Ah, summer — a time for barbecues, camping trips, swimming, biking, and sometimes, the unthinkable: forgetting your child in a hot car.
As a mother of four, I pride myself on being a responsible parent. Sure, I might make a few questionable choices now and then, like serving chicken nuggets and calling ketchup a vegetable or allowing the kids a bit too much screen time. But even on my most self-critical days, I wouldn’t consider myself an irresponsible or neglectful mom.
However, a couple of summers ago, I would have laughed off the notion that I could ever forget my child in the car. I mean, if you’re that oblivious, you shouldn’t be a parent, right?
That June was scorching, with humidity wrapping around the Midwest like a heavy, uncomfortable blanket. My mother had just relocated from another state to be closer to us, and it was refreshing to finally have her nearby. To celebrate her first weekend in town, we decided to host a barbecue. My husband was grilling while the kids played in the yard. As the aroma of charcoal wafted through the air, I had a sudden craving for sweet corn.
“Mom and I will run to the store,” I said. “We’ll be quick.”
“Take the baby with you,” my husband suggested, concerned about keeping an eye on all of them while cooking.
With that, I secured my calm and easygoing 1-year-old in his rear-facing car seat, and we set off. The grocery store was close, and my mom and I filled the drive with laughter, energized by the music and the anticipation of our meal. We parked, still chuckling, as I checked my phone while my mom searched her purse for lip balm. I hit the “lock” button on the key fob.
We dashed to the produce section, only to find the corn bin nearly bare.
“This is Iowa,” I complained. “How can there be no sweet corn? Let’s try another store.”
We promptly left, unlocked the car, hopped in, and I started driving again, the radio blasting and the air conditioning cooling us down.
Then, I heard my mom gasp, a sharp intake of breath that jolted me to a horrifying realization: we had forgotten the baby in the car.
It took me a long time to find the courage to share those dreadful words. Even now, years later, my heart races when I remember that moment. Admitting that I made such a grave mistake, especially regarding my child’s safety, is difficult, but it happened — and so did my mom’s oversight. It was alarmingly easy.
We were engrossed in conversation, and I wasn’t used to having just one child with me; it was usually all or none. The baby was silent throughout the trip, not a sound from the backseat to remind us he was there. And so, we left him in the car, the windows rolled up, while the temperature soared past 90 degrees.
Fortunately, we were only gone for a couple of minutes, just long enough to realize the corn was insufficient. But what if we had decided to grab ice cream, watermelon, or other items? What if we had been stuck behind a long line of coupon clippers?
A car can heat up to a shocking 125 degrees in minutes, even with a cracked window, and a child’s body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult’s. Each year in the United States, nearly 40 children die from being left in hot cars, and my baby could have easily become a tragic statistic. The thought of that makes me sick.
I’m sharing this story not as a confession of my failings as a parent but as a reminder that even good parents can slip up. It can happen to anyone, believe me. Even me — even you. You might think it’s impossible, but I thought that too, until it actually happened. The lesson I took away from this experience is simple: never say “I would never.” You don’t have to be careless or impaired; just being human is enough.
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In summary, this experience serves as a cautionary tale for all parents. It’s a reminder that we are all human and mistakes can happen, even in the blink of an eye. Stay vigilant for the safety of your little ones.