Putting ID on Small Children while at WDW???

[mommy2paris]

All great ideas. My dd 2 1/2 would also never a necklace or bracelet alone or leave it on for a long period of time. She will also be wearing crocs, so no laces for us most days. I may try to bands though and hope that she may forget she's wearing it on her ankle. I also like the idea of pinning a notecard on the back of the shirt...
Does anyone know if the cm's are trained to look for these types of things? Because all though dd communicates well, if she were upset, I don't know that she would relay to a stranger to check her bracelet / anklet...

 

[jkcd513]

It worked really well for us and we still use this when we go to amusement parks, fairs, etc. No one else can see his name or our info unless he gets lost and someone was trying to find us and looks on the other side of the photo card. I liked including photos of us so that other people would be able to help him locate us and know what his mommy and daddy look like.

I have a photo but not sure how to post it in case anyone was confused about what I am talking about- I can email it if you would like to see it. You can only see it in the photos we took if his back facing me so it didn't get in the way of most photos.

Jennifer

 

[jkcd513]

We only listed our hotel not our room numbers. I figured that if someone called our hotel and had our last name the cast member at the hotel would contact us (not give out the info to strangers).

-Jennifer

 

[hmhs]

I'd also be interested to know if CMs would know to look for ID information on a child? I don't know that I personally would think to do that, but I bet kids to get lost at Disney every so often, so maybe they have a proctol for what to do?

 

[jennilouwho]

I just ordered from tottoos.org for my 17 month old. Hopefully they stick on well.

 

[LadyShea]

I also worry about putting last names on it so that someone wouldn't say, "Hey Miss Jones, come with me, you've won a prize" and walk away with my kid.

I guess I am just a worry wart!!!

I suppose the cell phone number would be enough. Anyone have any other suggestions of information to make sure the tags have?

I am a worrier as well.

I planned to only have our son's first name, our first names, and our toll free number on the tag. That way nobody can get any information on how to actually locate us.

Something like "My name is C, I am traveling with My Mom, B and my Dad, F. If I am lost please call 888-***-****"

 

[danicaw]

I just ordered from tottoos.org for my 17 month old. Hopefully they stick on well.

We plan to order those for our kids to.
Great ideas everyone.

 

[MiniGirl]

My girls, especially my youngest, threw fits when we tried to put those paper bracelets on her, so those were out. We ended up just using masking tape and a Sharpie. Everyday we'd write our cell # on a strip of tape and tape it to the inside hem of our girls' shirts. They knew if they got lost they were to look for a CM (preferably female). If they didn't see one, they were to look for a woman with small children. Then all they had to do was turn up just the hem of the shirt to reveal our cell #.

The daily picture taking ritual is also a great idea.

I also started asking my girls on short shopping trips before our WDW trip to point out who they would ask for help if they couldn't find me. Rolling their eyes and saying an employee was not acceptable. They had to point to an actual person. Then I could tell them what a great choice they made or point out who may be a better choice.

We also have code words with our girls. We tell them they are not to go with anyone (stranger or not) no matter what the person tells them unless that person knows the code word. All too often we hear of people dressed like employees luring kids to some out-of-the-way spot by telling them their mom wanted to see them or someone being abducted by a family "friend." We have told them this is just so that we can be sure of where they are and who they are with at all times because that is our jib as their mom and dad.

Have a great time. Considering all the kids that are at WDW each day, very few of them get separated from their folks. Of those that do, the vast majority are reunited within minutes.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I've seen kids in the parks with just a plain, white, office-type sticker saying "my mommy's cell phone # is xxx-xxxx" that is stuck on their back. Toddlers won't play with it since they can't see and it won't get melted ice cream, etc. all over it. I don't see any need to put names on it.

 

[brymolmom]

I've tried the sticker thing - but it falls off very quickly in the heat (shirt gets sweaty and usually the kids go into every 'mister' or spray jet they see).

I don't have a problem with people seeing my kids' names - I say them about every 2 minutes anyway 'Bryan, Molly...time to go to the next ride' and similar statements. So anyone in our vicinity knows their names anyway.

I do something cheap and easy - I print out a paper with their names, dh and my names, our cell phone #'s and the resort where we're staying. I put cute Disney character stickers on them - then laminate them. I put little holes in the top and stick a pin through and put it on their shirt. PUtting it lower on their shirt (not up in the chest area but down near the hip) - makes it more comfortable IMO. Also - if you do this round the edges - laminated corners are SHARP!

Oh and dd was only 18 months the first time we did this - she didn't like it at first but I told her that no kids were allowed in the park without them...so she came around and now they're used to them. They even like it - cuz when they see the character who is on their nametag - they want to go show them that they match!

 

[tjmw2727]

We used the dog tags from the Wallmart Machines and they have even more cute ones now. We just put the childs first name so he/she could be "calmed" and "mom's cellphone # is".

So my dd's was a pink star with "Jane"
Mommy's cellphone is xxx-xxx-1010

They are cute but obvious enough that the CMs will definately know that the charm/(dog tag) contains ID info. We just tied it on the shoelace and the kids loved them. My sil said they now have disney shapes

TJ

 

[tjlovespooh]

I just ordered from tottoos.org for my 17 month old. Hopefully they stick on well.

We used the tottoos this past May for our then 17mo DS, worked great. We'll use them for all future crowded outings(fairs, amusement parks, zoo, etc). We didn't put any names on the tottoos, just "If I am lost, please call 000-000-0000"
It's not a good idea to put your child's name or your own on whatever form of ID you plan to use. Using names can lead to an idividual being able to gain unwarranted trust from your child, "Oh, hi Donny! I know your dad/mom." or "Your mom is Laura, right? I know her!" Scary but true, kids who are lost and scared may be more likely to go to a stranger that "appears" to not be such a stranger. Also, regardless of what form of ID being used please have it displayed somewhere a stranger doesn't need to invade your child's comfort zone. Think about it, I know that I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable doing a body search on another child to find a form of ID. Also, if your child should be able to display the ID info without having to take his/her eyes off of the person they are talking to. If the child needs to bend over to show off his/her shoes then a predator now has easy prey. On contrary if the child can show ID without taking eyes off of the stranger he/she will be better able/ready to run/shout if required. Again, tottoos require no more than the child to stick his hand out and show the phone#. They are what I intend to use for as long as I feel the need. I encourage others to consider ways in which their current form of ID could unintentionally aid in a stranger gaining a child's trust, and/or compromising their safety.

 

[Nina]

I just ordered bracelets for my kids from chicksandcubs.com . They come in a few different styles. I got a pink, a blue, & a camouflage

 

[overthemoon4mickey]

We have done the Duct Tape and Sharpie. It has worked well for us in hot humid Texas. We stick it on the inside bottom of shirt...near hip and no amount of sweat has loosened it!

I actually helped 2 lost children ( brothers 8yo and 5 yo) at the Houston Zoo. The oldest brother was so scared he could not remember his mom's cell # and was crying so hard he was almost screaming. My girlfriend stood with my kids and hers while I walked in a loop (monkey area) with the boys looking for the mom. People just looked at me like I was strange or a bad mom with these crying boys. I kept yelling the mom's name and asking people to look for her and direct her in our direction. Meanwhile my friend is standing at the front of the exhibit with my kids and hers and there is yet another missing child. Mother is frantic! We had called zoo employees to help and they were completely clueless. Our zoo has two entrances at opposite ends of the zoo....SCARY!!! It took over 20 minutes but both kids got back ok! That day really scared myself and my DD. I learned that you can never trust a scared kid to remember important details like phone #'s and that you need to tell your kids THAT IF THEY EVER GET LOST .........LOOK FOR A MOM!!!! Something happens when you become a mom! You will take any child under your wing and protect them like you own! So now my DD and my DS know that when you are lost look for a MOM to help you!

Take care,
Becky

 

[tlbwriter]

That day really scared myself and my DD. I learned that you can never trust a scared kid to remember important details like phone #'s and that you need to tell your kids THAT IF THEY EVER GET LOST .........LOOK FOR A MOM!!!! Something happens when you become a mom! You will take any child under your wing and protect them like you own! So now my DD and my DS know that when you are lost look for a MOM to help you!

That is so true. Tell your kids to look for a mom. Women are much more likely to actually stay with the child until its parents are found. And statistically, women are much less likely to be predators.

 

[Mic_n_Min]

We used a rubber bracelet worn on my dd's ankle during our last trip. We had our cell phone number on it (both mine and my mom's) so that one of us could be reached if needed. She forgot she had it on most of the time.

 

[LadyShea]

I found some additional tattoos, that you write in the number with a special pen. http://tattooswithapurpose.com

After reading this whole thread, I decided to go with the tottoos.org and have already placed my order. Thank you for the suggestion!

My son loves "tatoos" , and will be happy to show it off to whomever.

 

[DreamDelta]

Love the custom bracelets Minniemouse07! I'm already planning to by a bunch in different colors for our trip next year in July! Thanks for the great tip!

 

[hmhs]

Wow, so many ideas to choose from. I think I'm going to make it simple and print out a sheet of small address size labels on my computer with "If I"m lost call" and our cell numbers. I think I'm going to stick in on the upper back of his shirt, since someone mentioned CM's are not allowed to look inside clothing- it would make me feel better to have it in view anyway. Those type of stickers are pretty sticky so I don't think they'll fall off (i'm going to bring extras to the park anyway since I have to print out a sheet of 30 at a time.

Thanks for so many awesome ideas! I bet a lot of people don't think to do this until its too late.

 

[mommy2paris]

After weighing all the options, we too may also just go with a sticker on the back shoulder. I know our dd, and regardless of what we use, bracelet, anklet, tattoo, etc...She will just fuss about it or pick at it all day. So, the sticker on the back shoulder can be put on while we're getting her dressed, and she'll probably never know it!!
Good luck to everyone!