Ah, summer! It’s the time for barbecues, camping, swimming, biking, and occasionally, the heartbreaking mistake of leaving a baby in a hot car.
As a mother of four, I’m generally considered responsible. Sure, I might make the occasional questionable parenting decision—like treating my kids to chicken nuggets and claiming ketchup counts as a veggie or allowing a few extra minutes of gaming. However, nobody, including me, would label me as a negligent parent.
Just a couple of summers ago, I would have rolled my eyes at the thought of ever forgetting my child in the car. If someone was that oblivious, they shouldn’t even be entrusted with kids, right?
That June was exceptionally hot, with a heavy humidity blanketing the Midwest like a prickly sweater. My mom had recently moved closer to us, and I was thrilled to have her around. To celebrate her new local status, we decided to have a barbecue. My husband was grilling while the kids played in the yard. As the delicious smell of charcoal began to fill the air, I realized we needed sweet corn for our meal.
“Mom and I are heading to the store,” I announced. “We’ll be quick.”
“Take the baby,” my husband suggested. “I need to focus on cooking.”
I placed my calm, easy-going one-year-old into his rear-facing, properly secured car seat. The grocery store was nearby, and my mom and I filled the drive with laughter, buoyed by the music and the anticipation of our feast. Upon arriving at the store, we were still chuckling when I pressed the “lock” button on the key fob after checking the time.
We headed straight for produce, but to my dismay, the corn selection was nearly depleted. “This is Iowa,” I complained to my mom. “How can they be out of sweet corn? Let’s try another store.”
We walked back to the car, unlocked it, and climbed inside. I switched on the radio and cranked up the air conditioning, ready to drive to our next destination. Then, I heard my mother gasp. It was a sound that jolted me into a horrifying realization: we had forgotten the baby in the car.
I hesitated to write those words down for a long time. Even years later, my heart races at the memory. It’s hard to admit to such a serious parenting error, particularly regarding my child’s safety. But it happened, and it was startlingly easy.
Caught up in our conversation, we were in an atypical situation. I was used to having all the kids with me; having just one was a new dynamic. My baby was incredibly quiet, not making a peep from the back seat, which contributed to our oversight. And so, we left him in the car, in the summer heat, with the windows closed. It was at least 90 degrees outside.
Fortunately, there was no good corn at the store. We were gone for less than two minutes—just enough time to check the sparse corn selection and leave. But what if we had decided to grab ice cream? Or napkins, or some other items? What if we had encountered a long line, stuck behind someone meticulously counting coupons?
A car can heat up to an alarming 125 degrees in minutes, even with a window cracked. A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than that of an adult. Nearly 40 children die each year in the U.S. from being left in hot cars. My baby could have easily become one of those tragic statistics. It sickens me to think about the possibility and the responsibility I would have carried as his mother.
I share this story not as a confession of terrible parenting but as a reminder that even the best parents can make mistakes. I’m a good mom—well, aside from the ketchup-as-vegetable thing—and yet, this happened to me. It can happen to anyone, even you, even if you think it’s impossible. Trust me, I once felt the same way until it happened.
The lesson from this experience is simple: never say, “I would never.” Being human is enough to make a mistake. If you’re interested in learning more about family planning and home insemination, check out this informative resource on fertility. For those exploring at-home options, you can find a comprehensive guide on self insemination. For additional insights, visit our blog here.
In summary, this experience serves as a reminder that even the most attentive parents can overlook important details.