Touch The Car

I was reminded the other day while walking through the parking lot at Costco of one of my most useful safety terms for children…”Touch the car” meaning my car.

A little girl all dressed in pink approximately 3 years years old was wandering down the middle of the area of the parking lot with no adult in sight.  My heart immediately started racing and my arms went out to stop any possible traffic and scanning the lot for cars that might be backing up.  My pace quickened to reach her for fear she would be struck.  Her mother then came around the a car with a baby in her arms.  I instantly knew that she was learning to manage both but it did not settle my heart.

The best safety trick I ever came up with was teaching my kids to always touch the car in a parking lot or street unless we were holding hands.  It kept them from running out in the street or parking lot, in my line of sight and in a safer zone.  I never minded the finger prints on my freshly washed car.  They were proof that my children were alive, well, and often sticky!

At least 50 children are backed over by a vehicle every week and 2 die. The impact is tremendous and leads to depression, anxiety, addiction and too often family disintegration.

I regretted not telling this mother about my trick so I decided to share it here.