According to the Houston Chronicle, Between 1990 and 2018, Texas led the country in number of children who died after being left behind in hot vehicles, by far. The Texas Department of Family & Protective Services, it is not acceptable to leave a child in a car, alone, for “any” amount of time.
It goes without saying that every parent knows not to leave a child alone in a hot vehicle. Why do we continue to hear about it happening? Experts claim there are several reasons. A family with multiple children may have: routine disruptions with school starting, split parenting responsibilities, multiple stops to make, noise pollution, etc.,. These can all be chalked up to distractions.
To help with potential memory lapses, one suggestion offered was to leave an important token near the youngest child. A token with which the parent can’t function. For instance, a parent may want to leave their briefcase immediately under an infant in a baby seat. This way, the parent’s habit kicks in should their be a momentary lapse in judgement because of distractions.
Find what works for you. As parents we are the CEO’s of our families. We are responsible for enacting and enforcing good habits amongst ourselves and our children. An ounce of prevention can help you prevent a pound of heartache.