Disturbing incident with my daughter at Typhoon Lagoon

[horseshowmom]

You totally did the right thing. In hindsight though it would've been great to do what another poster said and play dumb about the whereabouts of the toddler. Maybe a little sweat would've made them understand what they did!

I hope they had to deal with a police report when they retrieved their child.

That's what I thought. It would have been interesting to move completely away from the area and just watch their reaction when they got back. Let them figure it out on their own.

 

[PaulaSue]

Thanks for the warning (mom of 3 girls) and THANK for calling on that little girl. I hope they learn to be a MUCH better parent! Scary what could have happened.

 

[Jillpie]

Two thumbs up to you for protecting that little girl. I'm curious though, what exactly did they say when she wasn't there on the lounge chair? I mean, what did they expect, for her to wake up and sit perfectly still and not walk around? When they said it was none of your business, what did they say after that? I just can't imagine the excuse they gave, um, we wanted to go and have a great time and didn't want to bother with our baby, she's too much trouble?!! Oh this makes me mad, really mad.

 

[Geoff_M]

Making excuses for typical boy behavior is why THERE IS TYPICAL BOY BEHAVIOR. He's lucky he didnt have to carry his butt home in his hand.

I don't think anyone is attempting to excuse what the kid was probably up to nor say that he shouldn't have been tossed from the water park (along with having a brief chat with local law enforcement) if he had actually laid a finger on their daughter and done what the OP and her husband thought the kid was up to. All I think people are trying to say is that there's a difference between what the boy was likely up to versus someone attempting to drag a girl into the bush. While I wouldn't say that this behavior is "typical", I'd say it's "not unheard of". It's a misguided function of the age. Boys have been trying what they think is "creative" ways to get a peek at the other side for generations. That doesn't mean that it's "OK" when they're caught nor does that mean that they shouldn't be punished. However, I agree with others that this sort of thing doesn't quite rise to the level of some of the disturbing things we've read in the papers about concerning sexual assaults at Orlando-area water parks. If the kid had actually done what the OP thought he was up to, I don't think that should land him on a sex offender registry. And again, I think the lifeguard could have given a more sympathetic response to the report.

 

[merryweather20]

IMHO if someone is seen trying to untie someone's swimsuit, they should be put out of the pool/park. Girls shouldn't have to put up with that.

You tell me how you'd like it if we kicked out your kid because another kid or adult 'thought' he was about to do something. As many of the other posters said this isn't a "new trick". My grandma knew to avoid certain types of suits back in her day, for the very same thing. It would be nice if every boy n every generation wouldn't be quite so stoooopid about these things, but I don't think thats going to happen.

Some time shortly after the pool I worked at was built they found out that little boys like to empty out the soap dispensers all over the shower floor. I suppose they could have stood in the shower all day trying to catch the offenders, to give them a talking to, but that would have wasted alot of time and alot of soap, and the next batch of kids would just empty them out again. Instead they stopped filling up the soap dispensers. By the time I got to the pool they put them in for arthritic aqutics and took them out immediately after. On the few occasions they have forgotten to retrieve them, the soap, even generations later ends up all over the floor. In all the time I worked for the pool I only feilded one complaint, from a gentleman bringing his grandson in, when I told him the reason for the empty dispensers, his response was "Oh, yeah I remember doing the same thing as a boy".

You know what else works just as well as removing the soap? No tie swimsuits.

 

[horseshowmom]

You tell me how you'd like it if we kicked out your kid because another kid or adult 'thought' he was about to do something. As many of the other posters said this isn't a "new trick". My grandma knew to avoid certain types of suits back in her day, for the very same thing. It would be nice if every boy n every generation wouldn't be quite so stoooopid about these things, but I don't think thats going to happen.


You know what else works just as well as removing the soap? No tie swimsuits.

What I actually said was "IMHO if someone is seen trying to untie someone's swimsuit, they should be put out of the pool/park. Girls shouldn't have to put up with that. ". I didn't say "if someone thought they were going to do it.

I don't have a problem with the type of no-tie swimsuit you refer to, but if someone is seen trying to untie someones suit, they need to be put out. And if it happens more than once, they shouldn't be allowed back in period. Again, JMHO (and it doesn't matter to me how old the trick is, it's still not okay for girls to be harrassed like that).

 

[luv2sew]

In the swimsuit incident the parents did exactly what parents need to be doing in this day and age....watch out for their kids safety.

As for the toddler at TL...I know the kid was left unattended...but doesn't it bother anyone that Disney Security came and scooped up the kid, took her away and then let the explaining and the delivery of the news of the whereabouts of the kid to the family that had really, IMO, stepped in and did the job the security personnel should have done in the first place....I think security should have had the police there to watch that chair for the parents return to deliver a different kind of message...and that is "Your under arrest"

 

[Darsa]

While I can certainly sympathize with you in regards to the teenage boy, having a teen girl myself I don't think I'd have let it go anywhere (other than the sting of my words, which would be loud and plenty) since I completely agree that teenage boys will do those things, as they did when I was a kid and I bet for generations back. DD doesn't wear stringed things for this reason. Trying to visualize myself in this situation, had I seen a boy looking at my daughters like that I probably would have called them in on some pretense, just to get them away from the kid, heh.

ON the other situation you definitely did the right thing, and KUDOS to you!!! I hope, though I doubt, that the parents learned something from that. It doesn't matter WHERE you are, you don't leave a toddler alone!!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

About the toddler incident...The only thing I would have done different, is when the family came back and asked if I saw the baby, I would of shrugged my shoulders and said "No, sorry, the chair was empty when I got here."

Then I would have sat back and watched them run around like crazy....teach them a lesson. When you told them she was with security, they knew right away she was safe. If you let them think something happened to her..maybe it would have knocked some sense into them. But then again.....maybe not.

 

[Camicar]

Seriously? I don't think typical teenage boys try to untie the bathing suit tops of girls they don't know.

Seriously? That is exactly what typical teenage boys do.

When I was a teen -- back in the dark ages -- we girls always double knotted our bikinis because of the prevalence of the practice. Just a few years ago, I lectured my dd and her friend on the importance of double knotting.

Should girls have to double knot to prevent the humilation of being exposed? Absolutely not. Is it a wise idea to face a possible reality and prevent the humiliation: Absolutely yes.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

I'm surprised this kid had the audacity to try something like that in front of the parents. THat being said...my girls won't be wearing string bikinis anytime soon either

I hope the parents of the toddler get charged with child neglect...

 

[mjkacmom]

Seriously? That is exactly what typical teenage boys do.

When I was a teen -- back in the dark ages -- we girls always double knotted our bikinis because of the prevalence of the practice. Just a few years ago, I lectured my dd and her friend on the importance of double knotting.

Should girls have to double knot to prevent the humilation of being exposed? Absolutely not. Is it a wise idea to face a possible reality and prevent the humiliation: Absolutely yes.

My dd and her friends always double knot!

 

[GothTink]

Seriously? I don't think typical teenage boys try to untie the bathing suit tops of girls they don't know.

Unless things have changed since I was a teen, they do.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Silly boy! If he only realized that he didn't need to help a girl lose her bathing suit top. He just needed to find a spot and make himself comfortable....then watch the waves knock people over. I'm sure every now and again..he would catch a glimpse of a girl who lost her top.

I know many people who have come up from a wave with no bathing suit top.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

Unless things have changed since I was a teen, they do.

I recall a few boys from the neighborhood trying to do that, but we were all friends and besides, we triple knotted our suits . I think it takes on a new meaning when a stranger attempts it. I don't think the boys I knew would try that with a complete stranger.

 

[Johnson1220]

as the mom of a fair skinned toddler I can't even being to fathom how a parent can leave a sleeping toddler baking in the florida sun - especially only in a diaper.

 

[Kim&Chris]

OP, good for you for reporting the unattended toddler. Instead of blasting you, the family should have thanked you a million times. God knows, some weirdo (which TL seems to have a lot of lately) could have easily picked her up and left the park without a problem (at which time the family would have probably blamed TL for the lack of security or some other nonsense).

Shame on them. How incredibly stupid and irresponsible. And I agree with a PP who said that you probably should have just let them freak out when they realized she was gone. It may have taught them one hell of a lesson.

 

[logan115]

While I completely disagree with what those irresponsible parents did in leaving the toddler unattended, I also disagree with doing anything that would make the parents freak out too. Yes, they clearly need to learn a lesson, but there could've been ramifications from doing that too.

I realize that the odds of the following scenario happening are incredibly small (but possibly even greater than those of a toddler being abducted at WDW), but consider this : What if the OP had done something that made the parents freak out like say she saw the child wander off, and one of the parents had a heart attack upon learning their toddler was gone ? Would that still have been the right thing to do ?

Realize that I'm subjecting myself to flaming, and am donning the flame retardant suit inbetween keystrokes.

Again, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT WHAT THEY DID WAS WRONG, but I also don't believe two wrongs make a right.

Now, doing what the OP did was GREAT, and to be honest if that was me I would've gone ballistic on the parents if they said anything to me other than thank you for caring about our child.

Very tempting and easy to do something like that and have a very undesirable result.

Chris

 

[merryweather20]

What I actually said was "IMHO if someone is seen trying to untie someone's swimsuit, they should be put out of the pool/park. Girls shouldn't have to put up with that. ". I didn't say "if someone thought they were going to do it.

if someone is seen trying to untie someones suit, they need to be put out. And if it happens more than once, they shouldn't be allowed back in period. .

I assure you parents don't take too kindly to people accusing their children of things without proof. The kid in this case didn't get the chance to try and untie it, and the OP certainly didn't witness multiple attempts. So my characterization was indeed correct.

 

[Kim&Chris]

While I completely disagree with what those irresponsible parents did in leaving the toddler unattended, I also disagree with doing anything that would make the parents freak out too. Yes, they clearly need to learn a lesson, but there could've been ramifications from doing that too.

I realize that the odds of the following scenario happening are incredibly small (but possibly even greater than those of a toddler being abducted at WDW), but consider this : What if the OP had done something that made the parents freak out like say she saw the child wander off, and one of the parents had a heart attack upon learning their toddler was gone ? Would that still have been the right thing to do ?

Realize that I'm subjecting myself to flaming, and am donning the flame retardant suit inbetween keystrokes.

Again, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT WHAT THEY DID WAS WRONG, but I also don't believe two wrongs make a right.

Now, doing what the OP did was GREAT, and to be honest if that was me I would've gone ballistic on the parents if they said anything to me other than thank you for caring about our child.

Very tempting and easy to do something like that and have a very undesirable result.

Chris

No flames from me. We simply disagree.

To leave a half-dressed toddler laying, totally unattended, in the blazing sun at a busy theme park is beyond irresponsible and uncaring. I remember a story a few years ago where a couple left a baby in a stroller while they rode Pirates of the Caribbean. If memory serves, the police were called and they got in a ton of trouble.

I seriously doubt the OP would have told them she saw the baby wander off. What would be the point in that? As far as the family potentially having a heart attack, or whatever....the alternative could be much worse. I'd hate to see this baby's face on the cover of the Orlando Sentinel as MISSING.