Ah, summer—a time for barbecues, camping trips, swimming, biking, and yes, sometimes, the unthinkable: leaving your child in a hot car. As a mother of four, I pride myself on being a responsible parent. Sure, I sometimes make questionable choices, like serving chicken nuggets and counting ketchup as a veggie, or allowing my kids a few extra minutes of video games. But even on my worst days, I never thought I could be labeled as a negligent mom.
A couple of summers ago, I would have rolled my eyes at anyone suggesting I could forget my child in the car. How could someone be that clueless? It was a particularly sweltering June day, with humidity hanging over the Midwest like an unwelcome blanket. My mother had just moved closer to us, and we were thrilled to have her nearby to share in our lives again.
To celebrate her arrival, we planned a barbecue, with my husband grilling while the kids played in the grass. As the scent of charcoal wafted through the air, I realized we needed sweet corn to complement our feast.
“Mom and I will run to the store quickly,” I declared. “Don’t worry.”
“Take the baby with you,” my husband suggested, concerned he might not be able to keep an eye on all the kids while grilling.
I secured my calm and cheerful one-year-old in his rear-facing car seat, and we headed to the grocery store. The trip was short, filled with laughter and music. We arrived, parked, and I locked the car—oblivious to the life I had just left behind.
As we entered the produce section, I was frustrated to find the corn selection nearly wiped out. “This is Iowa,” I complained. “How can they be out of corn? Let’s check another store.”
We walked back to the car, got in, and I started driving again, the AC blasting. Suddenly, my mother gasped. That gasp was a jolt of reality—an electrifying reminder that our baby was still in the car, locked away in the summer heat.
It took me some time to muster the courage to share this story. The panic still tightens my chest when I think about it. I’m not a negligent mom; I’m just human. We were wrapped up in conversation, and I wasn’t used to having just one child with me. The baby had been completely silent, not a sound to remind us he was there.
Miraculously, we were only gone for a couple of minutes. But what if we had decided to browse? What if we had chosen to grab ice cream or something more? A car’s temperature can soar to 125 degrees in mere minutes, and a child’s body temperature rises significantly faster than an adult’s. Tragically, nearly 40 children die each year in the U.S. from being left in hot cars. My heart races at the thought that my baby could have been one of those statistics.
I’m sharing this not to paint myself as a terrible parent but to highlight that even good moms can make mistakes. This can happen to anyone—yes, even you. It’s important to acknowledge that we’re all human and that we should never say, “I would never.” Just being human is enough.
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In summary, this story serves as a reminder that even the most vigilant parents can slip up. It underscores the importance of awareness and preparedness in our parenting journeys.