I'm grumpy today, I know. But that doesn't change the fact that people are stupid. Once again today I read a story in the paper about someone who left their child alone in the car, in some parking lot, while s/he went in a store for over 30 minutes. Fortunately, this time someone saw the child screaming and sweating in the car seat and called police to release her. The nanny was arrested for child endangerment.
What is wrong with people?
Every summer it seems like there is this spate of cases where the parents or caregivers "forget" that their kids are in the backseat of the car, then leave them there for hours, only to return and find them dead. And every time I hear one of these stories, I try to imagine a scenario in which I might become so overwhelmed by the day's tasks that I would also make this mistake. But I can't. I can't. I can't wrap my mind around it. Can you? I have two kids, work fulltime at a family-owned business, run a household, all that stuff. But I still can't imagine forgetting my kids are in the car and leaving them there, windows up, doors locked. What's more, I can't imagine not giving them another thought for the next 6 to 8 hours while they suffocate. That's the part that really baffles me. Have you ever gone that long without thinking of your children, and what they are doing at the moment? Do you not have a photo of them somewhere on your desk that would stimulate you to remember them?
My son has a friend. His mother is a wonderful person and lots of fun. Worries incessantly that her children should go to the right schools, etc. I know she cares about them deeply. But sometimes when she comes over, she'll come in the front door with her older son and I'll ask, "where's The Baby?" To which she replies, "He's sleeping in the car. I think it's safe, don't you?" No. No I don't think it's safe. I don't think it's safe to leave your baby sleeping in a car that is parked on a city street. I have even gone so far as to move my car out of the garage and move her car into the garage so at least The Baby sleeps inside the locked garage with all the windows down and not on some dangerous urban thoroughfare. (Okay, I'm exaggerating. My street is not a thoroughfare. But I do live in a city.)
Am I the crazy one here? Do other Moms leave their kids alone in the car? Why do people keep doing this?
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6 comments:
i have to say, i'm of the same mindset as you. i can't imagine forgetting that my child is in the car with me. aside from the fact that he won't let me. :-) we usually have a fun nursery rhyme cd playing anyway. not something i'd listen to by myself in the car...at least it hasn't come to that yet. regardless, it makes my heart hurt for those children.
wow. just wow. I can't imagine myself not thinking of my child for even a second. wow. and I would never ever leave my child in a car alone no matter what. Even if she's sleeping, I would take her with me whereever it is I need to go. Dangerous to leave the baby in a car alone.
Nevah....never have I left my daughter in the car. The only time I leave her in the car is when I have to pump gas. I don't understand it either, it boggles the mind.
The whole screaming kid in the car sweating makes me shudder b/c I think of all of the kids who have died as a result of being left in the car and how many of them went screaming but without anyone to hear them. Horrible.
Once I drove to Trader Joes to go shopping, and instead parked at a shady spot and ROLLED DOWN ALL OF THE WINDOWS AND NAPPED b/c my son finally fell asleep and I was just too tired.
Yesterday, my hubby and I saw a little dog alone in a SUV and were wondering how someone could leave their pets in the car in 80 degree heat. I mean, it's illegal isn't it? - To leave pets in the car? Why isn't it illegal to leave children in the car unless they die or have heatstroke? I can sort of understand a sleeping baby can be forgotten by an overworked routine oriented person, but what your friend is doing is flirting with something pretty dangerous.
PS BTW, I swear I saw someone who looked just like your son at a parking lot on Sansome and Pacific with an hairless asian man. You guys don't own like a Honda truck thing right? That'd be too weird if it was him. Or maybe it's because I've had less than 4 hours of sleep.
Lien -- hairless Asian man. My brother? So funny if so.
People are indeed stupid. But I do feel horrible for the people who (allegedly) forget their kids are back there. It doesn't seem plausible to me, but then again in the first year after the twins were born, I was probably capable of anything due to lack of sleep.
Horrible.
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