Selectively Juggling

Daily writing prompt

Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?

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The brutal truth is “yes I have unintentionally broken the law” and believe me for a pretty straight -laced goody-two-shoes law-abiding person that doesn’t sit easy. The worst example would have been when my daughter was about 4-months old. Through heavy and exhausted puffy eyes I gathered up my just 22-month old son, 4 year old son and put them both in the car, whilst assuming my husband was busying himself with fastening our 4-month old daughter into the baby capsule. We locked the front door, clambered into the car and drove away- to have dinner at Westfield’s which was approximately 6kms from home. With a renewed sense of innocent gusto I got out the car, opened the kids door, reached into grab my daughter and “OH F*&^*&*!” she weasn’t there. I felt a strong punch in the gut, sick to my stomach and my heart literally beat in my throat. My husband and I looked at each other, and quickly high-tailed it home. I flew out the car, into the house and discovered my incredibly peaceful daughter sound asleep, completely unaware of the chaos around her. Suffice it to say, that was a once in a life-time mistake. Now, I had a friend however who intentionally left her sleeping baby (8month-old) while her and her husband went out for dinner. That infuriated and saddened me. At 8-months old, a baby is much more agile and mobile, my middle son was literally running at 8 months old, he definetely was walking everywhere. An 8-month old could have attempted to climb out of the cot, and who knows what could happen. Obviously there have been many examples of when I have gotten back to my car, to unload the overflowing shopping trolley, only to discover a small packet of this or that, that had laid obscured from vision. Depending how far away from the shops I’d parked, if I had the kids with me, how hot it had been, all determined whether or not I quickly make a bee-line back to the shops to pay (regardless of the cost of the item- whether it was a $2 item or not) or whether I quietly drive away. And yes, I did and do feel that weigh on my conscience., and definitely not something I’d ever do intentionally. By the way I am no longer friends with the person I wrote about, like how could I trust someone who was prepared to risk their own child’s safety, and life?