Oceaneer's Lab/The worst 25 mins of my life!
Back on board from our wonderful morning swimming with the Dolphins at Nassau, DD (9) decided that she wanted to go to the Club. We had eaten our late lunch, showered and changed clothes before heading to Deck 5 and the Club. DD, Kayla, had not been there before, so when we arrived (4:20ish) the friendly club guy started to check her in, then said that she would have to go up to Deck 9 since the 8-9 year olds were eating DINNER! Well, of course she wasn't hungry, so we said we would come back in an hour. Nice guy said okay and we left.
We just rested and watched a Dis Movie on TV for the next hour. Kayla could hardly wait to finally get to the club and start meeting some kids her age! I gave her permission to go from Deck 2 (our room) to Deck 5 alone (she's 9!) and check herself in.
Okay, now begins the nightmare.
My daughter left, all happy! About 30 mins. later I started to fret over whether she had gotten there or not (Silly, the girl is extremely reliable and very mature.). Finally the "what ifs" got the best of me and I decided to phone the club and confirm arrrival. Nice guy who had been at the desk earlier answered the phone and confirmed that Kayla, an 8-9, was indeed in the club.
Reassured, Grandma and I sat out to do our thing for awhile. Kayla had been given sign-out privileges with the HIGHLIGHTED ON THE FORM INSTRUCTIONS that I was to be beeped FIRST any time she left. Okay, I swing by the club a couple of hours+ later to pick her up/change clothes for dinner. Grandma heads on down to the stateroom.
I arrive at the club. The nice guy who had been there earlier is no longer on duty. Nice girl checks the computer and informs me that Kayla IS NOT THERE! Says she checked herself out at 4:30 pm!
I reply that she was not there at 4:30 pm. That since the club was at dinner, she went to our room with us until about an hour later when she left the room and returned to the club.The girl argued that Kayla had sign out privileges and SHE had signed herself out. I said no, not at that time, she was with me....and besides, I WAS TO BE BEEPED FIRST even if that had been possible to occur, which it wasn't since she was with me at that time.
They just latched on to the idea that she had sign out privileges and they did not HAVE to beep me first unless SHE told them to----all this inspite of the fact that it was written otherwise on the club registration form. They were insistant that Kayla had come down, checked in, then checked out at 4:30 pm. Again I stated she was with me at 4:30 pm. Didn't leave to come to the club until an hour later. It was like they just did NOT HEAR!
No, they say. She NEVER MADE IT to the club. Nope they haven't seen her! OKAY, I'M BEYOND PANIC.
My kid started from my room and never made it to deck 5 they tell me! She's lost. Been lost for hours out there somewhere. ONLY, this is not possible for her to just go roam'in. If you knew my RULES-ARE-GOD kid, you would know that it is just INCONCEIVABLE for her NOT to have followed the rule to go straight there and sign it. Especially since it was her first "independent foray" and she was on-trial for doing it just right and thus getting the privilege again.
All this went swimming through my head and I knew that if Kayla was not there it was not of her own free will. Someone/Something had interferred in her being where she had set out to go. Dire deeds of the most horrible nature were crashing through my head as I headed back to the room to see if there was a note and to tell Grandma! Grandma agreed to stay in the room (no note) and wait for a phone call or for Kayla.
Panic, total panic! I ran back to the club, only to be told they were putting out a ship-wide alarm for Kayla---what was she wearing; what did she look like?
Dear God in Heaven, this is just not happening! They said they had checked with the 8-9's CM in the movie theater and Kayla was not there!!!
I could not just sit still! I told them to page me and I was going to Deck 9---Scoops that she loves---still I knew this is NOT Kayla behavior and I knew it was futile, but I had to do something. Dear God, I prayed, please keep my baby safe. Please God, keep her safe and free from harm.....over and over....tears pouring down my face all the while visualizing someone doing horrible things and throwing her overboard.
I ran to the side of the ship and actually looked overboard. Nothing but endless sea. Went to Scoops, and while I was there the beeper went off. Anticipating and Dreading all at the same time, I checked the message: Go to a ship phone and call this number. My heart would not stop pounding. I raced inside, called, and the club people said she had been found safe and sound in the movie theater with the other 8-9's. I thanked them; I thanked God; and trembling so hard I could hardly walk, raced down the steps to the movie floor.
Realizing that Kayla had no clue what was going on, I tried not to run. I tried not to cry. I tried......but when I saw her standing with the Club people I just broke down, grabbed her and hugged her so hard the poor child thought her Mother had lost her mind!
"Mom! MOM! What's wrong?" "Why are you crying? What's happened!?" I didn't want to scare her any more so I started laughing that kinda hysterical laugh and hugged her and said "Nothing baby. Mommy was lost and couldn't find you. I love you baby."
Bewildered, "I love you too Mom. MOM! Don't cry."
I thanked them for finding her, grabbed her and left to get back to Grandma as soon as possible. The Club had contacted the room and Grandma already knew that Kayla was all right! She grabbed the poor kid too and hugged and hugged her.
I asked Kayla what could have happened that they didn't know she was there.
This is Kayla's story:
She left our room and went up to the Club. The nice guy from earlier was there and said the kids were now down at the movie theater and she would have to go there. He gave her directions (she's 9, this is a huge ship, I would have preferred that she be taken there like all the other kids in the club who had been escorted there....but....) Okay, she makes her way to the movie theater without any problem.
She goes inside and walks up to the person in the yellow shirt and says, "I'm Kayla (last name) and I'd like to check in. My room is 2064." The CM says "Stand back, please. I have to get all these kids seated first."
Kayla moves back as the kids file by and are seated in the theater. Kayla says the CM keeps bumping her and bumping her back so she moves as far out of the way as she can. When she thought the CM was finished seating everyone, Kayla said she went up and said again, "I'm Kayla and my room is 2064." Kayla said the CM just turned and walked off!! Kayla waited, assuming that the CM needed the clipboard or something, but when no one returned, she didn't know what to do, so she sat down with the other kids and watched the show.
Now, remember. I called 30 mins after Kayla left for the Club and was assured by the nice guy at the desk that Kayla WAS IN THE CLUB. He didn't say movies, but apparently this was the guy who sent Kayla down to the movie theater. He didn't sign her in either, but HE KNEW she was there since he assured me that she was when I called.
The CM at the theater dropped the ball badly. For hours my child was with the group at the theater, but apparently not under anyone's supervision, though Kayla thought she was. She had done everything she had been told to do and so Kayla believed that she was "IN" the club. She was safe and I thank God for that, but essentially, she had been shoved out of the way and left to figure out what to do on her own.
This is just unforgivable......I entrusted the most precious treasure of my old life (I'm in my 50's and she was a gift from God, literally) to Disney and these young people who were proclaimed to be wonderfully responsible and totally child centered. ON THIS DAY, THIS PERSON was neither.
For 20+ minutes I thought my child was dead. Gone. And for 20+ minutes life had no meaning for me. For that brief time I knew what it was like to be Amber Haggerman's (Amber Alert) mom. I don't know how they went on.
Our story ends well and Kayla did go back to the club again where she had a good time. I needed to face down my fears and allow her to go. I needed for her to have that independence and feel good about herself. But, even though the sign-out privilege had nothing to do with her not being signed in, I recanted those. I know my child. She would have been fine and done everything exactly as directed---it's who she is. It was the Club I could no longer trust to keep track of her signing in's/outs. She would sign out with me. Period.
May God Be With Anyone Who Has Had To Go
Back on board from our wonderful morning swimming with the Dolphins at Nassau, DD (9) decided that she wanted to go to the Club. We had eaten our late lunch, showered and changed clothes before heading to Deck 5 and the Club. DD, Kayla, had not been there before, so when we arrived (4:20ish) the friendly club guy started to check her in, then said that she would have to go up to Deck 9 since the 8-9 year olds were eating DINNER! Well, of course she wasn't hungry, so we said we would come back in an hour. Nice guy said okay and we left.
We just rested and watched a Dis Movie on TV for the next hour. Kayla could hardly wait to finally get to the club and start meeting some kids her age! I gave her permission to go from Deck 2 (our room) to Deck 5 alone (she's 9!) and check herself in.
Okay, now begins the nightmare.
My daughter left, all happy! About 30 mins. later I started to fret over whether she had gotten there or not (Silly, the girl is extremely reliable and very mature.). Finally the "what ifs" got the best of me and I decided to phone the club and confirm arrrival. Nice guy who had been at the desk earlier answered the phone and confirmed that Kayla, an 8-9, was indeed in the club.
Reassured, Grandma and I sat out to do our thing for awhile. Kayla had been given sign-out privileges with the HIGHLIGHTED ON THE FORM INSTRUCTIONS that I was to be beeped FIRST any time she left. Okay, I swing by the club a couple of hours+ later to pick her up/change clothes for dinner. Grandma heads on down to the stateroom.
I arrive at the club. The nice guy who had been there earlier is no longer on duty. Nice girl checks the computer and informs me that Kayla IS NOT THERE! Says she checked herself out at 4:30 pm!
I reply that she was not there at 4:30 pm. That since the club was at dinner, she went to our room with us until about an hour later when she left the room and returned to the club.The girl argued that Kayla had sign out privileges and SHE had signed herself out. I said no, not at that time, she was with me....and besides, I WAS TO BE BEEPED FIRST even if that had been possible to occur, which it wasn't since she was with me at that time.
They just latched on to the idea that she had sign out privileges and they did not HAVE to beep me first unless SHE told them to----all this inspite of the fact that it was written otherwise on the club registration form. They were insistant that Kayla had come down, checked in, then checked out at 4:30 pm. Again I stated she was with me at 4:30 pm. Didn't leave to come to the club until an hour later. It was like they just did NOT HEAR!
No, they say. She NEVER MADE IT to the club. Nope they haven't seen her! OKAY, I'M BEYOND PANIC.
My kid started from my room and never made it to deck 5 they tell me! She's lost. Been lost for hours out there somewhere. ONLY, this is not possible for her to just go roam'in. If you knew my RULES-ARE-GOD kid, you would know that it is just INCONCEIVABLE for her NOT to have followed the rule to go straight there and sign it. Especially since it was her first "independent foray" and she was on-trial for doing it just right and thus getting the privilege again.
All this went swimming through my head and I knew that if Kayla was not there it was not of her own free will. Someone/Something had interferred in her being where she had set out to go. Dire deeds of the most horrible nature were crashing through my head as I headed back to the room to see if there was a note and to tell Grandma! Grandma agreed to stay in the room (no note) and wait for a phone call or for Kayla.
Panic, total panic! I ran back to the club, only to be told they were putting out a ship-wide alarm for Kayla---what was she wearing; what did she look like?
Dear God in Heaven, this is just not happening! They said they had checked with the 8-9's CM in the movie theater and Kayla was not there!!!
I could not just sit still! I told them to page me and I was going to Deck 9---Scoops that she loves---still I knew this is NOT Kayla behavior and I knew it was futile, but I had to do something. Dear God, I prayed, please keep my baby safe. Please God, keep her safe and free from harm.....over and over....tears pouring down my face all the while visualizing someone doing horrible things and throwing her overboard.
I ran to the side of the ship and actually looked overboard. Nothing but endless sea. Went to Scoops, and while I was there the beeper went off. Anticipating and Dreading all at the same time, I checked the message: Go to a ship phone and call this number. My heart would not stop pounding. I raced inside, called, and the club people said she had been found safe and sound in the movie theater with the other 8-9's. I thanked them; I thanked God; and trembling so hard I could hardly walk, raced down the steps to the movie floor.
Realizing that Kayla had no clue what was going on, I tried not to run. I tried not to cry. I tried......but when I saw her standing with the Club people I just broke down, grabbed her and hugged her so hard the poor child thought her Mother had lost her mind!
"Mom! MOM! What's wrong?" "Why are you crying? What's happened!?" I didn't want to scare her any more so I started laughing that kinda hysterical laugh and hugged her and said "Nothing baby. Mommy was lost and couldn't find you. I love you baby."
Bewildered, "I love you too Mom. MOM! Don't cry."
I thanked them for finding her, grabbed her and left to get back to Grandma as soon as possible. The Club had contacted the room and Grandma already knew that Kayla was all right! She grabbed the poor kid too and hugged and hugged her.
I asked Kayla what could have happened that they didn't know she was there.
This is Kayla's story:
She left our room and went up to the Club. The nice guy from earlier was there and said the kids were now down at the movie theater and she would have to go there. He gave her directions (she's 9, this is a huge ship, I would have preferred that she be taken there like all the other kids in the club who had been escorted there....but....) Okay, she makes her way to the movie theater without any problem.
She goes inside and walks up to the person in the yellow shirt and says, "I'm Kayla (last name) and I'd like to check in. My room is 2064." The CM says "Stand back, please. I have to get all these kids seated first."
Kayla moves back as the kids file by and are seated in the theater. Kayla says the CM keeps bumping her and bumping her back so she moves as far out of the way as she can. When she thought the CM was finished seating everyone, Kayla said she went up and said again, "I'm Kayla and my room is 2064." Kayla said the CM just turned and walked off!! Kayla waited, assuming that the CM needed the clipboard or something, but when no one returned, she didn't know what to do, so she sat down with the other kids and watched the show.
Now, remember. I called 30 mins after Kayla left for the Club and was assured by the nice guy at the desk that Kayla WAS IN THE CLUB. He didn't say movies, but apparently this was the guy who sent Kayla down to the movie theater. He didn't sign her in either, but HE KNEW she was there since he assured me that she was when I called.
The CM at the theater dropped the ball badly. For hours my child was with the group at the theater, but apparently not under anyone's supervision, though Kayla thought she was. She had done everything she had been told to do and so Kayla believed that she was "IN" the club. She was safe and I thank God for that, but essentially, she had been shoved out of the way and left to figure out what to do on her own.
This is just unforgivable......I entrusted the most precious treasure of my old life (I'm in my 50's and she was a gift from God, literally) to Disney and these young people who were proclaimed to be wonderfully responsible and totally child centered. ON THIS DAY, THIS PERSON was neither.
For 20+ minutes I thought my child was dead. Gone. And for 20+ minutes life had no meaning for me. For that brief time I knew what it was like to be Amber Haggerman's (Amber Alert) mom. I don't know how they went on.
Our story ends well and Kayla did go back to the club again where she had a good time. I needed to face down my fears and allow her to go. I needed for her to have that independence and feel good about herself. But, even though the sign-out privilege had nothing to do with her not being signed in, I recanted those. I know my child. She would have been fine and done everything exactly as directed---it's who she is. It was the Club I could no longer trust to keep track of her signing in's/outs. She would sign out with me. Period.
May God Be With Anyone Who Has Had To Go
