Safety

Unfortunately, many times it takes a tragedy to remind us how precious life is and how quickly it can be taken away.
There is a news story making its way through the adoption community and it is one that many of us have heard before, especially in the summer months. Child is accidently left or forgotten in a car, the child dies.
This time the child was a toddler, recently adopted from Russia, home only 3 months.

My post is not to talk about this horrifying tragedy nor to debate what should be done to the parents in these types of situations, but rather a reminder that we all should be taking safety precautions when it comes to our kids.

I know when Alek first came home and also prior to that, I remember hearing a couple of these stories and they shook me to the bone. Not because I was condemning the parents or thinking how on earth could they do such a thing, but more because of a fear, was I or my husband ever capable of making a mistake like this? Could you get so tired or so out of sorts that you could forget your child was with you? I remember those days before my kids when I was on auto pilot going to work. You know those times when you think, God I don't even remember driving here. It really freaked me out and I knew I had to do something so we would never become one of those horror stories. Approximately 36 children per year die this way.

From then on, I started putting my handbag and my bags for work on the back seat floor. It was one simple extra step I could do. It was just like the child proofing measures we take around the house, gates, cabinet locks, outlet guards. No one questions why parents do these things, we know how quickly kids can get into things, we know how it only takes a second of turning our backs or running to the bathroom for tragedy to happen.
So why not take this extra step for your car and your morning routine?

Come up with a plan, especially if your routine is changed, someone else is doing drop off. Call each other. If you are a single parent, make a plan with your day care provider, that if you don't show up by a certain time, they will call you.
I call Kevin every morning after I drop the boys off. He leaves for work before we even get up. That way he knows the boys are ok and in school and I can fill in him on the morning shenanigans.
Not too long ago, I forgot to call him, I got caught up listening to a show on NPR and he called me. So simple, so easy to make it your new routine.

So please remember this, talk to your friends and co-workers, a simple conversation could potentially save a life.

For more info and tips, please check out:
http://www.kidsandcars.org/