How do you prepare for the "what if your child gets lost"

[robsmom]

2.) Find a mommy with a stroller and tell her you're lost. (Who is likely going to be the most compassionate to a lost child? Another mom! And I can't imagine our children being somewhere in WDW where their wasn't a surplus of mommies with strollers! Plus the kids feel "safer" with someone who's also a mommy.) They they know to show the mommy they're bracelets.
!

That has been my general approach with my son for getting lost anywhere or if a stranger is hassling him or god forbid trying to take him. I tell him to find a parent with kids. Mom or Dad. ask (yell if necessary) the parent for help. I remind him that there are more good people in the world than bad and no parent would want to see their kid hurt so they will help other kids. I have also tried to show him by example and helped a few lost kids by getting security or whatever was necessary.

 

[mjkacmom]

My kids had dog tags with our cell numbers, but they've always been told, in any situation where they get lost, to find a mommy.

 

[NMAmy]

When dd was small, I taught her to go inside a store and ask a CM who was working for help. There are a lot of people who have different kinds of badges in the parks. This way, I felt that she'd have better luck finding an actual CM. And, there's a store like every 5 feet at WDW.

Now, the last time DH and I went to England to visit his family, he made me a laminated card with every member of his family's name and phone number. I asked him if I needed to pin it to my shirt with a note that said, "If this woman is lost, please call one of these numbers and they'll come retrieve her."

 

[RyJMom]

We used the http://www.whosshoesid.com/ - I used it over and over for yrs.

 

[PHXscuba]

Totally agree about talking through the what-if-you're lost plan with older kids. Like a PP, I was talking with my 13-year-old about if he got lost, and he thought he should just go back to the hotel! I told him NEVER leave the park without us, that we would never leave the park without him.

I also agree on the CM or the mom-with-stroller ideas.

PHXscuba

 

[justhat]

My kids have dog tags that we made at The Living Seas with their info on it. Only problem was my son kept taking his off so I threw it in the stroller pocket to avoid losing it. Of course he chose that moment to run off.

But here's the problem, and the problem that any ID tag won't really help: my son CHOSE to run off, therefore he did not consider himself lost at all. We had gotten ice cream from that shop in between the Pooh ride/Snow White store/Dumbo ride. We sat down at a table right next to Dumbo to eat the ice cream. My son ate about half, said he was done, and proceeded to get up from the table and sit in our stroller, which was right next to me (though facing out). My daughter then sat next to him in the stroller. I cleaned up the table, threw out my trash, and my friend (who was sitting with us, with her 2 kids also) asked me where my son was. I was sitting right next to him and had NO idea he was gone. Neither did my daughter, who is usually very aware of what her little brother is doing.

We searched all over and nothing. I then went to a CM working at the Pooh gift shop outdoor cashier, told her what happened, and she stared at my blankly and said she could not help!!!!! (In her defense, she had a Japanese flag on her tag, so maybe she didn't understand me, but she should have gotten help or been trained in what to do, and when I told Guest Services their response was 'oh well, sorry!")

Anyway, knowing my son fairly well, despite my true panic and terror, I went to the Pooh playground and there he was running around.

So to me, he was lost. I was so scared and panicked. But my 3yo son was totally happy and at ease and not 'lost' at all. In fact, as I was approaching, he was leaving and heading back to the stroller.

But what it taught me was that dog tag or not, clearly sometimes nothing will help as your child has to realize he's alone and be unhappy about it, which mine was not.

 

[tjbaggott]

My kids have dog tags that we made at The Living Seas with their info on it. Only problem was my son kept taking his off so I threw it in the stroller pocket to avoid losing it. Of course he chose that moment to run off.

But here's the problem, and the problem that any ID tag won't really help: my son CHOSE to run off, therefore he did not consider himself lost at all. We had gotten ice cream from that shop in between the Pooh ride/Snow White store/Dumbo ride. We sat down at a table right next to Dumbo to eat the ice cream. My son ate about half, said he was done, and proceeded to get up from the table and sit in our stroller, which was right next to me (though facing out). My daughter then sat next to him in the stroller. I cleaned up the table, threw out my trash, and my friend (who was sitting with us, with her 2 kids also) asked me where my son was. I was sitting right next to him and had NO idea he was gone. Neither did my daughter, who is usually very aware of what her little brother is doing.

We searched all over and nothing. I then went to a CM working at the Pooh gift shop outdoor cashier, told her what happened, and she stared at my blankly and said she could not help!!!!! (In her defense, she had a Japanese flag on her tag, so maybe she didn't understand me, but she should have gotten help or been trained in what to do, and when I told Guest Services their response was 'oh well, sorry!")

Anyway, knowing my son fairly well, despite my true panic and terror, I went to the Pooh playground and there he was running around.

So to me, he was lost. I was so scared and panicked. But my 3yo son was totally happy and at ease and not 'lost' at all. In fact, as I was approaching, he was leaving and heading back to the stroller.

But what it taught me was that dog tag or not, clearly sometimes nothing will help as your child has to realize he's alone and be unhappy about it, which mine was not.

THAT actually makes me worried! A CM AND Guest Services did NOTHING? Then why are we telling our kids to find a CM if they can't find us?
I'm so glad things worked out for you and you found your son before your panic could get worse or before you son realized he couldn't find you. But the question remains, what would have happened if you had not found him when you did? When would a CM have finally helped?

 

[Goin2Disney2006]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I am going to link into the bracelets. I'll post which one I end up getting.

I agree with some of the pp's, I don't want to put her name on a tag on her back...it might be Disney but there could be child preditors.

 

[longing2Batdisney]

I had ordered a silcone bracelet with my name & cell # and my DH's info as well engraved into the silcone
as well as my DS2 name(at the time and non-verbal-for the most part, no one but family could understand him). I placed it around his ankle; I also had a dog tag w/all the same info made. I still use them when we go to crowded places or just the store where he cannot ride. I have not lost him but it makes me feel better to have it. he knows to show is to someone if he can't find mommy; we practice now that he understands a little better.

But, I have heard of the tattoos (I just don't like tattoos -always afraid of allergic reaction)! and I have also read where people just right on their child with a sharpie!

good luck!

 

[justhat]

THAT actually makes me worried! A CM AND Guest Services did NOTHING? Then why are we telling our kids to find a CM if they can't find us?
I'm so glad things worked out for you and you found your son before your panic could get worse or before you son realized he couldn't find you. But the question remains, what would have happened if you had not found him when you did? When would a CM have finally helped?

I too was less than pleased, hence my trip to guest services which is something I never ordinarily do (to complain anyway). I would have found another CM if I had to, but figured that I had just wasted precious time with that one so I better look myself in the meantime.

I'm also hoping that had my son gotten 'lost', or in his mind anyway, that a CM would be more responsive, as even if she couldn't understand me, clearly she must know what a lone, crying child means.


ETA: We also have the tattoos and applied them daily, but they rubbed off very quickly and I would not recommend them. We did not apply any sunscreen at all on that arm so that wasn't the issue. They left a sticky residue and then easily rubbed off with just general arm motion. I wrote to the company about improving their product and they sent me a new batch, but I didn't have much better luck with them. Oh, and it wasn't just my kids, but 2 friends were with us and I got the tattoos for them, and they didn't stay on any of their 4 kids either.

 

[crisi]

My kids have dog tags that we made at The Living Seas with their info on it. Only problem was my son kept taking his off so I threw it in the stroller pocket to avoid losing it. Of course he chose that moment to run off.

.......

Anyway, knowing my son fairly well, despite my true panic and terror, I went to the Pooh playground and there he was running around.

So to me, he was lost. I was so scared and panicked. But my 3yo son was totally happy and at ease and not 'lost' at all. In fact, as I was approaching, he was leaving and heading back to the stroller.

But what it taught me was that dog tag or not, clearly sometimes nothing will help as your child has to realize he's alone and be unhappy about it, which mine was not.

I had one of these. He is now eleven - and really hasn't changed. Fortunately for me, he is also a really responsible kid - so he got a cell phone early and now only gets in trouble when he wanders off and doesn't answer his cell phone. But from eighteen months to eight, I used a LOT of hair dye.

And to make matters worse, his sister is almost the opposite. Not that she is clingy, just that her "wandering" isn't forward, its internal. She's a huge daydreamer. So she can't pay attention well enough to track you ... you need to track her. Because at Disney if something catches her eye, she just stops and disappears into her own world to watch.

Basically, neither of my kids has ever been focused on ME - and both are pretty content to let me find them if "I" get lost.

But you are right, generally a child needs to look "lost" to attract attention. Even an unattended child - in a crowded place like Disney - if they look content people will assume Mom is that woman sitting on that bench - or that family right behind the giggling toddler.

 

[justhat]

I had one of these. He is now eleven - and really hasn't changed. Fortunately for me, he is also a really responsible kid - so he got a cell phone early and now only gets in trouble when he wanders off and doesn't answer his cell phone. But from eighteen months to eight, I used a LOT of hair dye.

And to make matters worse, his sister is almost the opposite. Not that she is clingy, just that her "wandering" isn't forward, its internal. She's a huge daydreamer. So she can't pay attention well enough to track you ... you need to track her. Because at Disney if something catches her eye, she just stops and disappears into her own world to watch.

Basically, neither of my kids has ever been focused on ME - and both are pretty content to let me find them if "I" get lost.

But you are right, generally a child needs to look "lost" to attract attention. Even an unattended child - in a crowded place like Disney - if they look content people will assume Mom is that woman sitting on that bench - or that family right behind the giggling toddler.

OMG, you have described my kids! My daughter is the exact same way, always daydreaming and totally not paying attention. She got separated from us at MK right before a night parade because we walked into the candy store on Main Street to avoid the parade people, and she was totally absorbed in looking at light spinners so she did not notice we walked in a different way than her. Luckily, she noticed, panicked, cried, and a random mom found her and was walking her into the candy shop as we walked back to get her.


That last comment you said, that was the one reassuring thing in my mind. Knowing that my son was likely not crying or upset, but rather happily playing, I figured no one would kidnap him cause they would think he had a parent in the vicinity.

 

[Tiggs14]

Our boys are 4 and 5. We went to the dollar store before leaving for Disney and they each picked out a luggage tag to wear during their trip. I wrote their first name, our cell phone numbers and our reservation number on the luggage tag. Each morning it was attached to the belt straps on their shorts. It was bendable so it never bothered them. They got so used to wearing it that they told me I had forgot their name tags when I dressed them after returning home.

Many cm's commented on them saying what a great idea it was! It definately made me feel much more secure.

 

[crisi]

OMG, you have described my kids! My daughter is the exact same way, always daydreaming and totally not paying attention. .

More comfort - your kids look about two and a half years apart. Mine were not even thirteen months apart. And yet, somehow, I still managed to get through half a dozen Disney trips and I still have two children. Neither of them got kidnapped or permanently lost. And now and eleven and ten, they are pretty responsible kids - still do the same things - but its not as bad and now they have some more dependable common sense and coping skills.

 

[crystaltink]

My son and I somehow seperated getting off of Kali River Rapids. Because we had discussed this prior...he went to a Cast Member and told him that he was lost. A very nice parent offered her cell phone to my son and he called me. The Cast Member then walked with him to meet me. I think we were apart for 10 minutes, but it felt like everything was moving in slow motion. Horrible, horrible feeling. The Cast Member never left his side, and even asked him if I was his mother when we found each other! I so appreciated how the CM handled the situation.
Oh, I also try to pack neon shirts...anything bright so I can spot him easily when we are out and about. That gives me a sense of security!

 

[LWatson]

Because my oldest is one of those that are very independant (he is almost 4) and likes to wander. I'm thinking of getting a dog tag made for him to wear (he should keep it on because he loves to wear them to be like his daddy). In addition to that I'm putting us all in matching shirts each day. This way if he wanders off then I can just say "He is wearing this."

 

[QVCshopper]

The easiest places to lose your kids are the Honey I Shrunk the Kids in HS and Dinoland in AK. A CM told me she is asked about 20 times a day about lost children. I actually helped her find a missing boy... mom was at the bottom of the slides looking for him (go up with your DD). And the World of Disney Store is always jammed with people. And when going through Security at the airport, you go first, then kids, then DH. That way, the kids don't run away (that happened to one of my friends).

I may do the bracelet thing myself on my next trip.

 

[crisi]

We call it "Honey, I Lost the Kids."

 

[mom2aredhead]

And we've practiced the 'find another mommy with kids' routine if we're separated. Mommies are easier to find than CM and, quite honestly, I don't want my kids going up to a man. Sorry men, and CM men espeically, but I don't know how easy/difficult it is to get one of the CM nametags duplicated to impersonate a CM, and you are 98% safer going to a woman than a man when it comes to your kids not being with you and finding someone 'safe'. Even tho I'm all about equal rights - gotta go with the statistics on this one.

I completely agree. I always told my son to find a mommy with a stroller to help him if he's lost, because mommys will always help children.

When he was younger, I made a tag for him that said "If I am lost call XXX-XXX-XXXX (cell phone #) - made from a Mickey head paint chip, a sharpie, and I found a cheap make-your-own luggage tag kind of laminating thing.

Now that he's older he memorized my husband's cell phone number and knows that is the emergency number, but he should still find a mommy. (And I have to say I think partial credit for him memorizing the number goes to the Caller-ID that appears on the TV LOL!)

 

[crisi]

If I'm the other Mommy, I'm just turning your kid over to the first CM I can find, male or female. And I'm imagine most other Mommy's are going to just turn your kid over to a CM. And if you get a Stupid Mommy - and there are plenty of them - they might NOT turn your kid over to the CM and instead decide to help your kid look for Mommy - and have it never occur to them to look for a cell phone number - at Disney that could turn into hours of worry.

Also, don't depend on your cell phone functioning 100% in Disney. More than once I've been separated from my husband and we've tried calling each other to find that parts of Disney are dead to our carriers - or that its too loud to hear your phone ring or one of us has left it silent from the last ride and that the vibrate can't be felt in the pocket of the cargo shorts. We've also done that "I thought you packed that charger!"