Ages ago, before I became a mother, I was enjoying an alfresco lunch with another non-parent when a car drove by bearing one of those Baby on Board signs. He pointed it out and proceeded to ask what the point of the sign was. “As if I would drive any differently around them if they didn’t have the sign on their car window. Do they want some kind of special privilege?” To be honest I though the exact same thing. I just couldn’t see the point in making this public declaration. I actually found them to be quite annoying.
Recently on Facebook someone posted an explanation for the popular suctioned yellow and black signs. And for the first time in years it didn’t seem obnoxious anymore. It made sense.
They’re there to alert emergency personnel in the case of an accident. In case an infant or baby is not seen or heard. I’m not sure what the chances are of this happening but I can’t help but ask: what if? Having said that, I’m guessing this also means that anyone with a child older than, let’s say 4, has absolutely no reason to fill their rear windshield with a bunch of signs or stickers.
I spent more time than I probably should have researching the theory, momentarily falling for an urban myth and reading endless comments and opinions on the matter. Despite much being written on this explanation it seems the majority still maintain a cynical approach to these signs. And I’m still not sure if I’ll get one when baby boy makes his appearance….
How do you feel about them? Do you have one of these signs stuck to your car windows?
