It's Starting to Warm up....will You Forget??

Updated on April 10, 2014
C.O. asks from Reston, VA
10 answers

On facebook this morning, a friend posted a 6 minute video of a woman yapping on her cell phone and leaving her kid in the car...

Did you know that it can take less than 15 minutes for a child to DIE in a closed car???

I know people get busy...what is the excuse for leaving your CHILD in the car??? I don't get it...

And it's not just heat that kills...cold kills too...In January a Chicago woman left FIVE kids - ages ranging from 2 to 9 - unattended in a car for 3 hours...no heat...TWICE...NOT once but TWICE!!!

Many moons ago, my oldest son fell asleep on the way home, it was a Spring day. I had stuff to do in the garage and left him in the car with the door open. He woke up about 15 minutes later. I had clear line of sight to him the whole time. I didn't forget him.

I feel bad for parents who lose their children like this.

Have you left your kid in the car - forgot them because you were focused on something else? Like the dad who forgot his son in the car because it was out of his routine to take him to day care...

I'm going to share both. I hope this sits in the back of peoples minds so that another child doesn't die....

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C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I have never forgotten my kids were in the car. I can't even imagine how that would even be possible

4 moms found this helpful

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I.O.

answers from McAllen on

I never understood forgetting a kid in the car. I hear the stories, but I truly do not get it. I make a point not to be too critical, though, because they probably didn't think that it could ever happen to them. Since I believe that life is about teaching and learning lessons, I try not to be so emphatic about what could NEVER happen in my life, so as not to lay the foundation for circumstances that could show me just how it could happen to me. I don't want to invite a situation where I get to learn for myself just how that can happen.

Instead, I pray for them and weep for the precious loss. (Loss of parent, loss of child, loss of spouse--the intimacy of it makes it so precious to me.) And I let it serve as reminder to me to always be mindful. It annoys/confuses some who come into contact with me, but I make a point of being in each moment as it happens, especially where my son is concerned. I try to take very little for granted. What I can control, I do.

6 moms found this helpful

J.A.

answers from Indianapolis on

I forget when my kids AREN'T with me!

Not the other way around.

4 moms found this helpful
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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

When DS was an infant I was 100% certain that one day I would grab my bag, forget I had a child and leave in the car. It didn't happen, but it could have. In the car - never. I ALWAYS put my purse on the back seat so I would have to look back there before exiting the car. I NEVER forget my purse. I did almost take DS to work with me one day. I just made the regular turn to work instead of towards daycare. Fortunately he made a noise and I just turned around and dropped him off where he belonged.

ETA - I meant 'leave in the car' as in I would leave the house in the car and the baby would still be in the house. Not that I was certain I would leave the baby in the car.

It is absolutely horrible, but I can see how it happens.

3 moms found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

I have not forgot my children......yet.
I remember my mom forgetting me at church once, but I was 14. I just sat around until she remembered!
I have always thought it would be AWFUL to lose a child like this....left in the car, but I have never understood how one "forgets" their kid.
L.

3 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

It happens every year to kids and to pets.
The other thing that crops up as the weather gets nicer is kids falling out windows through screens.
we never forgot our son in any vehicle.
If I had groceries or packages to unload - I'd bring our son inside first before dealing with the other stuff.

2 moms found this helpful

C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

I guess this is a huge benefit of having an ADHD kid. You can never forget them in the car, because they never stop talking! LOL I love my little ADHD girl, but she just never shuts up, ever!

In our area, it's warm most of the year (even in the winter, it's never really cold), so there's a fair amount of awareness about this, for both kids and dogs being left in the car. I've never forgotten either of my kids in the car; not sure how that could even happen. I do feel sorry for parents who have simply forgotten and have lost a child that way. I can't imagine how terrible that would be! :(

2 moms found this helpful
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O.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

I don't know that I feel "bad" for people that lose kids like this...

I realize that people make mistakes..but PAH-LEASE!
These are people they're forgetting!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Atlanta on

This is sad. I can't imagine forgetting my kids!

Like Dana K, I put my purse or diaper bag with my wallet in the back seat so I would have to look when I got out of my car.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.O.

answers from Detroit on

I know a lot of moms leave the kids in the car to finish naps, but not in warm weather. In the garage, etc.

I can see how a person could forget a child, yes. We have 6. Easy, easy. You have to be very careful. Kids do die from this every year.

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