I know it sounds cliché, but I didn’t think it could happen to me. I really didn’t.
Most days I feel like a responsible parent (most days). I usually feel pretty organized, and in general feel like a good mom to Emmett. Which is why I’m still reeling from what happened last week.
It was the Friday before a long summer weekend, and Emmett and I were running a few last-minute errands before we left the city for the lake. Our very last errand was to pick up a new lifejacket for the summer.
It was a hot day, and we spent about 20 mins in the store, so when we got back to the car if felt like a sauna. Typical on a summer day. I dropped the shopping cart off, buckled Emmett into his car seat, and reached across him to drop the diaper bag in the middle of the backseat before I walked to my seat and jumped in… just like I had a million times before.
I should stop here and explain that our car has keyless start, which means the keys just have to be in the car to start it, not in the ignition. I keep the keys in the same end-pocket of the diaper bag so I always know where they are, and know I’ll have them with me when it’s time to start the car.
Well, apparently Emmett also knows where I keep them. On this trip, in what felt like the three seconds between when I shut Emmett’s car door, and walked around to my door, Emmett reached into the diaper bag on the seat, pulled out the keys and pressed the lock button.
I got to my door with no phone, and no keys, to find the whole car was locked… and my baby was inside. Cue MAJOR heart attack. I checked every door frantically (they were all locked) and started yelling through the window for him to keep pressing buttons on the keys (there had to be a chance he’d press unlock, right?!). A super kind man and woman in the parking lot quickly realized what was going on and swooped in to help the panicked pregnant lady yelling at her car window. In my mind, all I could think about was the fact that it was REALLY hot in the car, and getting hotter by the minute. How long could he stand the heat in there? If you’re not supposed to keep a dog in a hot car, SURELY a toddler can’t take the heat for very long?!
I’ll save you the gory mom-panicked details, but needless to say a call to 911 followed (I was conveniently put on hold), while one of the lovely strangers ran into the auto store nearby (to find a locksmith who might be able to open the locked door), and the other stranger and I simultaneously told Emmett to keep pressing buttons and looked for something to break the window if it came to that (harder than you’d think to find in a city parking lot).
About five minutes into the whole encounter (it may have been less, but it felt like five hours), Emmett simply pressed unlock on the keys, and I opened the door to my boy’s smiling face.
Seriously. Just like that.
The next minutes are a bit of a blur, but I’m pretty sure I proceeded to give the man, woman and random locksmith I’d just met a round of hugs that they graciously accepted and hung up on my call to 911 (I was still on hold…).
I hugged Emmett, got back in the car to turn the AC on ASAP, and called my husband. At which point all the crazy tears I’d been holding back came pouring out, and I had a serious mama meltdown.
I immediately thought: How could this have happened? How did I not think of him reaching into the bag? I didn’t even think our car could lock with they keys inside!?! How could I be so careless?!?!
After the whole ordeal (despite Emmett being completely fine) my mom-confidence was shaken. I needed to think through a plan to ensure this couldn’t happen again, and that’s really why I’m sharing the whole deal with you guys. Because, trust me. It can happen to anyone, in the blink of an eye, and the outcome could have been much more serious.
So here’s my plan going forward (who’s on board with me here?):
- Always lock/unlock the car with the button on the fob, and not the button on the car door. This ensures I’ll have the keys in hand from the get-go (and that I won’t lock the keys in the car even if Em’s already out).
- If I can keep my keys in my pocket, that’s the best option. But if I need to keep them in the diaper bag, I’ll ensure the diaper bag stays with me, on my shoulder, until I climb into the driver’s seat.
- Don’t let Emmett play with the keys while sitting in the car (this time he wasn’t, but he has before when he’s been a little cranky, and we could have been in the same situation as a result).
- Don’t assume that your car won’t lock with keys inside – in fact assume the opposite, and err on the side of caution.
Here’s hoping this will be a good reminder for all of us, who despite our best intentions, will have days when we fall a little short.
Oh, and always be the person who helps a stranger in need, okay?
xo
