Have you ever forgotten or left child in the car?

Question

I personally have no idea how someone (especially a ACTIVE PARENT) can forget or leave their child in a car while they go in the store, house, ect. Especially with no air  on, and in this day and age leaving your children in the car with it on and air running is also crazy. Peoples children getting kidnapped everyday. My question is, have you ever forgotten or almost forgotten your child in the car?

Answer

I went to the gas station and brought my son in to pay for gas (he was about 3) the cashier lady said "oh that's nice to see you bring your son in to pay, I don't see that too much anymore" .... What?!?!

Answer

I used to nanny for a family with a 2 year old, a 5 year old and a 9 year old, I also had my infant son with me. I had to drive 20 minutes to pick the 5 year old up from daycare in the afternoon and, of course, both little ones would fall asleep on the way. I could do NOTHING to keep them awake after a morning full of play and there wasn't enough time to nap them before leaving the house to pick up the 5 year old.

So they'd fall asleep in the car, I'd arrive at the daycare center and park right in front of the front office with the big windows. The first day I did this I knew I'd have to spend a few minutes at the front counter showing my ID and giving passwords and whatnot, so, as I could see my car from where I stood, I left the air on and went in to talk to the lady at the counter. I thought they could just send the 5 year old down the hallway to the locked door that leads to the office and buzz her in... Nooooo... I had to go back and get her. Obviously, I couldn't leave the little ones alone in the car so I told the lady I'd go get them and come back in a moment so she could buzz me through. She told me if I left the kids in the car again, even though we could both see them from where we stood, she'd have to call CPS and report me. (WTF?! 😡)

From then on, I'd have to park, unbuckle and carry two sleeping children, show ID, give passwords and then stagger down the hallway, knock and be admitted into the classroom to pick up the 5 year old and (usually) deal with two grouchy, screaming babies on the way back to the car. The babies were usually crying by the time I got down to the classroom in which all the other kids had just been put down on cots for a nap, I'm sure the teachers just loved us 😂.

I'm not a proponent of leaving kids unattended in cars but in this instance it would have been nice if the daycare employees had worked with me a little bit, simply allowing the 5 year old to walk to the security door would have been an immense help.

Answer

Accidents happen. It's not that a person is not an active parent. It's simply that our minds lapse on routine things sometimes. It is recommended that you get in the habit of shoulder checking the car seats even if you know for sure your kids are not with you. And as a reminder that your kids are with you to pop a stuffy on the passenger seat next to you.

Answer

I leave my son in the car with it running if I'm in my parking spot 5 feet from my house and just forgot to get my water or something. Or if I'm stopping at the mailbox. Other than that, hell no. That's how kids die.

Answer

I'll fess up. I leave the car on and just lock it if I'm going into get gas or something else that takes less than 5 minuets.

I'm actually saddened that women whill struggle to get everyone out of the car just to give a cashier gas money because of the negativity around it. Not that I understand how anyone just forgets a kid or a pet in the car. It's not a accessory you're just toting around, it's a living being.

Answer

It happens. Forgetting a child in the car isn't something that just happens to "bad" parents. 
I read an article once that was saying that any change in your daily routine can mess you up and make you forgetful. Like one parent got an important phone call while they were leaving the house, and they forgot to take the child to daycare (they missed the exit or turn or something) and since the child was sleeping, they just went in to work and forgot the kid was even in there with them. Then when the daycare called about the child not showing up, that's when they realized what had happened, but it was too late.

Answer

The only time I leave my kids in the car with the air on is when I go get a redbox movie.

Answer

I did but only if I could see them. Now I have a 13 year old who can sit in the car with the younger ones though.

Answer

The only time I leave my child in the car is when I'm getting gas, plus air is on still

Answer

I've never done it but accidents happen. Things like that usually happen when there's a change in ritual.

Have you ever forgotten or left child in the car?

Let's Glow!

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey