Ah, summer—the perfect time for barbecues, camping trips, swimming, and biking. But it can also bring moments of parental oversight, like leaving a baby in a hot car.
I’m a mother of four, and by most standards, I consider myself a conscientious parent. Sure, I might occasionally opt for chicken nuggets and count ketchup as a vegetable or let my kids indulge in extra minutes of video games. But beyond those minor slip-ups, I have always regarded myself as responsible. Until a couple of summers ago, I would have laughed off the idea of ever forgetting my child in the car. After all, if you can’t keep track of your own kid, should you even be a parent?
That particular June was sweltering, with oppressive humidity hanging over the Midwest like a heavy blanket. My mother had just moved closer to us, and it was delightful to have her nearby after years of long-distance visits. To celebrate her arrival, we decided to host a barbecue. My husband took charge of the grill while the kids played outside, and I suddenly craved some sweet corn to accompany our meal.
“Mom and I will pop over to the store,” I mentioned, feeling confident.
“Take the baby with you,” my husband suggested. “I can’t keep an eye on all of them while I’m cooking.”
I strapped my calm, easygoing 1-year-old into his rear-facing car seat, and off we went. The grocery store was close, and Mom and I filled the car with laughter and music as we drove. We pulled into the parking lot, still chuckling, and I checked the time as Mom searched for lip balm. I pressed the lock button on the key fob, and we headed straight for the produce section.
To my annoyance, the sweet corn selection was nearly depleted. “This is Iowa. How can there be no corn?” I complained. “Let’s try another store.”
We walked back to the car, unlocked it, climbed in, and I started the engine. As the music played and the air conditioner whirred, I was focused on our next stop. Then, I heard my mother gasp. That sharp intake of breath jolted me; it hit me like a lightning bolt. We had forgotten the baby in the car.
It’s taken me a long time to gather the strength to put those words into writing. Even years later, recalling that moment brings a wave of panic. Admitting that I made such a potentially dangerous mistake regarding my child’s safety is challenging, but it’s the truth. It happened so easily. In our conversation, I was distracted, and I wasn’t used to having only one child with me. My baby was silent, giving no cues to remind us of his presence, and we left him in the car in the sweltering heat with the windows closed. It was at least 90 degrees outside.
Fortunately, we were at the store for less than two minutes—just long enough to check the corn and leave. But what if we had decided to grab ice cream, or barbecue sauce, or made a stop at the checkout? A car’s temperature can rise dramatically in just a few minutes, and a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s. Tragically, nearly 40 children die each year in the U.S. from being left in hot vehicles, and my child could have easily become part of that heartbreaking statistic. The thought makes me sick—knowing I could have been responsible for my baby’s death.
I share this experience not as a confession of being a bad parent, but as a reminder that even good moms can make mistakes, and it can happen to anyone, even you. You might think you would never forget your child, but I felt the same way… until I did. This experience taught me a crucial lesson: never say “I would never.” You don’t have to be negligent or impaired; simply being human is enough.
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In summary, it’s vital to recognize that anyone can make mistakes, and being aware of this can help prevent unfortunate situations.
Keyphrase: Leaving Baby in Car
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