[maxkinzie]

First, DD is FINE, thank God!

After working grocery cashier for a number of years I have seen what can happen when kids are allowed to stand up in carts. I said any kid of mine would never be allowed to (unless I had a hold on them, even then I don't advocate it). But, she was getting quite restless so I did what worked. Well....I was holding on to her but she still managed to swan dive over the edge of a cart at Office depot I was able to sort of regrab her leg as she went over so it slowed her down, but OMG, MY life flashed before me!!!

She wanted up so I picked her up, shopping trip over, took her out to the car to settle and get our bearings. Would you believe she quit crying before we were out the door???

I know it was an accident but I keep replaying the "what ifs" in in my head. How do you forgive yourself for putting your babe in such a situation????

Haven't drummed up the courage to share our adventure with DH yet, but had to "talk" to someone.

Max

One more thing on the scary experience line, while I'm all worked up, last week DD and we cornered in a mall parking lot as we got ready to leave by a couple guys trying to get money. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be careful getting kiddos in the car, if it happened to us it can happen to anyone.

[katlyn]

I'm so glad that your DD was ok, I do know how scary it can be, my daughter stood up in the cart and toppled it over, thankfully she was ok. She just scared the tarnation out of her,myself, my mom and the ladies at the fabric counter. Also, when you are talking about being cornered for money, I am always wary of anything strange and I am always ALWAYS checking to make sure no one is lurking in or around my care, especially when I have my kids! Thank Heaven you are both safe...I know how guilty some parents can feel when our children get hurt or almost hurt by our own actions. I hope you aren't blaming yourself...she's fine...you sound like a wonderful caring mom. Again, I'm glad she was ok

[Scarlett_A.]

This is not a personal attack but....... I honestly can't believe people let their kids stand up in carts to keep them quiet. I've seen it so many times. I've shouted to parents to grab their kids when I see them nearly tumble out. I have a friend who has a severely brain-injured child as a result of falling out of the grocery cart. I just can't believe anyone would take a chance. I would imagine you've learned your lesson, now pass the message on to those who might now know! Always think about the long term........if you can not keep your child restrained in a seatbelt and in good spirits at the same time.......then it's time to leave the store. And this is coming from a well-seasoned single mother of two who *always* had to do it all WITH the kids-grocery shopping, clothes shopping, etc. It's not worth it for THEM especially, but for you as well who may end up taking care of a permanently brain-injured child for the rest of your life.
Safety first.

[maxkinzie]

Scarlett A- I WAS holding on to her, I've seen what happens, and I don't advocate this.

DID YOU READ WHAT i WROTE!?

I came here feeling bad about it, maybe looking for a little support- There's plenty of places I could go to if I wanted help making myself feel bad!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! -NOT

[momraine]

Things happen even to careful moms. Kids actually have thier own minds and sometimes do things they shouldn't. Mine could undo the seatbelts early, so it was hard. Not to mention the dirty looks you get if your kid crys in the store. I try hard never to judge other women. Every single kid is different. I have a friend who has six, and she has had issues with her youngest that she never had with the other five. She thought she was a seasoned mother and had seen it all, well this kid did things the others never thought of! We are all human and we make mistakes, and sometimes things happen that are not in our control. I have seen kids who were strapped in wiggle out of the seatbelt and stand up in seconds, while the mom grabbed something off the shelf. It can happen to anyone and it's scary. The same goes for choking, you can be careful and avoid the worst foods like grapes and hot dogs. (I know a boy who was brain damaged from choking on a hotdog at age 8!) I think other mother's need our support and encouragement. Like ideas on how to keep a child happy in the cart, not condemnation when she feels bad enough already.

[traceyk]

I am sorry you had to go through that. I have let Drihan sit in the back before, but when she stood up, back in the front she went. Needless to say she wasn't happy. People thought I was pinching her or something I think. I still use the sling with her when she wants to be carried instead, do you have a sling or carrier?

[jeannem]

My son can go from sitting in the seat of the shopping cart to standing in very little time. Yesterday he actually undid the strap somehow and was on his way to standing in the time it took me to turn around and find something on the shelf. I found myself having to hold on to his leg if I had to turn away.

They really are something else and can get away from you quick. I know your experience must have been pretty scary so I feel for you.

[shy_bear]

Scarlett A are you parenting??? We all say what we would do before we have kids. It is easy then. When you are in the situation it is SOOOO different.

I am glad to hear your daughter is ok!!

[NJNative]

don't beat yourself up over it. I swear sometimes that kids seem determined to try five new ways to kill themselves every day when they are little. My then 9 mo niece, who was not yet walking, got out of her car seat and was standing on the back seat, holding on to the front seat, while my sister in law was driving in a major city. There wasn't even a place to pull over and fix it!

I strongly advise never, ever letting your child out of their stroller in a public place. My son never even thought to get out because I never did it even once. If we stopped to eat, he went striaght fromt he stroller to the high chair and straight back when we were done. He must have been more than 3 before I ever let him out. It's a good habit to get into.

[redbonec]

So glad your daughter was ok. It is so hard when you have your eyes on them all the time, then you blink, and that's when something happens! And you can be right there, not 2 inches from them. Glad you're ok too!

[momofmykids]

Max,
Glad she's okay!

Scarlet, she was upset enought...she didn't need any more grief over it.

Hugs to you, Max. Aren't you glad that kids are SO resilient????

[pg13209]

Max,
You had a very scary experience I am SO glad she is ok! My son and I flipped the cart one day when we were in the gorcey store. He was leaning foward and I was attempting to putsome stuff in the bottom of the cart when his weight shifted the cart started to raise up I tried to catch the stupid thing but NOPE it flipped. He screamed bloddy murder andthe store manager came over to see if he could do anything to help. My son was buckled in at the time but he was around 45 puinds.the store manager told me that the seats were designed for 30 pounds or less anything over that and the cart becomes top heavy. GREAT HUH??? we can't even put our kids in restrained if they are over 30 pounds!!!! Stupid CARTS!!!!

[court5505]

I am glad that she is okay! That had to be scary!

Someone mentioned suggestions for keeping kids happy in the cart...does anyone have any of these??? We had a horrible trip to Target today, to the point where we just had to leave our stuff and go home. NOTHING would keep DD happy. I broke down into tears when we got in the car and that is VERY unlike me!

[ValerieP]

I actually have a scar where my bottom teeth came through my lip -- It happened in a shopping cart... and, I was being good. I just rocked forward to far and hit the handle bar area. My mom picked up some frozen peas and ran out of the store. (The manager was nice enough to let her go without paying for them.) It can happen to anyone... just always be careful.