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La Mother Tongue is my medium to share the joys and challenges of being a new parent as well as to share how we make a conscious effort in our daily life to bring baby up bilingual.

Friday, July 12, 2013

¡Leaving Children in Alone in Cars is a big NO NO!


I’m ANGRY!
Here is my editorial about it!

I’m not sure what is more disturbing….the mother who left her child in the car knowing that it is wrong, or the blogger and author Skenazy who claims that it is OK to leave a child unattended.  Her quotes, “I feel as if we’ve criminalized something that we all know in our heart of hearts is generally safe.” and  “I also think that a parent is capable of deciding if it makes sense to leave her kids in the car for the duration of an errand” are ludicrous.  The STAGGERING number of child abuse cases reported (not to mention those that unfortunately not unreported)  indicates HANDS DOWN that not all parents are capable of making wise decisions when it comes to the well-being of their children.  Skenazy should be ashamed of herself for fostering anything but the well-being of children in our world.  The mother made a mistake, the child is ok (luckily) and hopefully the mother will never do such a thing again.  It is a VERY difficult and unfortunate lesson to have learned, but Skenazy’s attitude and comments are detrimental to the advancement of increasing child safety. 

I’ve been there before….I’ve wanted to leave the niños in the car a BILLION times because of …..name the scenario.  You are too tired to lug the children form the car;  I can see them from the window;  it is just easier to leave the child in the car; or LITTERALLY it will only take 3 seconds.  It doesn’t matter.  Our job is to protect our children and nurture them.  Is doing X errand so important that you are willing to compromise the well-being of your child?  If your answer is YES, I mean if you THINK about and it and decided that the answer is still yes—then you do deserve the hassle of having the authorities called on you. 

I have called 911 4 times and counting when I have found children in cars alone.  The most disgusting of them all was the woman who was shopping in DSW.  I saw her and she ended up behind me in line.  I didn’t know she was the owner of the sedan parked in the Fire Lane with hazards on.  When I peered into the car, her two daughters were there.  She was in the store for more than 20 minutes, taking her time, browsing at all the shoes.  Unfortunately she returned to her car before the police could even be dispatched.

I will continue to call 911. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

3 comments:

  1. I have left my kids in the car for a brief errand *many* times. It is NOT illegal in my state (TN) as long as (1) I don't leave the car running, or (2) leave the keys in the car, or (3)"the child's health or safety could be at risk." As long as there is someone 13 or older in the car, all of the above is moot.

    It is much more dangerous to drag kids across a busy gas station parking lot (in my opinion) than to leave them buckled in my locked car while I pay for gas, or run into the post office. They often prefer to stay in the car, but now it is summer and I must insist they come with me because cars can get so hot so fast, even with the doors/windows open.

    Some people think it's dangerous for kids to play outside in their own backyard if it's not fenced. That doesn't make it so. The times I have allowed my kids to stay in the car, I have not been *at all* worried about their safety, or I would not have allowed it; my only worry is that someone who doesn't know the law will assume I am a negligent parent and call 911, which would be a huge headache/hassle at the very least. I am a big fan of knowing and asserting my rights, so I don't let fear stop me from exercising my judgment of what is best/safest for myself and my children.

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  2. I understand your anger. Me too. But sometimes it is hard to hold two girls' hands and trying to reach a big box to mail in the post office. I think sometimes it depends on the situation. For sure, leaving a kid in the car and running to shop is horribly wrong. I also added your site to my "link" page (http://www.best4future.com/blog/links) so that I can find a way back to visit. Keep in touch!

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