Inspired by the news this morning!

Re: Inspired by the news this morning!

• Perfect Sonnet member

  July 2015

  Ugh, I was just watching something about this too.  I mean it is super scary...I think they have or will have car seats with detectors on them so that people can be alarmed if their kid id in the car still.  But it drive me crazy that some news organizations (Today show) use this and so many other things to create panic and fear mongering.  It is good to be aware, but people have enough to stress about without throwing something else in the mix.  Maybe this is just a gripe I have with the Today Show because I feel like they do this with a lot of things. 

  
  

   

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• Lalala2326 member

  July 2015

  It happens. Frequently during schedule changes. Like dad or mom takes baby to daycare instead of the usual one to do so and just goes on autopilot once they get in the car. Or a toddler wants to tag along on a regular errand they usually don't go on and fall asleep in the car on the way there. Its fortunately never happened to us, but I think its more dangerous to be in the mindset that I could never do it, than to realize it happens even to good parents and to stay vigilant about it.
  

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• Wering member

  July 2015

  Unfortunately, I agree with @Lalala2326. As baby gets older, it's less and less likely that you'll "forget" them, but when they're really young, you definitely can!!!

  
  

  Couple things that I do - sometimes I'm so scatterbrained that it really is a fear of mine:

  
  

  1) I always tip my rear view mirror in the car to face DD when she's in the car with me. I can see behind me using my side mirrors, yet the habit of checking my rear view mirror reminds me every few seconds that she's there.

  2) I leave my purse (or laptop bag) in the backseat of the car so that I have to look in the backseat when I get to my destination.

  3) I try to interact with DD as much as possible - sing songs, point out things on the side of the road, etc. when we drive. It's a constant reminder that she's in the car. Plus, it's bonding time. This doesn't work on long trips when indeed, she does fall asleep.

  
  

  That being said, it appears the woman at Costco probably didn't "forget" her baby, she just thought it was OK to leave her there.

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• lifesabeach85 member

  July 2015

  Yes I read a long article about this last year where they explained how our dumb animal brains can actually allow this to happen - even to great parents. Apparently it was much much rarer before rear facing car seats too. It's easy to think, oh I could never, but I'm sure a lot of parents did too. So tragic.
  
  @Wering great advice

  
  
  

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• MissV22C member

  July 2015

  Definitely tragic, this has happened a couple of times in the last year in Australia too and there were a lot of news articles on the topic.
  
  I don't like to pass judgement on the parents involved in these accidents... I know some cases occur from purely deliberate and negligent actions but it's so easy to go into autopilot mode when you do the same thing day in and day out and think that you've carried out all the tasks you needed to when you haven't. Throw in a range of other factors like sleep deprivation, periods of high stress, small changes to schedules etc and i can see how you have a recipe for potential disaster.
  
  I'll definitely be taking appropriate steps to prevent it happening to me like @Wering suggested in a previous post.

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• abmommy15 member

  July 2015

  In warmer weather the left shoe trick is what we will use. When you put LO in the backseat take your left shoe off and put it beside him/her. You might forget your child or even your purse but you will always notice that you are missing a shoe! This trick is especially good for dads who typically aren't carrying anything else with them.

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• cosplaymom member

  July 2015

  Another trick you can do is to have a long ribbon or strap that you attach to your driver's side door and then to somewhere in the back seat/behind you, ideally the back of your kid's rear-facing carseat. That way when you open the door you can't get out without taking the ribbon off. And of course you only use the ribbon when the kid is in the car.

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