That Time of Year

It’s that time of year again – the lazy hazy days of summer. Visits to the pool and beaches, cookouts, catching fireflies at night – making wonderful memories of a time slowed by heat and humidity.

Unfortunately, it is also a time when many children will lose their lives through absolutely no action of their own.

Babies and toddlers will be left to die in hot cars, forgotten by a busy, rushed, exhausted parent or by a careless childcare worker. In my medium-sized city, there was a report just this week of a one-year old child who died, forgotten in a daycare van. Two years ago, a minister forgot to deliver his 2 year old to the childcare worker. Not the parent who usually dropped the child off, he forgot his darling little girl was in the back seat of the car.

These stories and so many more each summer from across the country detail the unnecessary deaths of children. In fact, over at MomLogic , the authors did a roundup of children who had died in hot cars. Although their list was long, it doesn’t even come close to being complete.

The MomLogic article lists some simple reminder tips so you won’t inadvertently leave your baby in the car. And, several items exist to help you remember. The Baby Safety Line is just one.

Please, please take a few moments to figure out what would work best for you this summer and every summer in the future. We all think we would never forget our baby. The minister mentioned above thought the same thing. But it happens. Let’s all make a commitment to ourselves, our families, and our friends to never let it happen again.

Deborah can be found writing here at 5MFSN every Wednesday, and can also be found at Pipecleaner Dreams.

In addition to her job as a computer engineer and her single parent responsibilities, Deborah is president of a state-wide family support group for families whose lives are touched by deafblindness, and is a tireless advocate for all people with disabilities. She writes at Pipe Cleaner Dreams and her writing has also been featured in local magazines and newspapers. Ashley’s story has also been chronicled in a book by Jonathan Mooney titled Short Bus Stories.

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