, I had people call the police when my kids were helping me deliver catalogues. I had the older kid getting out on the road side of the van and the younger kid on sidewalk side. I had my four-way flashers on. But still, the police stopped me and questioned me. They took my information for the sake of the report but nothing came of it. If anything, you did bring awareness to this situation by mentioning it on myLot. Let's all help each other and take care of those who are too small to take care of themselves.

You are not overreacting... just a few weeks ago, a local 16 year old girl was left in a car while her mom ran into the supermarket. This girl was taken and murdered... at 16!!! Imagine four little ones under the age of 7! I would have stayed with the van, called the law officers and child protection and given that adult a piece of my mind! I used to leave my 12 year old in the car, thinking nothing of it but not anymore!

I would have reported them before ever going inside the store. I would have stood there until a cop showed up. I won't leave my child in the car even when all I am doing is going inside to pay for gas.

This si a serious matter, I think they should have been reported. The biggest thing is it was walmart for starters a huge parking lot with lots of people. I could understand someone doing that at say a gas station if they were parked right infrom of the door where they could see and running in to pay for gas or grab a soda real quick, but walmart what is wrong with them. And leaving the keys in the ignition is just dumb. Not with kids that age I dont care how well behaved they are there imaginations are funning like crazy at that age, you never know what could happen.

You didnt over react AT ALL!! I would have reported them without a hesitation!! Thats just straight up stupidity and beyond careless neglect IMO...

That's scary leaving kids in the car on their own and at night. So many dangerous people out there that the kids could of easily been kidnapped or harmed. Not only that, what if one of them accidently started the car? now how dangerous is that? and scary ... you did good devilsangel.

Nope. You did not overreact. The reason they have laws against leaving kids unattended in cars is because of all the horror stories of things that really have happened when the parents ran into the store even for a quick minute. its all it takes.

I have five kids a van and my other half. I never repeat never leave the kids in a van with out my other half sitting there with them .. I would have literally reported it and got the license plate number in case the couple did leave before the cops or CYS got there. There is just so much that could happen and I don't care how well behaved someones kids are there is no excuse for people doing this .. Grrr. That makes me so mad. I don't think you over reacted in the least bit. I feel bad for those kids. Have a nice day.

Taking in consideration it was nighttime and the oldest child didn't look much older than 7 I would have called the police and let them look into the matter. It would have been so easy for someone to jump in that van and take off with those kids or for one those kids to get out of that van and get hit by a car or for one of those kids to put the van in reverse and hit someone. I think the parents neglected their children in that situation. I would never leave my kids in the car at night with the ignition running and my oldest is almost 12!

Only because I am not the bravest person in the world, would I not have reported them. Although, catch me on a particularly beyatchy day, I probably would have. I am a firm believer in the need for pre-parental testing. I think everyone should be tested to see if they have the basic common sense enough to be a parent. I don't know what should be done after that as I don't believe that the government has any right to govern what we do with our bodies (i.e. abortion or sterilizing us). But, there are people in the world who shouldn't be parents and are and people who should be and aren't or can't be. I also feel that people who leave their pets in cars should get in trouble too. Especially in extreme heat or cold. I get aggravated when I see someone unloading groceries with their kids either left in the cart or in the car and they are far away from the child. If you leave your child in the cart, as you should, while you are unloading your cart, don't walk away from the cart to futz around in the front seat of your car. Stay inches away from that cart and do your best to keep it to your side as opposed to turning your back to it. Also, don't put your kid in the car, with your keys in the ignition, or your purse with your keys in it and your kid in the car. Keep your purse and your keys on you, your kid in the cart, and the cart practically attached to you at the hip. And, people who are shopping who leave their kid in the cart and then walk away from the cart are idiots. As well as those in a store in the mall and they let the kid run wild while they are shopping are idiots. These are the same people who you see crying about how they only turned their back for a "second" and then their baby went missing. No, you turned your back on your child for a hand full of seconds...like 14 minutes of seconds. I know this probably all sounds really harsh but, it only takes a few seconds for a stranger to turn your life upside down and when you leave a window open, it is partly your fault.

that was good of you to wait there for 5 minutes cause for that five minutes you have took care of them already. Sometimes, we usually judge people by what we see. I am one of those, i try not to but i end up doing so. People have reasons and we dont know why they just left the kids in the van with the key still on the ignition. It is indeed a dangerous act. I dont think those parent meant harm, maybe that time, they just didnt think the way you did. Good for you though :-)

I definitily would have reported that. I mean, hey if you dont want to take your kids with you, then leave them at home. I know when I was little my father would leave me in the car when he would go into the gas station, but never a store, and looking back on it, mny father wasn't the best dad i could have had, and my mother would have killed him knowing that he left me in the car. Some people shouldn't have kids and this is an example of it.

4 kids wow. No you didn't over react. Thats crazy. I would have reported them too. You never know what could happen, after all they are just kids. Plus you never know what kind of stranger is going to walk by. The thought gives me chills.

I agree i think we should report these people..i hate to say but some will leave there kids but i bet they would not leave a million pound like that,we all have too protect children so for me i would "REPORT REPORT REPORT" ....