A couple of weeks ago during a visit to the in-laws, I was on the 405 returning from a Wal-Mart run with the kiddos when I heard a strange whooshing noise from the back seat. I glanced over my shoulder and to my horror, saw that Thor was not strapped into his car seat, but was sort of sitting sideways in it and leaning over trying to open the car door. He had, in fact, unlatched the door-- hence the audible 'whoosh'-- but hadn't yet managed to push it open.
Fortunately, we were seconds from an off ramp and I managed to convince him to GET AWAY FROM THE DOOR!!! while I exited and got us to safety. My heart was racing and for several days I kept envisioning how the story could have ended. If the worst had happened, would I have forgiven myself? Probably not.
Thinking things through later, I realized that after tossing Thor quickly into his seat while I situated Winnie and packed things in the trunk, I had forgotten to come back and buckle him in. This was even worse than the time last year that we arrived in California and discovered that although Thor had been securely strapped into his car seat during the journey, Jared and I had somehow neglected to buckle down the seat itself. A lot of good that car seat would have done if it had sailed through a window during an accident.
By and large, I think I'm a fairly attentive parent, but when these things happen, I have to think it will be a small miracle if these kids make it to adulthood relatively unscathed.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
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3 comments:
I don't want to admit it, but by now I've forgotten to strap Campbell in so many times that he knows to yell "buckle me buckle me!" (Well, not anymore now that he can do it himself. It's wonderful. Oh, but he also knows how to disengage the child lock which he tries to sneakily do when he opens his door to get in.) Just think about how we grew up - Ammon remembers a time when his Mom stopped short and then yelled at his very young brother not holding on and flying across the van to hit the windshield.
I am sorry you had such a scary situation. Needless to say, we have had a similar situation. It never happened when we only had one child. I cannot imagine what I will forget when if I ever adopt a third child.
Jen W.
Oh how no one wants to admit those situations, but a piece of our brain goes with each child so it is a miracle that they make it!
IMPORTANT NOTE: on the back doors just above the latch you will see a little switch thing, slide it and then the doors will no longer open from the inside, essential for when toddlers can start to reach those door handles!
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