Washington Post article

[dimity_blue]

Someone on a messageboard posted about an article she'd read. The article was about parents who'd accidentally left their child in their car on a hot day...and the child paid the price.

The article covers how a parent could do this. We've all had moments when we go into 'automatic mode', and sometimes, that's all it takes.

The article itself is here. It's seriously heartbreaking. You may need to register to read it (it's free to register).

There's also a page on ways to prevent this happening: here.

Some of the suggestions are to put something you'll need for work on the floor of the back seat, near the child or to keep a large teddy bear in the child's car seat when it's not occupied. When the child goes into the seat, put the teddy bear up front in the passenger seat. It's a visual reminder that anytime the teddy bear is in the passenger seat, the child is in the back.

Anyway, I thought I'd pass it on.

Comments

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

This happens so often in Texas, and it's heartbreaking.

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I was in tears reading the article. I can't imagine how a parent copes afterwards. :o(

[vamysteryfan.livejournal.com]

I read the article in Sunday's Post and it broke my heart. It's so easy to go into automatic mode, too.

Loved the teddy bear suggestion, or putting your handbag on the floor by the carseat.

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I think the teddy bear idea is great. Someone else suggested the diaper bag. And with the handbag, if you have to lean over the carseat to pick it up, it's far harder to miss that you've got a kid still in your car.

I really do hope it works for people.

[admiralandrea.livejournal.com]

They had an episode of CSI that covered this issue. Sadly, it was diluted as a PSA by the fact that the parents had in fact planned it deliberately because the baby had health issues and they feared it was getting sick again.

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I bet the team loathed those parents. :o(

[roslynsmuse.livejournal.com]

It is against the law to leave a pet in a hot car. Child endangerment laws prohibit leaving a preschool-aged child in a car alone in any weather. Or alone in an apartment. Period. So no need for strategies to remember you've done it. Any adult who has an errand to run needs only to recall that the baby is to be carried inside with them. Then no problem recalling s/he's been left anyplace.

Zero tolerance for this kind of problem since it should never arise.

[roslynsmuse.livejournal.com]

I used to run a school program and the bus companies serving this preschool program had regulations. There was a placard they put on their windshields each time they were about to leave the bus. It said, "Bus checked, no children present."

There had been incidents where children slipped under the seats and fell asleep or were not visible (tiny in car seats) from the front of the bus if you stood by the driver's seat. So each driver was trained to walk through the bus each time they got out of it.

Checking one's car can also be automatic and simple in this way.

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I agree it should never happen but all it takes is one blip into an automatic moment to mentally check off the list "been to daycare". I'd far rather people find ways to jolt their memory into "no, I *didn't* drop my kid off at daycare" than have some poor kid left in a car.

[katana137uk.livejournal.com]

Something like that makes me sad but also angry. Because to me my child was (and still is) the most important thing in the world. So is very hard for me to have empathy with people that were so focused on other things they forgot they had their child with them.

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I feel sorry for them because it was obvious they were heartbroken and how on earth can they find any comfort knowing it was their own fault?

I'd sooner people with kids read the article and find a way to jolt their memory, just in case, so it's less likely to happen.

[katana137uk.livejournal.com]

I understand what you mean and I suppose it's the article that's annoyed me most, because some parts seems to present a case for it not being their fault.

I know there are loads of children that thrive with childminders etc. However, I could never have been the sort of mother that gave her baby to anyone else to look after and I know that does cloud my views sometimes!

And don't even get me started on those that don't breastfeed ;-)