Lost Children

[summerlandjeff]

Our first trip to WDW our daughter was 8, and her mother was VERY nervous about her getting lost. To calm the fear I had a couple of "procedures" in place which we even practiced at home.
First, I had 20 of my business cards laminated (in acse they got wet) and each day I put one in my daughter's pocket. She knew if she got separated to give the nearest Cast Member the card with my cell # on it.
Second (and more fun for her) I bought a set of walkie-talkies (before she got her cell phone), the kind boaters use, and taught her to use it. I made sure we had a clear channel each day and told her to ID the nearest landmark to guide us to her.
Third (and most important for my DW) we had a strict policy that she hold one of our hands as we walked through the parks, rode the bus or went out to eat. It may seem like overkill, but my DW said afterwards she had a better vacation knowing we were prepared.

And thank goodness we never needed any of these "procedures"!

 

[omegsmom]

I'm considering tyvec wrist bands - the kind they put on you when you go into places like Joker's and pay for the playhouse... they are waterproof and cannot be removed without scissors and can adjust to any size wrist. You can write your cell phone number on it with waterproof permanent marker. That way I don't have to worry about my kid taking it off... I wasn't sure if the tatoos work well since the cheapy picture tatoos my kids get sometimes don't go on well...

 

[NHMom4]

Last week we found a little girl in the splash mountain area who was lost. She said she was separated when they were all heading down where it splits of there. She didn't know her parents name or where she was staying or anyone's phone number. It could of been she was just so scared and we are a group of 9 standing around her. We stayed with her for a while until a CM from the gift shop came out and got her and helped her out but the strangest thing was that I couldn't find any adults frantically looking for their child...

 

[Daddee]

As I mastered losing my parents as child*. I was never lost or in fear. I thank everyone in this thread. I never put any thought into my DD losing me at the parks. Thanks for the eyeopener.



*I was really good at it. I lost them at DL, WDW and 6 flags. while at DL I lost them and got back to the hotel, somehow got a key to the room and fell asleep. It was not a pretty site when my parents got back to the room and found me in bed. I was 12 or 13.