Losing Children

[littlelish0544]

My family, (me dh and ds) lost our friends in world showcase! (My bff, her dh and dd) to this day we don't know how we lost each other, and how it took so long for us to find each other, we must have somehow walked past each other or been walking in the same direction back and forth at the same time but just far enough apart not to see each other. It took a good half an hour before we found each other. From then we had a meeting point at each park each time we went. My dh even had our son on his shoulders and we didn't find each other. Surprisingly easily done to loose folk.

[Stepaway]

Originally Posted by SquishTheWhale

Not sure of the ages of your kids but it could be worth pointing out what a cast member looks like the first time you go in a park, and how they can tell they are staff by looking for a name badge etc.

I will never forget the absolutely heart wrenching panic in the voice of a dad searching for his kid in The Deep in hull. He went past a couple of times shouting but must have found her as they didn't shut the place down or put out an alarm. So many ways for little ones to get distracted and wander off in a place like that!

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It could have been us. Lost our daughter there for ages!

[hermione25]

I lost my 5 year old in 2005.

We were in a party of 12 - kids and adults outside universal - lots of faffing etc. Finally got to the ticket machine - no Isabel! I can’t explain the feeling of terror. It was awful.

Ran back 50 yards and there she was, sat on a bollard. I burst into tears and told her how sensible she’d been to wait. She said, “Mrs Billington said if you ever lose your mummy, you should stop and wait because she will always come back to find you!”

14 years later, and still going to Florida with the same group of now all adults (who by the way are worse for wandering off then kids), we all still repeat that same line to each other! God bless Mrs Billington, a reception teacher par excellence!

The moral: make sure your kids know what to do if they do get lost - agree on a ‘plan’.

As a backup, I noticed Home Bargains selling what I can only describe as a GPS key ring. (I’d thought of buying one for my dog’s collar for when she hides in the sand dunes - another story!) You could attach this to a zip and always locate them with a phone/app. It was only Ł4.99

[tiddlypeeps07]

Taking a photo is a great idea. I took my eyes of my 5 year old for a second at splash landings and he was gone, when the lifeguard asked what he looked like my mind went blank. Another good idea depending on adult/child ratio is to have an adult "assigned" to a child so you arent all looking after all just responsible for one or two. We did this when we did a london trip and it worked really well.

[sam7]

One of the main things we did was tell the children that they were not to leave the rest rooms on their own but wait by the sinks for me or their dad, as some of the rest rooms have multiples entrances/exits and it is easy to go out of the wrong one, then panic because the rest of the family is not there - one in Magic Kingdom even exits in a different land.

[rhyger]

Our ds got lost in Hollywood studios when he was about 9. I went to a cashier in the nearest shop with a photo on my phone and she radio'd everyone with a description immediately.
Thankfully ds had also gone to a cast member and we were reunited quickly - didn't seem quickly though.

[abzorba]

Kevin!

[mushumadness]

Mine are told to stick together if lost
They’re 10/9/7/7
The oldest then becomes in charge and will keep them together
They know they are onto jnto the nearest store and tell only a person behind a checkout with a name badge that they’re lost
(Because then they know for sure it’s staff)

That being said I lost one of my twins at Alton towers she was about 6 at the time, coming off 13 through the gift shop we thought we were all together
Start walking away turn to ask holly something and no holly
The instant horrible dread you feel takes your breath away
Luckily she had remembered the holiday instructions and gone back to 13 gift shop and told the lady behind the desk that her mummy was lost
Longest twenty minutes I’ve ever experianced

[Lilminx]

We've been going to Disney parks since my daughter was 6. On every trip we always tell her if you get lost don't panic. Find a cast member at any ride or walking around and tell them you're lost they will take you to the lost kids bit and I'll meet you there. Dont leave the parks find a CM we wont leave without you. Thankfully shes never got lost she was 11 on our last trip and instill tell her this... I get eye rolls now lol

[bennyboy0751]

i have identical twin girls they are30 now but when they were nippers they were to say the least live wires i think been still and calm was illegal in their heads lol so i used wrist straps with real soft bands on them but because i was single parent man with 3 under 6s i tethered the twins to my wrists and the youngest would stick to me like glue so she was fine