Avoiding Another Tragedy

I don't really want to write on this topic, but I feel I must. In the past two days in Texas two children have died after being forgotten in cars, one left by a parent and one by a grandmother. In both cases, the children were left in the car at work, instead of being dropped off at day care. Every year we have these incidents, which usually occur when someone has to take a child to day care who doesn't usually have that duty.

Habit can be deadly, but it is possible to make habit work for you. When you put a child in a car seat, put your purse, wallet, briefcase, lunchbox or cell phone next to the child. Then put the child's backpack or diaper bag in the front seat where it will be seen. Another suggestion from Child Protective Services is to keep a stuffed animal in the car and put it on the front seat whenever there is a child in the car.