What Would You Do? Would You Go Back For Your Child At Home?
What would you do? What would you do if you realized you left your child at home for a holiday? No this isn't the classic Christmas movie, this is real life. In the chaos that often occurs during the holidays of making sure you got all the dishes you are supposed to bring, making sure you have any gifts you may need to take, and making sure everyone is ready to go, you for whatever reason assume everyone is accounted for and in the car only to realize later that someone is missing. The child you thought was quiet or sleeping is back at home.
I was speaking to a coworker this week that got left behind as a child. Fortunately for her, her parents came back for her, but it got me thinking. What would you do if you were driving to say Boise or Salt Lake City for the holidays, you get to your destination, thinking your child was asleep or quiet the whole time, only to find out they were left at home? Would you go back and get them?
At this point you are two to three hours away, knowing if you go back you would be adding 4 to 5 to 6 hours of driving, and possibly miss the meal or most of the day with your friends and family. Is it worth it? In today's world, with cell phones, one would assume the child would call before you got that far, but what if they couldn't get ahold of you? The decision would be tough, do you go eat beforehand or instantly go back? How much of a factor is the age of the child?
Multiple scenarios could play out here and neither is wrong or right. Parental instinct says to go back and get the child, but if they are 14 or 15 they may be fine on their own. If you like the family you are seeing that day could play a factor as well. It could give you an excuse to get out of time with them or if you do like them, be a burden to have to leave.
I would most likely turn around as soon as I notice and hope I don't make it to my destination, but if I did, I would eat some food before heading back. I wouldn't take long to eat, but I already drove all that way, so why not? What would you do?