• Keys: If you've ever locked yourself out of your car or are prone to losing your keys, this advice is tailor-made for you. And even if you aren't the type to misplace things, keep in mind that even the most meticulous parents, as well as those who are sleep-deprived, can be thrown off their routine by a crying, whining, or sleeping child.
  
  So make it a policy to never set your car keys down inside the vehicle once your child is seated inside. It's all too easy to shut the back door without realizing that the rest of the doors are locked. If you're likely to lock your keys in the car because you have a history of doing so, be sure to have a backup set that's accessible.



• Where to park: You may be focused on finding a parking spot close to the building entrance, but have you thought about where the most convenient and safe parking spots are when you have a child in tow? If you park a bit further from where you want to be, but in a spot right next to the sidewalk, it can save you the necessity of crossing the parking lot with your child. And if a curb spot isn't readily available when you're heading to a store that has shopping carts, look for a spot next to the cart return; it may be farther away, but you can transport your child across the parking lot more safely (not to mention more quickly) in a cart than by foot.



• Leaving kids in the car: This is generally not a good idea for a couple of reasons. The first reason is safety. We've all heard of carjackings that suddenly became kidnappings--especially if you are in the (bad) habit of leaving your engine running. The second is related to temperature. During summertime, in particular, young children can become quite ill and even die due to heat exposure when left sitting in parked cars during warm weather.



• Loading the car: Whether you are the parent of one child or five, you realize that getting everyone and everything loaded into the car and ready to go can sometimes be quite a chore. Don't make yourself an easy target for theft--or worse--by leaving your purse in the shopping cart behind you as you struggle with your child over whether seatbelts are really necessary. (And do I really need to remind you that it's unsafe to sit with your back to the open door in the middle of a dark parking lot?) Instead, consider getting your child and your belongings into the car, and shutting and locking the doors, before attempting to get everyone settled in their seats. Trouble can easily be avoided if you don't let your parenting tasks distract you from using common sense.



• On top of the car: While it's usually not a good idea to perch a cup of coffee or a briefcase on top of your car, the worst that's likely to happen is that someday you'll forget and pull away with your replaceable item on the roof. Dropping an object is one thing, though; your child is a completely different matter. With that in mind, never put your infant's car seat--with your baby in it--on the trunk or roof while you load the car. The potential for an accident to happen is very real.



• Parked cars: Never leave your child standing or sitting in a stroller behind a parked car. The reason is obvious if you stop to think about it. Better to take your child out of the stroller and assist her into the car before dealing with groceries, packages, etc., or to have her stand next to you between two parked cars before fiddling with keys and opening doors.



• As you get ready to leave: Remember that it's difficult, and sometimes impossible, to spot a small child behind your car, whether you're unlocking the door or sitting in the driver's seat. I can still hear my own driver's ed teacher, Mr. Carr (I kid you not), as he instructed his budding young drivers-to-be to always take a quick look behind and around your car before getting in and backing up. This simple act can save you from ever having to face the horror of hitting another person's child--or even your own.

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