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Parenting

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Original poster

Oh God, I'm a terrible parent

37 replies

GeorginaA · 15/07/2004 16:31

We have just had a very very narrow escape.

We were out in town when it started tipping down so we raced back to the car. Dh got ds1 strapped into his seat while I extracted ds2 (8 weeks) from the pushchair and put him in his seat. I carefully strapped him into the rock-a-tot then dived in the car as I was completely soaked. Got all the way home then realised... THE CARSEAT WASN'T STRAPPED INTO THE CAR!

I'd forgotten that I'd undone the seatbelt to get him out originally but left the carseat in the car in its normal strapped in position. Didn't occur to me to check.

I'm shaking and on the verge of tears that I put my baby at such risk. We are so lucky that nothing happened on the way home. Feel like the worst sort of scum

OP posts:

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throckenholt · 17/07/2004 16:13

We have just been on a driving holiday to the north of Scotland (from Norfolk) - on the way home DH braked sharply to get into a passing place on a single track road and DS2 + carseat hit the back of my seat - somehow the seat belt was no longer clipped in. We have no idea how it happened or how long it had been like that. We were just thankful it happened when we were on a single track road going slowly and not when we got on to the motorway.

Al you can do is chalk it up to experience and try and be more vigilant next time.

Hayls · 17/07/2004 16:16

Yep, I've done it too. Done plenty of other things i'll never forgive myself for too...

Tissy · 17/07/2004 16:18

I did this on my first solo outing with dd to Glasgow. Realised the carseat wasn't secured, and took the next exit off the motorway to find a place to stop and fix it. Got horribly lost in a very rough area, and didn't dare ask for directions in case I was mugged! Got home 2 hours late to find dh going spare...I'd also left my mobile at home!

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motherinferior · 17/07/2004 16:26

Add me (well, DP) to the list.

More than once

cat82 · 17/07/2004 16:28

Georgina, you're not a terrible parent! We all went to town a couple of weeks ago, and when we got home i realised that dd's (also 8 weeks) seatbelt wasn't done up! I felt awful, god knows what would have happened if dp had applied the brakes to hard or anything
The important thing to remember is that nothing bad did happen, everyone's still healthy and happy and we ALL have theese moments.
Be kind to you, and as has been said before, you're a great parent for being this upset about it.
xx

hatter · 17/07/2004 16:32

terrible parents don't bother in the first place. terrible parents don't care when they realise they've done something like this. There is no way you're a terrible parent. Don't beat yourself up. I'm another one who's done exactly what you describe. We're all human but that doesn't make us terrible parents!

handlemecarefully · 19/07/2004 01:52

Yep - me too, times two!

Chandra · 19/07/2004 02:08

DH kept forgeting either to strap the car seat or to fasten the car seat straps when DS was weeks old, we had many rows about it. The good thing is that nothing happened, the second one is that this worry is going to help you to double check in the future.

You are not a bad mother, thank whoever you want because nothing has happened and let it go.

lydialemon · 19/07/2004 02:16

So far today I've not strapped DS2 up any of the times we've got in the car - I think my brain has expired Luckily as he's 4 he yells at me as soon as I start to drive!

colinsmommy · 19/07/2004 03:40

I just forgot to put the straps on DS yesterday when we went to the store. I couldn't understand why he was sitting up so far, and then we stopped and he wasn't even strapped in. I don't know how he didn't crawl out of the chair. The bad thing for me is, I have no excuse. I must say this thread has made me feel better, because I felt like I shouldn't be driving him around.

nightowl · 19/07/2004 04:19

i did this too. put dd's seat on the travel system and took her in the cafe with us. got her out to feed her and forgot to strap her back in. put the seat back on the autobase and we drove back not realising she wasnt strapped in. always made sure that even when the car seat is on the buggy shes always strapped in now. good thing too as a few weeks ago ds (7) wanted to push her. he fell over pulling the buggy with him. it tipped up backwards. bearing in mind she was facing the "driver", had she not been strapped in she would have gone face first onto the path. as it was, she didnt cry or even flinch, just sat there still contentedly sucking her fingers! the child has no fear! still felt terrible about it though and shuddered to think what could have happened!

fisil · 19/07/2004 09:33

I agree GeorginaA - you're an excellent parent for worrying about it. I've never confessed to DP that on our first two car trips with DS I got the strapping in wrong - once I didn't get the adult seat belt fully into the socket, so it just wasn't restrained, the other time it didn't click into the base because his moses basket got caught in it. Both trips were to take our two week old to visit his grandparents - both a 200 mile motorway trip away!

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