Dear Ms. Stuart,
I, too, needed a few hours to compose myself before writing this letter before offering a comment about how you thoroughly enjoy getting your 15 seconds of fame and self-importance by telling other parents what to do concerning their children (Gazette, Aug. 7).
I can only hope that your own children are well on their ways to finding the cure for cancer and the solution to end global poverty, considering their mother appears to have all of the answers.
If this is not the case, as I suspect, then I ask you, as a fellow human being, to please mind your own business.
As for your rock solid evidence you have used to support your case in the terms of news folly and horror stories: a simple Google search would tell you that the incidents you have mentioned are few and far between. In fact, the leading cause of death in Canada overall is infectious and parasitic diseases … neither of which are accumulated by sitting in a hot car.
It also clear from your letter that you are what I like to call a “fear goblin.” You seem to get your kicks reading all of these terrible news stories and passing them around to others like a bad cold. Try reading a happy story for once. Maybe you won’t feel so inclined to give unsolicited advice.
Another simple Google search or phone call to your local law enforcement unit will also tell you that the specific act of leaving your child in a car unattended is not illegal. Yes, it is illegal to purposefully put your child in a dangerous situation, but I hardly think running into a dollar store to buy greeting cards, and leaving your children in the car where you can see them from the window is a life-threatening situation.
I’m sure the people working for Alberta Child and Youth Services go through hundreds of complaints like yours, and I cannot even imagine the number of complaints they throw into the shredder because of how ridiculous they are.
As for how “heartbroken” you are? Please. If you’re so concerned about “parents who don’t get it,” then become a social worker so you can actually put some substance behind your words.
Connie Levitsky, St. Albert
