1-900-GET-ACLUE

I'm on a broom Maybe I’m just a cranky old woman, but I cannot believe that another parent left their small children alone in a car with the motor running here in the Puget Sound Area. There’s a reason that it’s against the law to leave children under 12 alone in a car in the state of Washington. This is the second such incident in the area in a week! Where was this guy when a tearful, remorseful mother begged parents to learn from her mistake? Fortunately all the children in both incidents were returned to their frantic parents. Next time it might not end as well.

Parents, I know that unbuckling the complicated harnesses and seatbelts on child seats takes a college education and is a pain in the butt. I’ve gotten mine wet plenty of times getting a small one into or out of the car in the rain or worked up a sweat on a hot day, but I love them too much to leave them alone in a locked car much less one with the motor running for heaven’s sake! I know that once you get those sweet children out of the car, keeping them corralled long enough to buy the milk or juice or bread or whatever it is that you need to “just run in and get” can be a challenge so take them home, leave them with someone else and go do your shopping if you can’t handle them in the store. Otherwise get a clue and get the children out of the car. That's the view from my broom.