keeping 6yr old safe

[angiep]

My family is planning a trip to WDW in Oct. My question is does anyone know of a good "harness" alternative for a 6 1/2 year old. While in WDW April 04 my, then 5 year old, momentarily scared us to death by getting lost in a gift shop. I won't to make sure this doesn't happen again. She's too old for a "leash or harness" and I've checked into an O'pair duo fanny pack but the website states that the age is only up to 4 yrs old. I would just feel better if I could be connected to her, without constantly holding her hand, some way without it making her feel like a baby. Any suggestions or ideas?? Thank you!

Angie in TN

 

[akrake]

i hate you be rude...bc i know how awful you must have felt when she got lost at age 5......but really, she's will be 6.5 next time you go? 1st or 2nd grade? that's really old for a harness...........if she can't pay attention or mind you, maybe she shouldn't go..........i'm NOT trying to tell you how to parent, but people will look at you like you are NUTS if you tether her to you. jmo.
akrake

ps....as an option, tell her if she runs off that you will leave the park for that day or that she will not be able to ride "xyz" rides...and then stick to it.

 

[scrappinmom]

I've seen those beeper type things that go off if your child gets more than "X" number of feet away from you. I have no idea what they cost, maybe someone else will know more about them. It is scary when they wander away in such a huge place. Personally, I would want to come up with an alternative to the harness thing. But then again that's only my opinion, I don't even like them for very small kids. I hope you find a good answer here.

 

[pinkdiamonds1007]

To OP...I have to say..Who cares what other people think...I know some other posters say that people will look at you like your NUTS..but my feeling is..if they are safe..and you feel like they are safe, thats all that matters. I have heard of the beeper idea before, and love that idea. She probobly is too old for a complete harness..that may embarrass her. But I don't see the wrong doing in a linked fanny pack. She is only 6. Make sure you have her id tags on her..and tell her where to go if she gets lost.. Another thing you could do if you were sure she wouldn't use it unless she absolutley had too, is give her a whistle, one that she can wear like a necklace..she can blow it if *god forbid* she gets away from you or someone grabs her, she can blow her whistle.
I am not trying to insult anyone elses opinion here, and I am sure that everyones Top priority is always their kids safety. This is just my opinion.

Have a great time.

 

[zurgswife]

I also vote that a 6 yr old is too old for a harness.

I would explain many times about who to go to if she is lost (a castmember or even a female who looks like a mom of kids). I would explain the need to make sure she stays close.

I have lost kids over the last 6 yrs a few times...and the best advice I can give is for both the parents and the kids not to panic....Stay calm....One time it took 15mins..but most other times it took less then 5 to reconnect but it's because the kids found a CM and we found a CM and everybody stayed calm. Frantic parents tend move further away from kids without even knowing it...as soon as you realize that someone is missing find a CM report it and let one member of your party search while one stays with the CM....

 

[Mom to Jordan]

First I think you need to be very careful not to make HER overly anxious about getting lost. Yes, you want her to be alert and careful but not scared to death that she might get lost. I also think you need to ask her for her suggestions on ways for the two of you to stay connected. She might like the idea of the wrist connectors for her own security. You might also come up with some cute and creative way to use some type of connecting device. She is also old enough to understand at certain time you ALL must hold hands. We even did this when DS was 11 or 12. Leaving shows, monorails exits etc. Be very sure that she know that getting lost is NOT the end of the world. She needs to know what to do if she does become seperated from you. Introduce her to a CM and find a place on her to include all the information she needs to know such as your cell phone. i like the dog tags on the shoe idea. You might have her wear a fanny pack and put a two way radio into it in case the two of you are sepperated. I am assuming a non specail needs child. If she has any issues that make her getting lost more likey of more dangerous, I would make sure to find some type of device to insure her safety.

Good luck!!!!!

Jordans' mom

 

[crisi]

Unless your daughter has special needs, I also think she's too old for a harness. I've lost a kid for half an hour and know how frightening it can be, but at some point you have to cut apron strings (or in this case, the leash).

Put your name and cell phone number on something and attach it to her. A dog tag, shoe tag. We pinned luggage tags to our kids pockets.

Tell her what to do when seperated from you. We always introduce our kids to "Mickey's Friends" and tell them to look for people wearing the CM nametag.

And tell her its very important she doesn't wander off on her own.

 

[gonemousin']

Do you plan to have a stroller for her? Maybe keeping her in the stroller a little more often than you had initially planned will make you feel better, and make a rule that when she's not in the stroller, she must hold your hand, or hang onto the hem of your shorts (if it's too hot to hold hands for long). I would tend to agree with some of the other posters about the leash thing - that would be something she'd remember for life and probably be embarrassed by. I don't think you want that being her memory of Disney. I appreciate your sensitivity about losing her again (you're a good Mom because you care!), but try to find a more discreet way to tackle your fear.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

one thing to caution you about...........my husband just bought us all name tags while we were at DW. And they look exactly like CM nametags!!! So if you tell her to look for a CM with a nametag, just be aware she could go up to any stranger with a nametag and think they are a CM.

 

[Cass]

How about walkie talkies... ? you each wear one and if you get separated you can contact each other... you just press the button and the other one rings.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

we put our cell phone number on the back of our daughter's lanyard. We never had to use it but I'm glad she had it just in case......

 

[stacy6552]

When our son was 6, it was our first time to WDW (5 years ago) and I found this awesome thing in the JCPenny catalog. It was this pager type thing. When you pull the two sides apart it activates. Your child wears one side and you wear the other. If they get too far apart, the alarm sounds. If the child takes it off, the alarm sounds. If its not going off, but you cant see your child, you can set the alarm off to fimd him. It was great. The only downside was forgetting which adult had it on and then kidswitching or handing him off, setting the alarm off, and having to double back to trade off the pager too. I'm not sure where it is, but Iwill try to find it and post who made it and what its called.

 

[tink too]

I agree that the harness type of connection isn't a very good choice for an older child and have wondered what the alternatives are, too. We saw a boy of about 8 y.o. with a harness in December last year and it looked ridiculous! He didn't seem to be embarassed by it but I'm sure when he's older and sees the photos of him and his mum with the characters that were being taken when we saw them will make him cringe in later life!

We are lucky that DD3 still requires a stroller when at WDW but it won't be too long before she is telling us she is too big for them!

 

[mermaidlagoon]

An ounce of prevention is worth a pond of curesAN is I would like to see suggestions from lots of people. Our DD age 8 got seperated in a CANDY store and followed someone out that looked like me.Check this out , I have blondish shoulder length hair and was wearing jeans and a red Disney jacket , probably half of the moms there at Xmas wore the same. In Hawaii I stand out I guess and at 5'6"" would be tall and large to her. She on the other hand is Asian. I carry a current school picture, she however did not carry a family picture, which would have been helpful, as the CM asked her to describe what her mom and dad were wearing.I did immediately alert 3 CMs but after 20 to 30 minutes of now looking I was beyond myself and almost threw up. Dad went towards Splash Mtn a different way than her, looking everywhere along with pix and other guests. 1-She knows my cell number and did finally find a CM with a name tag. But did not think to call .2- she did not adequately describe mom or dad . She was crying when dad found her , and I was taken by a different CM to where they "were" but by now they went back a different way , 10 more minutes..... All afternoon many CMs said HI to her so many many are alerted. I however could not stomach a ride down SM so had to go shopping !!!!! Lets all list more hints please!!!!! I thought I was prepared.

 

[Cass]

When we were coming off the train at DAK to Rafiki conservation area I was separated by crowds from my 6 year old - I could see her, about 20feet in front of me, she came right up beside a lady and held her hand... the lady stopped and turned and Noel realized it was not me (this lady and I both had on silmilar flowered skirts)

I could see the panic in my daughter's face.... scary for a child, even a minute seems like an eternity.

 

[mej]

We "lost" our then 3 year old a few years ago while on holiday in England. SCARY - for him as well as us. So much so that he has never forgotten it and is really very good about not getting out of sight - he is now 7. We leave tomorrow (today?!?) for WDW and have - for one last time - decided to bring the stroller! It has been dusted down and the cobwebs blown away since its outing to WDW this time last year - we were amazed by how often he used it, and then we REALLY knew where he was!

 

[crisi]

one thing to caution you about...........my husband just bought us all name tags while we were at DW. And they look exactly like CM nametags!!! So if you tell her to look for a CM with a nametag, just be aware she could go up to any stranger with a nametag and think they are a CM.

Was it white? GoH namebadges are blue or red. And I hate even those for the reason you are describing! If they are now selling white ones I'm going to be really mad.

 

[angiep]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I hope to read some more posts too. You gave me several things to consider and ideas on how to prepare her and me. I'm just overly worried that someone will "snatch" her if she gets out of my sight. It's such a scary world! I wonder if any child has ever been abducted from WDW??

Thanks again!
Angie in TN

 

[crisi]

No child has ever been abducted at WDW. There are stories, but all are urban legends.

It doesn't mean its a perfectly safe atmosphere, but I think Disney security (if you watch, there are a lot of "plainclothes" security folks) would be on anyone in seconds if the child yelled "Help, this is not my mom!"

 

[muldey]

My 7yo will most likely be in the stroller a good part of the time,but just in case I will make sure she has my cell phone number,my dad's and my mom's(they are going too),and make sure she has something with where we are staying and our names on it.She knows all this(except the cell phone numbers,she knows our home number and the cell phone number is on the answering machine),but if she's upset she will forget everything.I may use a luggage tag and loop it on her shorts.I'll do the same for my son.He's almost 4 and special needs,and has no idea of his last name never mind phone numbers.

I personally would not use a harness on a child this age.I bought a Maclaren Twin Traveller stroller especially for this trip(I got a very good deal secondhand)so both kids could ride(55lbs per seat is the limit,both fit very well)and I wouldn't have to worry about renting or trying to keep track of 2 strollers.If you don't have a stroller you may want to rent one.No whining about tired feet,and no worries about her getting lost.HTH!