Are we to stressed and busy to remember to drop our children of at daycare?

Question

NEWS STORY: A mother was supposed to drop off her son at day care around 6 a.m. before heading to work at the hospital, but forgot. When she got off at 3:30 p.m. the child died in the hot truck. Its sad that we are so stressed and rushed to make ends meet that this happens. I have to admit one time I was rushed (my son was an infant) and I used to drop him off at a neighbors before getting in the car but she couldn't watch him this particular day and I put him in my car and almost arrived at work and realized he was in the back still! Scared the c**p out of me that I almost did that! (I was taking him to my mothers and out of the normal routine); I realized at that moment how easy it can happen with people who are busy and stressed with getting to work. I feel sorry for these people. [I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO USE CARS AS BABYSITTERS EITHER] What are your thoughts? Has something similar happened to you?

Answer 1

unfortuantly this happens all to often.  Very sad!!!   I have never forgotten eith of children in the car, in fact it is a habit to always open the back door to get them out, that I do it even when they are not with me.

Answer 2

My friend left her baby in the car for 20min in the cold and she is a really good mother.  The problem I think comes from Mother's not having sole responsibility for the child.  If you are used to have someone else watching your child then you might not have the same constant sense of where your child is.  I'm with mine ALL the time and my mind is constantly aware of where they are and what they are doing.

My friends husband was a teacher and had a couple weeks off for winter break, he watched the kids a lot while she went out.  

Just a thought.

Answer 3

They have now made a new device that goes unto the child's car seat and somehow alerts the care giver about the child being in the car.

I have locked my son in the car with the keys in it a couple of time(man did I feel terrible), but I called 911 immediately and they came to help.

Answer 4

how can someone physically forget their child for a WHOLE day?!

i mean yeah getting half way to work is normal, but forgetting for a whole day...and not actually seeing them in the back.

that's stupid. and whilst i feel sorry for the parents...its pretty irresponsible and lame for them to not notice all day.

and its stupid of the nursery to not call and check where the child is!

grrr

Answer 5

Wow.  I can kinda almost understand how this can happen, but it is sad.  But I don't think this is stress related.  My husband is a creature of habit.  To go to the grocery, you turn left out of the subdivision, to go to work, you turn right.  Almost all the time, when we go out of the subdivision, he turns right.  So, that's why I can ALMOST understand how the kid got left behind in the car - creature of habit and not so much stressed out.

But in cases where the parents are stressed out... I think this is a matter of priorities.  My family is numero uno priority in my life.  Forgetting the kid in the car due to stress means your priorities have shifted in that one moment.  I would as soon forget I'm supposed to be at work than forget I got my kid.  I would stress out over what I'm supposed to put in my kids' lunch box that would be healthy for him and something he will eat.  My work stress stays at work.  When I leave my workplace, I leave the stress with it.  My boss knows my kids are my #1 priority since I made it a condition of my work contract.  I'm lucky enough to have a job that goes by deadlines and not necessarily 9-5 fixed shift daily.  If the kid is sick, or there's a PTA meeting or some kid-related stuff, I take off work.  My husband is the work guy, so he doesn't take off work for kid stuff - I do.  I can see this being very difficult for single parents.  I don't know how they pull it off.  It is difficult enough for me and my husband...

Answer 6

These stories are so sad....

I have driven half way to work before, and forgot to go to the babysitters house.  But not because I forgot my child was with me, I just started driving in the wrong direction.

I was talking to my child the whole time.  I could not have forgotten he was in the car entirely.

Don't these people interact with their children during the drive?  

I know some kids sleep if it's nap/bed time..

But I can tell you for sure my 3 yo would never be quiet enough for me to forget her in the car!

Answer 7

when my son was and infant i had him in the car seat and put him on the ground of the bedroom i was running around looking for my bag and then started out the door. i forgot my son upstairs i was supposed to take him to him grandmothers (something out of the ordinary)

i heard him crying and that's when i realized that i forgot him. his aunt was in the other room and i know i would of remembered when i got to the garage because i had his diaper bag in my hand but your right sometimes we get caught up with our hectic lives we forget about the most important thing IN our lives.

that is very sad that that happened to that baby and there is no excuse for it.

Answer 8

I am not sure how it lasted the entire day before she realised. Why did the daycare not call and check when the child didn't show up in the morning? I do home daycare myself and if a child doesn't show up without a phone call, then I call the parents to try and figure out why?

Answer 9

Just me, but I don't understand how anyone could FORGET their own child.  I have a lot of stressors in my life, but my child is NOT something I could forget.

Answer 10

i'm a stay at home mom, with my kids 24/7 so i never forget they are with me. the other day i went to the dentist by myself, and i swear i looked in the back seat at least three times, and had to remind myself they were at a friends house. thats gotta be one of the worst things to happen to a mother.