The nightmare has happened...in this heat, a kid died locked in a car in Austin..

[capcat]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

I was so paranoid about that when my daughter was little that I made a habit of not just looking at the car seat but actually touching it to make sure it was empty every time I got out of the car (Reading The Holographic Universe made me doubt what my eyes see).

Yep. I was a little OCD when mine were young. I had a sequence I religiously followed when putting my children in the car or getting them out. At least two doors were open during the process of getting them in or out of a car. I cringe when I see a parent put their child in, close the child's door and then open the driver's door. Keys can fall out of purses or pockets or be left on a seat as you're strapping them in, and doors accidently locked. Even a few moments of helplessness with a child locked in a car is frightening.

[readymade]

Originally Posted by capcat

Yep. I was a little OCD when mine were young. I had a sequence I religiously followed when putting my children in the car or getting them out. At least two doors were open during the process of getting them in or out of a car. I cringe when I see a parent put their child in, close the child's door and then open the driver's door. Keys can fall out of purses or pockets or be left on a seat as you're strapping them in, and doors accidently locked. Even a few moments of helplessness with a child locked in a car is frightening.

My car has this awesome thing where you don't need a key to get in. You just keep this little "key" thing in your pocket, purse, whathaveyou and the car senses it. It won't let you lock your door, either, if the "key" is inside the car. It pretty much rules... especially for someone like me!

We call our car the "Batmobile."

I never thought how great & handy that would be for having kids!

[vw66bus]

I work at freescale and was outside when the cop came by.
I wondered why a cop was on the property, again.
As I have seen them on occasion, was wondering about vandalism
to vehicles. When I found out in a conversation this morining, I had
to end the conversation to resume it later. I have 3 little boys 7
and under.

One time when we only had our 1st son, mom usually had him,
I went to the doctor with him (my appt) upon checking out,
I walked right past him and out the door, down the elevator
got in my car and noticed the empty car seat base.
Talk about scary. I would be suicidal if I killed one of my kids in
by leaving them in a hot car.

It worst thing about this is my youngest kid loves to play in my
old VW bug. (acts like he is driving to the store or something).
Being that it is a bug, I usually have the windows down since
there is no air conditioning. But occasionally I find him in there
and he has or I previously had rolled the windows up.

I personally have a habit that I learned from a friend in High School while living in El Paso.

I will retrain myself to include look for kids.

What do is:
1 get out of car
2 shake keys
3 with same hand keys are in, run my index finger up the window to make
sure it is closed
(and now) 4 look for kids in car.

I hope this helps some one.

peace
marc

[Jennibc]

For those of you that are passing judgment on this poor family, don't. They have already paid the ultimate price. If you read the story in the paper, it turns out the kid was 18 months old, the parents had switched cars, and the father who works at Freescale didn't realize the kid was in back. I cannot imagine the grief those parents are experiencing. I remember our son's first couple of years and how sleep deprived we were. I chose to stay at home during that time but believe me, if we were trying to manage daycare, two full time jobs, and sleep deprivation I believe it could have happened to us.

[CATXTransplant]

Oprah interviewed a woman who was a vice-principal and left her kid in the car like this. It was just because they switched up their routine. Sometimes you just go on autopilot - like when you need to stop at the store, but you keep driving home - out of habit. Watching that interview opened my eyes. We can't be so quick to judge. Not everyone who makes a mistake is an idiot. That's why they are called mistakes. Sometimes mistakes cost lives. I can't even imagine what those parents are feeling like right now. I think I would kill myself if I did that. I hope they have good people helping them.

[capcat]

Unimaginable grief for his parents, not to mention tragedy for the child.

Sad irony though, in the article's advice to place your purse or laptop in the back seat to avoid forgetting your child. I guess that works but, wow, it's not a good sign.

[inthecut]

after starting this post, I find myself being cautious even while taking the dog for a ride....stopped after I got out to double check that the windows were open as I left him in the car at a store errand!......We can't forget about the animals either! Sorry, don't mean to sound trite about this..

[vw66bus]

RELIGOUS...

The child is in Heaven, and the parents are experiencing Hell.

[readymade]

Originally Posted by inthecut

after starting this post, I find myself being cautious even while taking the dog for a ride....stopped after I got out to double check that the windows were open as I left him in the car at a store errand!......We can't forget about the animals either! Sorry, don't mean to sound trite about this..

I'm too paranoid to leave my dog in the car, even for 5 minutes, to run to the store.

a) there's the heat (I wouldn't want to sit in a car in this heat, even with the windows rolled down, for 5 minutes! Especially not covered in a fur coat!)
b) I just happen to own the cutest dog on the planet and I secretly suspect everyone of wanting to steal her. I'm probably being followed every time I go out with her, and they're just waiting for me to drop the ball even for a SECOND so they can get their greasy palms on her adorableness.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by readymade

I'm too paranoid to leave my dog in the car, even for 5 minutes, to run to the store.

a) there's the heat (I wouldn't want to sit in a car in this heat, even with the windows rolled down, for 5 minutes! Especially not covered in a fur coat!)
b) I just happen to own the cutest dog on the planet and I secretly suspect everyone of wanting to steal her. I'm probably being followed every time I go out with her, and they're just waiting for me to drop the ball even for a SECOND so they can get their greasy palms on her adorableness.

My dog would bite anyone's hand that got near the car, so you can consider him an organic burglar alarm of sorts.....