Maybe I’m just a cranky old woman, but I cannot believe that another parent left their small children alone in a car with the motor running. Why didn't they expect the car to be taken? There’s a reason that it’s against the law to leave children under 12 alone in a car. Actually, it's against the law to leave a car running unattended. This is the second such incident in the area in a week! Where was this guy when a tearful, remorseful mother begged parents to learn from her mistake? Fortunately all the children in both incidents were returned to their frantic parents. Next time it might not end as well.Parents, I know that unbuckling the complicated harnesses and seatbelts on child seats takes a college education and is a pain in the butt. I’ve gotten mine wet plenty of times getting a small one into or out of the car in the rain or worked up a sweat on a hot day, but I love them too much to leave them alone in a locked car much less one with the motor running for heaven’s sake! I know that once you get those sweet children out of the car, keeping them corralled long enough to buy the milk or juice or bread or whatever it is that you need to “just run in and get” can be hard so take them home, leave them with someone else and go do your shopping if you can’t handle them in the store. Otherwise get a clue and get the kids out of the car.
5 comments:
This whole concept (living ones children in car, motor running), FREAKS me out! Big time. Never, Never, Never, Never!!!!
I freak out if one of my grandchildren gets out of my sight in a store for a moment. Gabriel has been schooled that if he gets lost not to ask for help from a random stranger, but to look for someone with a store uniform on. It must be sinking in. The other day I took him to Marlene's for lunch. As we were walking down the sidewalk to the front door a woman was walking behind us talking on the cellphone and commenting on the weather. I picked up the pace since I didn't want to easedrop. When I looked back Gabriel had dropped back and said over his shoulder to something she'd said on the phone. He said, "I may be cute, but don't even think about taking me." Fortunately the woman laughed and his parents were delighted because his openess has given us qualms about him being willing to go off with someone.
Once my other daugther-in-law had put their baby daughter into the car, which was in our driveway, in her carseat and realized she'd forgotten her purse in our house and ran back in, locking the door of the car. The problem was that the keys were in the car. When her sister-in-law stopped laughing she hugged her and called the fire department. My daughter-in-law was mortified.
I realize accidents happen, but babies in cars parked in front of a store with the motor running...stupid, stupid, stupid.
Where did you find this striking illustration? Because I hope you didn't have to put a younger member of the family to work to "drive" your point home. Good article and better point made!
:-) It's a scene from the movie Raising Arizona. I first looked for pictures of kids in car seats, but this seemed to paint a better picture.
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