Paranoid of "losing" children in the park!

[daisax]

For what it's worth, they recommend that you NOT put the child's name in an obvious sticker or label form -- it enables abductors to gain a young child's confidence more easily by knowing their name.

Obviously this is an extreme situation, and doesn't apply to identification bracelets or necklaces, but does apply to backpacks, jackets, etc., that parents routinely label.

Best advice is find a Mommy or a CM that is CLOSE BY and don't go looking for us first!

 

[beauandjacksmommy]

Hi -

Just wanted to let you know what we did for my DS6 as although he knows our home # he still gets our cell #s mixed up.

We, like another poster suggested, went to our local Petsmart and made an ID tag with our son's FIRST name and both of our cell numbers. We then took it off the flimsy ring that it comes with and then laced it into his sneaker lace.

There would be no way for a stranger to read his name and he knew if he were to get lost to just show his shoe to a CM.

It was great because I knew that it would not come off (like if it were on a necklace) and he felt good that just in case he got our numbers mixed up someone would still be able to call us.

Good luck!

 

[MeghanNRileysMom]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I LOVE www.whosshoesid.com. I have about four sets of these on all my kid's shoes and I actually just convinced our local PTA to sell these as a fundraiser. I don't work for the company or have any financial interest, I just think it's a great product! I highly recommend them!

HTH!

 

[MycatlovesEeyore]

A few trips ago, I ran into a couple on the bus that had actually written the child's name, their name and their cell phone number in permanent magic marker on the child's back. That way there was no way for them to lose a bracelet and it would not sweat or wash off incase of swimming. Unique idea.

We have not reached that stage yet but when both of our girls are old enough, we may have to come up with a strategy.

 

[Merriwind]

I have taught my kids to look for another "MOMMY" if they ever get lost. It might be hard for a little one to find a CM, but they all know a mommy when they see one. I think I heard this advice on Oprah or something when she had an expert on. The expert said that an overwhelming percent of the people who would harm a child are men.

I think the cell phone # on a bracelet or something is a great idea !

Agree 100% - this is what I have told DD7 for years. Look for another mommy. When she was little at the mall, I would have her point out "other mommies with pookies" to me. She would practice saying (to me), "Excuse me, I lost my mommy, can you help me?" TG, we never needed it, but to this day, she knows to find a mom if she's lost and/or needs help. (This way you don't have to worry about real police vs. random-guy-with-a-badge in the real world.)

Cell phone number somewhere helps pull this plan together, but I wouldn't use the child's name.

 

[Jannino]

We lost our 5 year old last year in MK. Before we went into the park, we pointed out the CMs walking around and told him that if he got lost, he should go over to one of them and say he's lost his parents....and that's exactly what he did. We found him 5 minutes later walking with the CM who said he was a very smart boy to ask a CM for help.

I definately recommend pointing out CMs before you start you day in any park.

 

[J/T Gramdma]

We always told our kids to go to someone who was behind a cash register. I traveled all over the world by the time the oldest was 10 and the cash register always worked especially when they did not speak the language.

 

[SandrA9810]

I was the worst nightmare any of you can think of. I loved to hide in the the clothes at the store, in the playhouses at toys r us. Any where, it was the biggest game of all.
And every trip to disney I had a harness on. My grandmother has had to use the code adam on me before for hiding in the doll houses at TRU.

Don't feel embaressed to use them. One time while at work I had a mom with an older daughter, about 8 and a very fidgety 2 year old son. She was doing a return so the manager was at the register, and I was keeping an eye on the son because the daughter was having a hard time. Of course this was at christmas and there were all sorts of little things to catch his eye. And for a split second when the manager asked me something, the son darted straight out the door when some one opened it and right into the parking lot. Of course the manager was also keeping the mom occupied by asking her mindless questions.
The mom was telling me that her husband got mad at her for using the leashes/harnesses because the kid isn't a dog. And she told me that he never takes the kids out with out her and doesn't know what the little one was capable of. I told her she should just use them and keep them hidden in the trunk.

 

[disneymom727]

Here is another link to a company that makes ID bracelets and such http://www.simaenterprises.com/

 

[CleveRocks]

A friend of mine always wrote her name, cell number, etc. across her children's backs in a magic marker. Took a while to wear off, but couldn't be washed off easily by someone trying to change a child's appearance. Even if the clothes and shoes are being changed, they can't get magic marker off the skin.

Mary

This must look pretty funny at the pool and the water parks! And no, I'm not joking.

-- Eric

 

[Disneyrsh]

An insider Disney friend of mine has pointed out to me "Disney has never lost a kid", so that tends to make me a little less freaky about it.

And let me tell you, normally I am a freakazoid about keeping my kids close. When I was in second grade I had a stranger try and abduct me from the bus stop after the bus dropped me off at the end of my cul-de-sac by myself. Luckily I had the wits to not get near his car and ran for the first house in the cul de sac. So yeah, it happens, and in nice suburban new england areas.

But, back to the topic, we just taught our kids if you realize you're lost, STOP MOVING! It makes the search area a lot, lot smaller. My kids know not to budge, no matter what, if they lose sight of us.

Luckily, it has only happened once, at the California Grill, of all places. The ONE time I asked my mom to watch my daughter and she comes walking over by herself and I"m like, where's Isabel? And she's like, huh? She hadn't heard me ask her to keep an eye on Isabel. And I rush back over to the other side of the restaurant and Isabel's standing there stock still-phew!

But yeah, for the "runners", I understand how that wouldn't work.

 

[robinb]

I would also suggest that if you have a digital camera, take your child's picture with every clothing change. You may draw a blank trying to remember what your child was wearing if you're in a panic. Plus, if you have a fashion plate child like mine, your kid may not be wearing the same thing in the evening as they were wearing in the morning.

 

[The Sweetness]

For what it's worth, they recommend that you NOT put the child's name in an obvious sticker or label form -- it enables abductors to gain a young child's confidence more easily by knowing their name.

Thats a good point! TYVM for bringing it to my attn. I know Ive been through this before, but it seems to me that times are alot dif now than they were 13yrs ago. No name on that sticker. (I just hope Ariel remains a bit clingy, like she is now, and I dont need a harness. I would feel awfull, but I would do it if I had to)

I'll also teach her to look for CM's or other ppl with kids (moms & dads), and NOT to look for me, if she ever does get seperated

 

[jcriket]

My girls are 15, and 17, and they still will hold my hand, out of habit, and not as much as when they where little,(I guess I've got to except it), But a place where you can lose them is in the play areas, like the dig site at AK. They usaully have only one way in, and out. But at Universal we breifly lost ours, it's scary. Once they got inside those nets and tubes I couldn't keep track of them, after that I always followed them through that stuff. Even now that their older we still have a meeting place, if we get separated.

 

[robinb]

But a place where you can lose them is in the play areas, like the dig site at AK. They usaully have only one way in, and out. But at Universal we breifly lost ours, it's scary. Once they got inside those nets and tubes I couldn't keep track of them, after that I always followed them through that stuff. Even now that their older we still have a meeting place, if we get separated.

My DD is 6 and we have the rule that she has to check in with me every once in a while. I won't follow her everywhere! I usually pick a spot with the other bored parents and give her 30 minutes to run wild.

 

[CaipiraBob]

We leave in 2 days and i am paranoid i will lose a child in the park! My youngest is 4 and can step away from you. But anyone knows when you are shopping or distracted, especially in a crowd with more than one child to watch, it literally takes 1 second to lose your sight on them! Any suggestions other than me attached to a leash and collars around them!>?

When we started taking our children to Disney we used Fisher-Price proximity sensors. I can't find them on the internet so I don't know if they still sell them. Basically you attach one part of the unit to the child, the other you put on your belt. If the child wanders off more than some 20 feet the alarm triggers. Works for both kids on the same frequency. We never had any problems as it was because we kept the kids close. You can try searching Ebay for them I suppose.

 

[SandrA9810]

I would also suggest that if you have a digital camera, take your child's picture with every clothing change. You may draw a blank trying to remember what your child was wearing if you're in a panic. Plus, if you have a fashion plate child like mine, your kid may not be wearing the same thing in the evening as they were wearing in the morning.

I'd hate to do your laundry. It's tough with just two people.

 

[robinb]

I'd hate to do your laundry. It's tough with just two people.

LOL! It's a real PITA, let me tell you! When on vacation at WDW we will take a swim break in the afternoon so she puts on fresh clothes. The other problem is, that she is not the cleanest child in the world and has a special gift of getting grubby within minutes of putting something on. By the time she has worn an outfit all over WDW in the morning, it's time that it come off anyway! Dirt, ice cream, chocolate, what ever she had for breakfast and lunch ... you name it, it's on her. I bring twice as many outfits for her that my husband and I and I will do laundry twice on a 2 week vacation.

 

[krissyh]

Way back when there was only MK, I was about four years old and I wanted to cross a bridge, the rest of the family did not. According to my brother, who was 12 at the time, I wanted to see the jugband jamboree. Well, I crossed that bridge! Problem - the rest of the family, did not. And then, I dropped my ice cream. As I stood there, trying to figure out how to get that (why I remember this, I don't know) creamsicle back, a man came to sweep up the ice cream. It is the cleanest place on earth after all. He quickly realized I was too young to be alone and took me to what we've always called the "lost parents room". I told the nice lady everything but my name - she was stranger after all!
By the time my parents got to a ride - it's a small world, which I've always hated and the CM called, I had been found and was safe. My mother and brother were taken in the tunnels to come get. When I later learned of this, I was very upset!
The only trauma of the whole ordeal was the embarrassment my mother felt after I burst into tears. The nice "lost parents room lady" said, "that's ok honey, your mommy is here."
"NO!!!!! I DROPPED MY ICE CREAM!"
I don't think she ever forgave me.

The moral of the story - the CM's are kind of like lifeguards, always on the lookout for something out of the ordinary - especially lost kids.
If it helps - when I worked at daycamp - we never went on field trips without the kids in matching shirts. And if they get sick of holding a hand, let them link their fingers through your belt loop.

 

[NotUrsula]

A friend of mine always wrote her name, cell number, etc. across her children's backs in a magic marker. Took a while to wear off, but couldn't be washed off easily by someone trying to change a child's appearance. Even if the clothes and shoes are being changed, they can't get magic marker off the skin.

There are two things wrong with this idea: 1] Permanent marker ink can be toxic, so it's not a good idea to deliberately put it on the skin, especially a child's skin. 2] CM's are not allowed to remove a child's clothing to look for ID, so any ID you use needs to be where it can be seen outside of clothing by someone who is looking for it. As long as the print is small (~ 12 pt. or smaller), no passerby is going to be able to casually determine what it says.

What do we use? His room key, on a lanyard pouch hanging inside his shirt. We use a Sharpie to put our cell phone number on it. At water parks, we use a rubber bracelet with the number on the inside surface.