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No matter what, if you have children, even if you think they’re home or at the babysitter, please CHECK your cars before heading indoors to ensure your children are not locked in. It’s far too hot to leave babies and toddlers in their car seats even for a few moments.
Maybe carry something like a rist band or put your watch on the wrong hand to remember.
Put your phone into the crib – so you don’t forget it and also not check the phone while driving. Statistically, I think there is more harm to the children from checking the phone than from abandoning kids.
That’s a genius way not to forget
Aaq: Who has a crib in their car?
Uncle – car seat, sorry it was a while from when I was buying cars by measuring how many car seats of different sizes I can fit in.
None – not my idea, someone else came up with it.Always_Ask_Questions,
“Put your phone into the crib – so you don’t forget it and also not check the phone while driving.”
This is such a good suggestion. For those without a smartphone that they check frequently, use something else that you’d immediately notice not having outside the vehicle, like your shoe.
Never think that this R”L only happens to neglectful parents. It can happen to anyone. We all have to rush sometimes, have routines that we auto-pilot into, and have a lot on our minds.
For those running a gan, preschool, or playgroup, if a child is absent unexpectedly and without prior notice from the parents, call the parents immediately to check on the absence.
> For those without a smartphone that they check frequently,
Put your sefer there. Or get into habit of talking to the kid and have them on your mind, so you’ll notice that he is not answering.
Another trend that I read about several years ago, but should still be on presumably: rise in number of child injuries, esp in the parks. As nothing is happening, parents or babysitters look at the phone and sometimes at the kids. Turns out something might happen when the caregiver is looking at the phone … This is clear halocha for a worker to pay 100% attention to his work, kal vehomer to your own kid. See also the story about Mittele Rebbe so engrossed in his phone, oops sefer, that did not hear little Tzemach Tzedek crying.
Always_Ask_Questions,
“Or get into habit of talking to the kid and have them on your mind, so you’ll notice that he is not answering.”
This won’t work for a small infant or a child who has fallen asleep in his carseat.
Regarding phone distraction – that’s a parallel issue. Good drivers presumably are not engrossed in their phones or sefarim while driving. Kids R”L were left in cars before the invention of the cell phone. The danger is going through a routine and forgetting or not realizing the child is back there. My stomach hurts just thinking about it. It can happen to anyone.
They have these pully things. Not sure what it’s called. Maybe attach it to the keychain of your car. Retractable keychains…
Driving is an experience where you fully depend on other people for staying safe. Think when you are on an undivided highway – what a hidden nes that all vehicle coming towards you keep their vehicle within the correct lane …
This is discussed in Avoda Zara 20s about walking along the road with a non-Jew, or a Jewish robber or thief. There are halochos of defensive walking – don’t join them if you can, walk on the side of his weapon, walk on top (back when going down, front-side when going up), telling them that you are going further than you intend to. These halochos apply to any non-Jew, you don’t know his intentions, but you take safety measures.
This was taught in yeshivos in all countries (one example – students of R Akiva, another – Rav Yehuda).These halochos can be directly translated into defensive driving – avoid traffic times, do not drive in blind spot, let speeding drivers pass, keep your children from running in the parking lot while others drive fast and with phones (the scariest thing I see when going to shopping malls in “frum” towns).
Put your phone into the crib – so you don’t forget it and also not check the phone while driving.
I thought this was a great idea!
Till I realized I need phone for directions.
Menachem,
you probably will not forget the kid in the car on the way to Disney Land. Your daily commute is the problem and you do not need the phone then, unless you are an amazon or uber driver.Menachem Shmei,
“Till I realized I need phone for directions.”
Then put your shoe back there, or something else that you’d realize immediately that you’re missing.
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