Tips required on how not to lose your children.

[kazd]

Hello everyone,

I am newbie to this board and hope this is the best place to post this message. We have three children, 9,6 and 4. I intend to strap the four year old to us with a wrist strap but I would appreciate any tips from you seasoned Disney veterans on what to do if you become seperated from your children.

I had thought to tell them to stand still, as we would be better placed to retrack our steps back to them. Grateful for any tips.

Thanks

 

[wdwdvcdad]

Please don't use a leash on your child . Just be very dilligent, & it should not be a problem. Remember, they are they most valuable thing with us. Who cares about the fanny pack or the stroller. They can be replaced. Just make sure that your eyes are constantly upon them. They 9 year old can also help in that capacity.

Plan ahead to have a central meeting place in each of the parks if something unfortunate should happen. Make sure it is an easily recognizable landmark.

 

[dbail2]

I have heard of people dressing all in the same bright colored teeshirt. Our children were 2,6 and 8 when we first went to Disney. Our little one enjoyed being in the stroller so she was always close and the other 2 we just kept a close on on them. If you have a cell phone with you make sure they have the phone # in their pocket or memorized. Pick a place to meet if you get seperated and show the children the badges all the employees wear and to look for one of them for help. We have never lost one yet and they are now 10,15 and 17....We still go once a year..

 

[kazd]

It is a wrist strap specially designed for young children who don't want to hold your hand but like the comfort of still being attached to you. I first had it for my nine year old when he was little and he liked to wear it, it made him feel secure.

I can assure you we are very diligent and have not lost a child yet however, I am concerned about the crowds and it would be nice not to have to walk along with my head swivelling round like I am trying for a part in the Exorcist because I am afraid of losing my kids.

I just wondered what some of you guys say to your kids in the event that you become seperated.

 

[TLinden16]

Welcome to the DIS, Kazd!

Last month when I was at the world, I noticed a couple of things that parents did to keep track of their kids. I saw one family who was color coordinated (everyone was wearing jeans shorts and yellow shirts--including the grandma).

Another family had used masking tape to put a note that said "Mom's cell phone number and the number on the back of each child's shirt." I've also heard of people attaching tags to the child's sneakers to show the number.

Another great tip I've heard people do if they have a digital camera is to take a picture of each kid before leaving for the parks in the morning, that way you can look and see exactly what they had on.

Karen

 

[Pammy_from_WI]

We used a simular wrist strap with our 2 yr old and she was fine with it, plus it gave me the added assurance she was close to me. Now that she is older we don't use it, but have her trained, as best as we can is to go straight to a CM. When we walk in it's the first thing we reinforce. We stop a CM and ask them to show her their badge and we spend about 5 min going over things with her. We also remind her several times a day. She was only 3 last trip and will be 4 this trip and so far no problems. Plus we play games like find the CM while waiting in lines and such.

We have yet to loose her or her us, lol, but we have helped out a number of very scared lost kiddies. Most of the time it is fine, but you really need to keep your eyes opened at parades and fireworks, that's when we've seen this most lost kiddies.

The other thing is to get those little doggie badges and have them imprinted with your cell, hotel you're staying at and put them on a little chain around their neck or braclet or write a note saying the same things and put it in their pocket or pin it to their shirt. I think CMs know to check for things like that, at least I would hope so.

Pammy

 

[kazd]

We are coming from the UK, I had thought about bringing our cell phones although we won't use them to call each other, that would cost an arm and a leg, however, i thought they would be handy to text each other, especially if DH and DS (oldest) have gone off for a ride and I am left with the younger two.

We also thought about purchasing a couple of cheap pay as you go phones (do you do cheap mobiles where you purchase vouchers to pay for your calls as you go). I do know that you can rent them, but its a dollar a min to call which seems quite pricey, it only costs me 5p per min to call a us mobile from the uk which is about 8.5 cents.

Thanks
Karen

 

[IandGsmom]

Originally posted by wdwdvcdad
Please don't use a leash on your child . Just be very dilligent, & it should not be a problem. Remember, they are they most valuable thing with us. Who cares about the fanny pack or the stroller. They can be replaced. Just make sure that your eyes are constantly upon them. They 9 year old can also help in that capacity.

Plan ahead to have a central meeting place in each of the parks if something unfortunate should happen. Make sure it is an easily recognizable landmark.

I think it unfair to ask others to do/ not do something regarding their own children. Its not like they are doing something to harm them, just the opposite. I would rather see a parent go to the side of caution instead of saying "if only..."
I know that I am a great parent but it only to a second for one of my twins to wander away in Disneyland and we spent the next 15 mins just crazy with worry.

 

[OneMoreTry]

The so-called leashes are a GOOD thing. They actually provide more freedom for the child. The kid isn't constantly being badgered by worried parents and they can wander around safely within the leash's radius.

What does a kid need to do that it can't with the wrist strap??? Or even a harness for that matter? Which I also think is great.

 

[kazd]

Our neighbours baby has just started walking and they use a harness on her, so I know that he would definately balk at that but I think I will get away with the wrist strap. We had a little talk about it and he is happy to wear it, he is concerned that his big brother and Sister have one so that they won't get lost.

Oh he is so cute I could eat him.

 

[kilee]

Be sure they know what to do in the event of getting lost. That way they'll be prepared for that dreaded "what if". I worry about that everytime we go and DS is now 11!!!! I guess I'll stop worrying about losing him at WDW when he's 50 . I would definetly put contact info on paper in their pockets. When they're upset they seem to forget this info.

 

[stacilee]

I think you should at least consider a stroller for the 4 year old. I'm quite sure that you probably wouldn't need one under normal circumstances but a trip to WDW entails about 5 miles of walking each day. Little children take 2 steps for every one of our strides and the heat is very tiring to youngsters. If you have a stroller they can climb in and out when they are tired, and escape the sun at times too. An added plus it you have somewhere to put all your "stuff" and don't have to be the packmule.

Tell all your children to go to the nearest CM if they become separated from you, that they will know what to do and how to find you. In all our trips, we've never lost one yet!
Have a great trip!

 

[wdwdvcdad]

The whole idea just makes me feel so sad for the children on the end of the dog leash.

 

[momof2inPA]

If you don't want to use your cell phones to keep in touch with your hubby, you could rent or buy walkie-talkies. If you do, get ones with lots of channels.

 

[wdwdvcdad]

Those walkie talkies can be problematic, as about 10000 other people have them. All kinds of interference.

 

[J/T Gramdma]

when we took our children and granchildren to wdw we told them to go to the nearest cash register and talk to the person using it. That way they don't make the mistake of asking someone who may not work at disney,dept store , grocery store or other place of business.

 

[momofbuzzfan]

I pray this would never happen....but what if a child is lost, where do you go and look for your child (if you obviously can't find him in your general vacinity)? Do they make some sort of announcement etc? Does anyone know if there have been any abductions from DW?

 

[dbail2]

You find the nearest Disney employee and tell them.They all have walky talkies .I have never heard of any child being abducted from Disney...

 

[PrincessMommy2]

I would feel sad for a child on the end of a dog leash also...however what the original poster is referring to is not a dog leash! I know there are people who feel very strongly for or against the use of these products. Maybe we should just agree to disagree? Personally, I see nothing wrong with the wrist type harness. It gives those oh so independent toddlers the freedom they want. kazd, I like the idea of dressing them in the same colors. We also used the 2 way radios that had subchannels and that was a good way to keep in touch if DH and I split up with the kids (we had no problem with interference). Maybe get two pairs for you and DH and the two older kids? Finally, we had a metal id tag on the shoelace of our DD3 with my name, our hotel and our cell phone number. I figured if we did get separated and a CM found her, they could find us.

Hopefully you won't need any of this!! Have a great trip!!

 

[hopelea]

I used a wrist band.......IT IS NOT A LEASH!! It gave my dd (2 at the time) more freedom. She would wander off if not attached! Case and point, grandparents took it off her while waiting for PS at CRT. While I was checking in dd disappeared! Luckily she had watched enough BARNEY to know you stay still when lost. We found her quickly.

All these people who say that it is a bad thing for the children to be put on a LEASH should re-think the idea. Would you rather have someone grab a child who happens to wander off??

I love my dd's so much. I did it for them and for me. They didn't complain. I got so tired of seeing peoples faces when they saw her with a wrist band on. One lady made a comment to me and I let her have it!! Some children don't like strollers.

My dd's are alive and beautiful! My dd's are now 10 & 7.