'You can judge me all you want': Mum's 'safety' act in car park shocks internet

"If you’re going to give me a dirty look, f*ck off.” Fair enough, or not?

Here at Kidspot, we report a a lot on child safety, especially in public spaces, such as car parks.

But one mum this has raised a safety concern about shopping centre car parks and kids in cars, that's proven highly controversial.

Mostly because many people have never considered it in terms of the risk of abduction and access.

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"I'm not leaving them"

Online you'll see parents debate when it's appropriate to leave a child unsupervised in a car (the answer is never, it's illegal), in situations such as running in to pay for petrol.

Now, a mum has shared her opinion on leaving her children in the car after she's unloaded her grocery shopping, to return the supermarket cart to its car park bay.

"I'm not returning my shopping cart and you can judge me all you want,” @drlesliedobson, a psychologist and content creator, has said in a video that's been viewed more than 10 million times.

"I'm not getting my groceries into my car, getting my children into the car and then leaving them in the car to go return the cart.

"So if you’re going to give me a dirty look, f*ck off."

Dobson, who posts a lot about child safety, made the clip after she noticed being judged by other customers for leaving her trolley on a recent shopping trip.

Image: TikTok/iStock

RELATED: ‘Entitled’ act overtaking shopping centre carparks

"You can't be bothered"

Viewers were generally more concerned about the risk a rogue cart poses in the car park, than the children being left alone and thus vulnerable to strangers.

"My sister has five kids and still puts her cart in the corral," one commented. "If you’re too lazy to put back a cart, that you got out, then do pick up instead."

"I have seen carts roll into parked cars just from the wind pushing them so no matter what, I always try to return them. I don’t want my car banged into, I won’t do it to others inadvertently," another resolutely wrote.

"Our shopping cart return stations are all over the parking lot, so never really more than 20 seconds away and you still can’t be bothered?” read another damning comment.

Dobson eventually responded, "I want women to feel empowered to trust their intuition if they feel unsafe, ignore judgment. Risk isn’t worth it and our lives are precious. I have seen lives destroyed. I hope you never don’t."

Other viewers agreed with Dobson's take, for example, this person who said: "I have the worst trouble with this at Costco. The return things are ROWS away. I’m not leaving my baby in the car where I can’t see it!"

Another parent shared, "I’ve thought the same thing. Even by myself, walking way down away from my car to the cart corral is dangerous these days. I wouldn’t dare if my children with still little either. I’m with you on this."

What do you do with your kids when you need to return the shopping cart? Tell us in the comments on Facebook!

Originally published as 'You can judge me all you want': Mum's 'safety' act in car park shocks internet