I lost my DD!!!!! (*long)!!!!

[mkubecka]

I have always made our children ID cards when we go. I make sure to put the resort we stay at on it and I make a set for myself that I carry.

For those of you who are making these here is a tip. If you just put them on paper cards by the end of the week the information will be unrecognizable, so what I do is find the luggage tags that you can make yourself and put the card in them. The one I found have a self-adhesive back. (I got them at Wal-Mart in the school supplies area) This way they don't get bent, can withstand water if neccesary, and can be read from both sides.

I have to say I have been lucky and never lost my children, but I do know how fast it can happen.

I do have a story along these lines. NO mattter how many time you drill into their heads to stay with you sometimes they just don't. Luckily I was the one watching carefully. My oldest (8 at the time) youngest, and I were looking at stuff in the POC gift shop. I had my youngest by the hand, but not the other (as a side not I must say that my oldest still holds my hand on many occassions and I really enjoy that alot). I noticed that he wasn't paying attention to where he I was going because he was so busy looking at all the goodies so I thought this would be a good time to teach a lesson. I held back and watched him and in about 30 seconds he realized that mom wasn't around and neither was dad. Boy did those crocidile tears start to flow immediately. I then came walking from around a display and we had a long talk about paying attention to whats going on.

Michelle

 

[tasbm1]

Thanks to you, my DS will have a card in his fanny pack with info typed on it and I will make sure he gets an intro to the CM's when we get to DisneyWorld. Your story gave me chills and I am sooooo glad it ends happily! Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks again for sharing your experience.

 

[B3LM]

Thank you so much for the valuable information! We're going in November with our 3 kids - ages 8, 5, and 2.
Index cards in fanny packs are a great idea!

She told me that when the crowd began to move, she hugged a trash can!

That's probably the cutest thing I've ever heard (and certainly clever)!

I would have been absolutely frantic and in tears, too.

 

[mom2boys]

Your story reminds me of a child my family encountered in the corridors of the Beach Club in Jan 2000. Our family had returned from EPCOT & entered the Beach Club through the entrance near the Quiet Pool on the EPCOT end of the building. Since our room was down a corridor by the gift shop we had a bit of a trek through the maze of halls. It took DH & I a couple of trips through these halls to determine the shortest route & we found that one could easily go around in circles. At the end of one corridor we encountered a gentleman who asked if we had seen a little girl alone in the halls. We had not & I asked if it was his child. It was not but he said he was alone & had run off when he tried to help her. When we got to our hallway (a good 5 minute walk through the building.) We met an extremely frightened little girl of about 5 running out of our hallway. (There was not other exit other than the stairwells.) I cannot describe how frantic this little girl was. I asked if she was lost. No reply. Asked where her parents where or if she knew her room #. She literally cowered in a corner. I asked her to walk with me around the corner to the front desk. She just curled into a ball. I left my husband & two young boys (3.5 & 5) to stand with her in the hall. She had backed herself into a corner and would not look at us. A female staff member in uniform with a name bagde was finally able to cox the girl out of the corner and to the desk. The man we had encountered in the hall had informed the desk that the child was lost in the corridors but her family had not reported her missing - at least not to the front desk. The man we encountered was clearly trying to help this frieghtened child but she was so afraid that she had run from him. The explaination my husband & I could fathom was that the child left the room while an adult was sleeping. I have to say that the front desk did not look for the child when first reported by the man who had lost sight of her & I had to specifically ask that someone from the desk assist her. Apparently the hotel staff is not as well trained to deal with lost children as the park staff is.

 

[dizneenut]

WOW! How scary that must have been for you!! My heart broke just reading it!! So glad she was found and everything was OK.
Great idea about the ID's in the packs and pointing out CM's. I will definitely be doing this when we go next July.

 

[rogers803]

I agree that the ID tags in the fanny packs are a good idea. Also hadn't thought of taking along pictures of the children to show to CM's if they are lost.

Good thread!

 

[ZachnElli]

Wow! What a story! Great thread indeed! I hadn't even thought about ID's for my kids! I will be heading out to get luggage tags for my kids tomorrow! Thanks for the ideas!

 

[TexasRosey]

I'm so glad your daughter is ok. Thanks for posting your story. I just printed up "labels" for each of my children and laminated them so they can carry them in their pockets or we might just stick them in their shoes since they are waterproof.

Rosey

 

[BevS97]

I am so glad you found your daughter - a few times my heart stopped and I shouted at my dh, Where's Katie, only to find out she was behind me! - you just can't help being distracted occassionally.

We used a leash some of the time - Katie doesn't like it, but we used it in very crowded situations. we bought one that attached to a fanny pack, and she didn't seem to object to this as much as her traditional reins.

I also printed up some stickers with her info on them, and we practiced showing it to cm's - but one problem we had was that the stickers came unstuck from her clothes very easily (I was sticking them on the inside bottom seam - so they couldn't be seen.)

In the end, we bought a guest of honor badge with her name on it, and I stuck the sticker onto the back of that, this seemed to work quite well.

Bev

 

[DisneyBound4Ever]

We too know that feeling!! We went to Disney last October and Samantha was 4 yrs old. I feel like such a bad parent reading all you did to prepare your child in case she was lost! We did nothing like that... We were going to grab a bite to eat, and grab a seat for the last fireworks of the night. Mike (hubby) and Samantha were going up to get us our drinks in Tomorrow Land, right in front of BuzzLightyear ride. ANyways, Mike was looking at me and he told Sam to go with mommy, the trouble was, Mommy didn't know he was telling her that. About 2 mns later Mike was back at the table asking me where Sam was, With you I said!!! The look in his eyes told me all I needed to know! I freaked! I started YELLING her name, he went one way I went another and my 13 yr old went another... everyone was looking at us like we were kind of crazy.. I was screaming her name!! MIke came back without her, then I really freaked!! Then he took off again, this all took place in probably less than 5 mns of her going to find mommy... ( ) Then Mike came back with Samantha in hand... a cast member had already found her and was walking back towards us with her... I have never felt such dread in my life... it was dark and so crowded.... and lots of people were leaving because it was the last of the night. I know that that was one of the happiest moments when I saw her coming back with Mike. I told her to NEVER listen to daddy again if he told her to come and find me...LOL..unless I was standing there with him when he said it!!!

 

[issa]

I havent been here in a little bit as I am 30 days away from loki's and my wedding....lots of planning!!

I am sooooo glad that my experiance my help so of you, and to those that shared your stories...thank you, I dont feel like such a horrible parent, it can happen to anyone.

I only got the thought of putting an I.D on her from these boards (I am sooo thankful). So I feel its ironic that the info I got from these boards helpped me sooo much and now I can pass that same info ( a little bit updated) on and hopefully help someone else get thier child back. These boards are invaluble


I am glad my story has a happy ending.....what I didnt realize is that it doesnt end with parent and child being re-united. DD often (2-4 times a week) mentions
" remember when I was lost and I was scared?"

It has really awakened her sense of the world and of being "lost". We talk ad tell each other how we felt and how much I love her. It just had a huge impact on her
and has made me ever more watchful

 

[nurse metal]

Thank Goodness your child was found safe and sound. I had tears in my eyes reading your post. We just went through an expirence with our ds 4yrs. Although we were at home and not at disney I shared the same terror that you felt. I had gone to the gro. store and dh and our 7 yr old dd were with him at home. When I pulled up they meet me crying and saying he was lost, last seen in the front yard It had been 20 mins and they had looked everywhere! We live far out in a rual area and I called 911 and freinds and neighbors to help us look. We had searched our 30 acres and the neighbors ponds and still could'nt find him. Then we sent pics of him up to the local store in case someone came in with him. I will never forget that feeling that someone might have taken him. We found him after 45 mins or so .. sound asleep UNDER his bed- he crawled under to find a toy truck- we had yelled and looked in our house but he had taken some cold med and was really sleeping hard and didn't hear us. I will always remember this and its made me extra carefull from now on. thanks for letting me share.

 

[kewlteacher]

It must be a mom thing...cause here I am..crying still! What a terrible thing to happen, but I am so glad you posted b/c it gives us all a wake up call that something could happen to anyone. I have a 4yr old DD and this year, I am more worried than ever since she is more out of the stroller than in. I will definitely take your advice and print up a card. We watch her contantly, but one never knows!!

Thanks again!!

 

[phins_jazy]

Kewlteacher, I agree it's a mom thing cuz I'm still crying too!! My daughter will turn 3 when we go to Disney and I'm going to make her a card too!! We aren't going until March but I'm trying to get her into the habit of wearing her fanny pack now so she gets used to it. I would be hysterical if I ever lost her!!!!

 

[BarbOKW]

I've lost my kids more than I like to admit, but they all (I have 4) think nothing of just walking away. But one of the worst was when my 3 year old walked out of the Disney Cartoon on Main Street. We had stopped in before a parade and when we left my husband and I did a head count and we only had 3 kids. We looked in the theater and no 3 year old. We immediatly contacted a cast member and I swear security came from everywhere. It took about 15 minutes but he was found window shopping along Main Street, had no idea that he was lost. A nice man came up to us when he was found and said he'd been watching him for about 10 minutes wondering wear the parents were and was about to tell a cast member, but since my son wasn't upset he hadn't yet. Needless to say I was very upset all I could think about was we're sooo close to the entrance.


But the worst was when we had a condo on St. Petersburg, same son now 4. We were all at the pool and my husband said he was going to the room for a while, he left and my son said he wanted to go with him, so I told him to go catch up. I thought my husband heard me tell him that our son was going with, but when he got to the elevator he just went up (it's one of those places where you need a key to get into the elevator). Well I thought my son had caught up with my husband, I also thought my husband knew he was coming with. Needess to say 45 minutes later my husband comes back down, and I ask where's our son? He looks confused, long story short we realize he's been missing for 45 minutes. Everyone at the pool goes into action, we're running up and down the beach, called the police. As it turns out when he didn't catch Dad he looked for another way to get into the elevator and some how ended up on the Beach, he walked a mile down. A wonderful man found him and was trying to help, but all my son could tell him was that we were staying at a condo with a pool on the beach. That narrows it down. The man also called the police and we were finally reunited. I gained a few grey hairs that day!

 

[Rajah*]

That is a wonderful idea!! I will do that this time we go for our youngest!! I'm glad every thing worked out!

 

[kinlaw6450]

Thank you all for your posts. I am in the process right now of making ID cards for my kids. We are leaving for Florida and Disney World in 7 days.

My daughter is a daddy's girl and will not go far but my son has NO FEAR! I will have these cards and pictures in there packs from the moment we leave!

I can not begin to thank you all enough

Kami

 

[KimT]

I am sooo happy your story has a happy ending!! It must have been terrifying those moments without your DD!! You should be very proud of how she remained calm and did just as she had been instructed. You should also pat yourself on your back for being so prepared. We have been to Disney many times since my son was 5 (he is now 16!!) I also have a 5 yr old DD who has been each year since she was 1. It never crossed my mind to do the things you mentioned. We are leaving for Disney in 3 weeks and you can be sure I plan on doing just as you did. Thanks a million for your insight!

 

[MNT568]

I am always so scared about losing my son, he is an adventuresome 3 yr. old that tends to wander. I can just imagine how terrible it must feel when you can't them. Thank goodness everything worked out fine. We will be in Disney on October and I am nervous about losing my son. I already bought a lease and told him that if he runs way from Mommy he has to wear it. The card idea is great, my son loves to wear my ID from work. I am going to make us his own ID and get him use to it before we go.

 

[celebrate life]

issa:

Your story brings back memories. And YES! it can happen to anyone. We had a similar experience with our (then) 5 yr. old son. I Will always have some identification on them when traveling. Possibly past their teen years (ha-ha), will probably have to hide it then, but oh well.

We were on a trip to Disneyland with 5 and 3 yr old sons. We had taken a side trip to Seaworld in San Diego, and had stopped to play at the GIANT play structure. (Too many exits from this, that is why most of them today only have one way in and out, must have been 5 ways out). We were watching them play up high on a bridge/walkway and the youngest was following his brother (we thought). We waited on the other end for them to both emerge, but only the 3 year old came out. We began to look frantically for the 5 year old, but he was no where in sight. We called his name numerous times, and had all the help looking for him, even in their high tower. NO WHERE!

Now, to lose a child, there is no explaining the fear and panic that overcomes you. This is my husbands worse FEAR of all time, and the primary reason I can hardly get him on vacations. I told him that would NEVER happen to us, because we watch them so closely. Well, guess what, it happened. My husband darted to the front gates, to be sure that no one stole him from the park, and to guard the gate. I had everyone on their radios, while keeping the 3 year old in tow. What a total nightmare. It must have been nearly 20-30 minutes, you lose track of time, of shear panic, and calling his name etc. Finally I had someone climb back into the tower and seach the play area very well. I did have an ounce of brains, thankgoodness, and had both of them dressed in the same shirts everyday. (Easy to identify, and makes for cute pictures too). Well this trick worked, and they knew what clothes to be looking for, and low and behold had found him playing in a sand box quite a dstance from where we had lost him, (not really in hearing range, but still in the play structure area).

I hugged and kissed him and asked him if he knew we had lost him? He had no idea what I was talking about. He wasn't lost. He was there all the time, and had took off with some kid he had bumped into on the swing/bridge to play in this different area. I grabbed them both, holding on to them VERY TIGHTLY, and found my husband. I thought we would NEVER get to go on a vacation again. Well, we since have, but learned a great lesson along the way. We know our kids are smart enough never to leave with anyone, but you (unfortunately) never know in this day and age.

And, Yes, we did have a good, rest of the trip, but that night was rather ruined. We definitely needed to recouperate.

Glad all turned out well for you. Sorry you had to go through that experience.

celebrate life