Life gets busy, kids get cranky, and some stops only take a minute. So maybe you can get by leaving the kids in the car this time. Absolutely not! Not unless you are going to leave an adult there with them. There are too many unforeseeable events that might take place while you are gone, even for a minute. Lets just look at some possible scenarios.

1. An opportunistic kidnapper who already has connections to "move" the child to a "new home" sees you leave the child unprotected. He snatches the child through a broken window and they are gone without a trace.

2. The child decides she wants to get out of the car seat, she struggles part way down but is unable to get free. She is stuck with the safety belt cutting off her oxygen supply. You return and find she cannot be revived.

3. Your older child gets tired of waiting and decides to get out of the car, since he saw where you went. He gets lost and you return to the car to find him gone.

4. An 18-wheeler swerves to avoid a collision with someone running a red light, but slams into your car instead....

5. It is warmer out than you had thought, you get caught in an important conversation with a co-worker you meet in the market. When you realize how long you've been away, you panic and run to your car. It's too late.

6. Someone decides that yours is the car he will steal today! He doesn't realize the child is sleeping in the back seat until the child wakes up and asks where you are. The thief is startled, and not knowing what to do. He stops and tells your child to get out. He leaves him there by the road.

7. The youngster decides to see if he can make a cigarette from a rolled up piece of newspaper. He presses the lighter in, and lights the end of his creation. When the end begins to burn he drops the "cigarette" and jumps back to the back seat leaving the burning paper on the floor with the rest of the newspaper, which soon catches fire. The child is unable to get out because of child proof locks and electric windows.

8. Your two four year olds love to wrestle and when one of them hits his head on the gear shift the other panics and runs to look for you. Meanwhile a passer-by notices the unconscious child in the car and the door left open. You return to find an ambulance treating your son's injuries, and police who are ready to arrest you for recklessly neglecting your kids.

These an other frightening scenarios happen far too often. You don't expect them to happen to you, but you must anticipate that it could happen to you. Children cannot be left alone and unprotected in any situation, especially not a public situation in a locked vehicle. Kid's don't have the maturity of judgment to know what to do in case of an emergency. They don't have the foresight to understand the consequences of their actions. But you must understand the possible consequences of your actions. Or you may spend a lifetime regretting it.

Learn more about this author, Susan Kliebenstein.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about The dangers of leaving your child alone in the car ?
We want to hear your view. Write now!