Makayla McGuire
malmcguire@lc.edu

The more time I’m on social media, the more I believe the world has downgraded. I’m not necessarily saying the world is bad, but the stories I’ve seen and heard are awful. The stories and advice I’ve come across that grown adults are trying to say that they are ‘giving advice’ are unpleasant. There are a couple that I don’t agree with but one, in particular, has got me to the point where I have to say something about it.

First of all, don’t downgrade a person who can’t always get something when go shopping for food, or whatever it is. You’re at Walmart, Aldi’s, or where you shop, you see a child who can’t be more than 3 years-old  jumping up and down because they got a new toy, or food they like and they got to get it because the parents allowed them to get that item, be happy that a parent is taking care of the child.

As in seen in social media, I read a story about this 3-year-old boy getting something he liked and jumping up and down, this woman comes over, was just being a complete rude person to the parent and child. The mom had apologized saying “he’s excited about this item.”  The woman bends down and instead of saying “hi” or something along those lines, she says “does your mommy never take you anywhere.” The mom and child were so upset, that the child didn’t eat anything.

Secondly, the one, that I really wanted to talk about. A parent putting something ‘important’ in the back of the car so you don’t forget to grab the toddler/infant. As heartbreaking as this sounds, but roughly around 700 children die because the parent forgot to grab the child. Most of the time, when a child is sleeping, in the car is when the parent leaves the child. A child overheats a lot faster than an adult does. Leaving a child in a car for ten minutes results that the car is 89 degrees, which their body heat is already higher than that.

People have been making lists, so they don’t forget to grab the child. If you have to think for a split second that you have to put a cell phone, shoe, briefcase, whatever it is you put, you shouldn’t be a parent. I’ve heard, people are also to put a piece of paper on the dashboard saying to “check before you lock.”

Once again you shouldn’t have to put a reminder to check to see if you have your child with you. Once you leave your house with keys and child in hands, you are already aware that your child is with you. Back to my statement, Once you have your child with you, you shouldn’t have to put something in the back to remind yourself.