Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Very important child safety information - Please Read!

As most of North America is experiencing high tempertaures it is very important to put the safety of our children first.  Another blogger posted about yet another small child who died because they were forgotten in a car in hot weather.  This is happening too often!

Here are two ways to ensure you remember your child is with you - we are all busy and it is all too easy to walk away from the car forgetting a child is with us.  This is especially important if you share child transportation with another adult.

1.  Keep a stuffed animal in the carseat and when the child is put in the seat place the animal in the front with the driver.  Make it a rule to put the animal back in the car seat before leaving the car - this will ensure you know your child is there.

2.  Place your purse or briefcase in the back seat as a reminder that you have your child in the car.  I always put my purse under the car seat so I actually have to open the back door to get it.  I have to come face to face with my child in order to get my purse.

I found this alarm system that fits on the harness of your car seat.  A keyring comes with it that will alarm if it is taken more than 15 feet from the car alerting you to a child still strapped in the car.  I think this is a great idea and will be looking into getting one for myself.
 
Please feel free to blog/facebook/twitter/email this post to all of your contacts.

Let's refrain from posting negative comments - we have no idea what is going on in anyone's head when they walk away from their car.  If you have ever forgotten your purse in your car it could be just as easy to forget a child.

22 comments:

jules said...

Seriously? I can't imagine how you could forget your child was in the car....

Suburban Princess said...

Jules - it is so easy to do. I am sure we all think there is no way we would forget our child is in the car...one man left his child in the car and went to work totally forgetting he was to drop the child off at daycare - something he didn't normally do.

In this day and age people are so busy with their iphones, blackberries, texting, talking, trying to get all their kids to different places all at the same time etc etc etc...it is easy to overlook someone. Maybe the moral of the story is - focus on one thing at a time.

Southern Living: Preppy Style said...

This is just so sad. I do the same as you, put my purse in the back seat. I also make a point to never shut the entire car at one time. I don't shut my driver's side door until I get out Lallie (in case keys are in the car or something of the sort) - I know that would be hard to do the way cars are made these days, but you never know. I only shut the driver's side at home, because I know exactly where my other car key is located.
#2 -SO many people hit the lock button before shutting doors. This means that once you shut the door, the door locks. SO Many times have I dropped the key inside the car and shut the door. Imagine if I had actually locked the car first (if I did shut all doors) and then my key is LOCKED in the car with my child.

Just a couple other little tips as this really is a fear of mine! That and the pool (another two year old found at the bottom of one, alive but critical). I am never taking the pool fence down and it is always shut and locked when no one is in it.

highheeledlife said...

These children must be very quiet while in the car, for parents to forget them. Then again I guess most tend to fall asleep, with the motion of the car.

I can't imagine how aweful a parent must feel - once they realize they have "forgotten" junior was in the car with them.

This Alert should also apply to pet owners!!! Great post ! HHL

Anonymous said...

I can't believe a child died in the car, that is so sad and unreal!

Silver Strands said...

do people actually FORGET they have a child in the car? I suspect that most often the child is left intentionally, the parent is just too dense to realize what the heat will do. SHEESH.
Denalee

SouthernProletariat said...

I have read of at least one case where a child was at home, and opened the door to the car, and was playing "hide and seek"...but while it could get into the car, it couldn't get back out. The car was actually in the garage, but even in the garage it got hot enough to kill the child.

Its important to keep your car locked when you leave it (checking to be sure it is EMPTY) or, if it is in a garage- keep the windows rolled DOWN so that oxygen/air can flow....

Elle said...

uggghhh... so sad....

Suburban Princess said...

Let's not be judgemental please.
Things happen. It's awful but we should look at this as a way to learn.

Confessions of a Mother, Lawyer & Crazy Woman said...

So sad ... thanks for sharing tips. This story just breaks my heart ...

Nikosmommy said...

I can't imagine leaving my (noisy) kids in the car, but a sleeping baby I suppose could be forgotten. It's unfortunate to hear about this sort of thing but busy parents everywhere can probably relate to unintentionally neglecting their kids! Thanks for helping spread some awareness...

What Kate Wore said...

This is such good information Miss Princess, good for you for posting it.
tp

HeidiG said...

Great info, thanks for sharing. This is so important.

I was watching The Weather Channel (yes, weather geek here) and one of their reporters did a segment on the heat inside a car - she stayed in her car in the hot Atlanta sun for 15 minutes - and described all of it, down to the sweat dripping off her legs. And she had a thermometer in the car - that temp climbed *quick*! Such a scary thing.

Lindsey said...

I cannot even imagine this!! But the tips u listed are really good!!

Bring Pretty Back said...

It is so sad , and look how we have become so "busy" that this actually happens. Seriously... we need to slow down a bit.

bevy said...

I am with you 100%... and no judgments should be made.

Though not on the same level, my husband and I crossed wires on who was to pick up our boys from VBS today. Thank goodness we both were there. We erred on the good side. But it could have easily been the other way around.

This is a little like the example you gave in an earlier comment.

Thanks for sharing...

Lipstick said...

Thank you for posting this. I can hardly stand to watch the news during the summer because this happens every year. Sometimes people don't realize that a balmy 80 degrees outside can lead to deadly temps inside a car.

(Also, besides the great info...kudos to you for taking on a topic that can bring out emotionally charged comments.)

JulesTX said...

Living in Central Texas, we hear stories like this at least a few ti,es every summer. I like your idea about leaving your brief case or purse in the backseat as a reminder. Thanks for the post.

Sierra said...

I've heard of situations like this before, it is so sad how parents neglect their children! Thanks for the informative post.

April said...

I would assume that some of the negative comments are from non- moms.

I do not have kids but will not pass judgement.

My sister in law told me a while back that she completely sees how things like this happen and I have heard other moms day the same.
This is sooo very tragic. I think the purse idea is great.

Suburban Princess said...

Women who have not had a child really have no idea what happens to your brain when you do. Ever hear a mom say 'The baby ate my brain' ?

I can assure you not one single person who forgot their child in the car did it out of neglect.

Ms. Bake-it said...

Great post SP! My children are grown now, but because of the stories I had heard about that happening to other parents that was always one of my fears. Once when my oldest son was only two he was so quiet I forgot he was in the car with me and I was almost to work when I realized that because of his quietness, I had forgotten to drop him off at the daycare. Not quite the same, but still it shows how easy it can be. After that day, I was much more diligent. I also bought a little mirror to attach to the bottom of my rearview mirror which enabled me to see the back seat. Now, a lot of minivans and suvs have them.

I agree, do not be judgmental, it can happen to anyone. Quiet child, parent's busy mind...

~ Tracy