Losing kids in a crowd About This Page:

[sassymom]

My daughter is also 3 1/2 and wears a 4t. The bracelets were big on her arm but only fell off 1 time. We did put it on her ankle one day, but she hated it and then she make an effort to leave it on her arm.

[disney]

Originally Posted by sbJasmine

FYI
I ordered the silicone wrists bands in the child size. They look great but are too big for my 3-1/2 year olds wrist. She is average size and even wears 4T in most clothes but the bands are loose enough on her that they will fall off. I am planning on trying to have her wear them as anklets, unless anyone has any other ideas?
I guess I will be bringing her harness-buddy also. She enjoys wearing that and pretending to be our second dog ;-)

make your own tattoo my wife was in michaels and saw the paper that makes your own tattoo thru the computer which i think i will use for my 3 yo and buy braclets for dd7 . i figure with the fanny pack leashes and tattoos my over energized ds 3 can have his running time now with out us going crazy worrying about him.
good luck

[esquared221]

Im so glad I read this post. This is one aspect of planning I hadnt even thought about yet. DD will be 23 mo when we go to WDW and although, as you said, Im not planning on loosing her but no one does! She will be too young to understand the consequences of darting off and no doubt I'll be crammed up her butt the whole time as the whole thing makes me terribly nervous! I'm definatly going to need to label her somehow, but Im not sure a label would get noticed unless someone looked for one, and Im kind of afraid that a bracelette wouldnt fit her tiny little wrists (although I definately like the silicone bracelette idea for when she's a smidge older!!). So, how does one go about labelling a toddler? Oh just thinking about her getting lost brings a big lump to my throat!!

[korki-rad]

Originally Posted by esquared221

Im so glad I read this post. This is one aspect of planning I hadnt even thought about yet. DD will be 23 mo when we go to WDW and although, as you said, Im not planning on loosing her but no one does! She will be too young to understand the consequences of darting off and no doubt I'll be crammed up her butt the whole time as the whole thing makes me terribly nervous! I'm definatly going to need to label her somehow, but Im not sure a label would get noticed unless someone looked for one, and Im kind of afraid that a bracelette wouldnt fit her tiny little wrists (although I definately like the silicone bracelette idea for when she's a smidge older!!). So, how does one go about labelling a toddler? Oh just thinking about her getting lost brings a big lump to my throat!!

Something we ended up doing, pretty much by accident that might work for a toddler...I had made a heart-shaped dog tag for DD to wear on a bracelet that had our contact info on it, but it was too big and kept falling off. So instead, I threaded it around one of her belt loops...it was out of her way and she completely forgot about it, but if she had gotten lost, it was also very obvious. On a couple of days when she didn't have belt loops, I threaded it through the laces in her shoes.

You can see the heart-shaped tag in this picture, hanging off her belt loop, just to give you some idea....

[tammyd_rn]

Originally Posted by korki-rad

Something we ended up doing, pretty much by accident that might work for a toddler...I had made a heart-shaped dog tag for DD to wear on a bracelet that had our contact info on it, but it was too big and kept falling off. So instead, I threaded it around one of her belt loops...it was out of her way and she completely forgot about it, but if she had gotten lost, it was also very obvious. On a couple of days when she didn't have belt loops, I threaded it through the laces in her shoes.

You can see the heart-shaped tag in this picture, hanging off her belt loop, just to give you some idea....

We did this as well. We looped it through his shoe and put his name and my cell phone number on it. He knows if he gets lost he just has to show it to people and ask them to please call his mommy.

[bitterchickey]

I have to admit, at first glance, when I saw this topic on the thread list, I thought it might be a "how-to" discussion!

[Lori Jakiela]

I STILL AM A BIG FAN OF THE ID TAG NECKLACES. YOU CAN GET THEM IN SETS OF TWO. THE FIRST TAG HAS THEIR NAME AND HOME ADRESS AND THE SECOND ONE HAS ALL THE CELL PHONE INFO. THIS WAY THEY CAN WEAR THEM AT HOME ON FIELD TRIPS AND TO AMUSEMENT PARKS ETC. I THOUGHT OF DOING THE RESORT NAME BUT THOUGHT I WOULD BE FRANTIC IF SOMEONE TOOK THEM OUT OF THE PARK TO OUR RESORT. I FELT IT MUCH SAFER TO HAVE CELL PHONES AND THAT TYPE OF INFO ON THEM . I THOUGHT IF IT WERETRULY EMERGENT AN CM COULD EASILY HAVE OUR INFO TRACED SHOULD THEY NEED TO KNOW WHERE WE WERE STAYING ON SITE.

[Pax]

Originally Posted by esquared221

Im so glad I read this post. This is one aspect of planning I hadnt even thought about yet. DD will be 23 mo when we go to WDW and although, as you said, Im not planning on loosing her but no one does! She will be too young to understand the consequences of darting off and no doubt I'll be crammed up her butt the whole time as the whole thing makes me terribly nervous! I'm definatly going to need to label her somehow, but Im not sure a label would get noticed unless someone looked for one, and Im kind of afraid that a bracelette wouldnt fit her tiny little wrists (although I definately like the silicone bracelette idea for when she's a smidge older!!). So, how does one go about labelling a toddler? Oh just thinking about her getting lost brings a big lump to my throat!!

Seriously? Get one of those "kid leash" things.

During one visit to family, lord, almost twenty years ago now ... my then-seven-year-old sister (well, actually, the half-sister of my half-sisters, but PFFFT, family is family!) actually insisted that she felt safer wearing the leash. (That one was just a springy rubber or silicone coil connected to two bracelets - one kid-sized, one adult-sized).

If nothing else, it gives you something to follow to her, if she moves out of sight. And, yes, it gives HER something to follow to YOU, if she loses sight of mommy and daddy!

Finally: if it's a nice, visible sort of affair, it dissuades people from moving between you and your daughter, so you should have far less instances of "suddenly, the crowd closed in and I couldn't see her" moments of uncertainty.

[Nalagh]

Originally Posted by Lisa Renninger

I have two bits of advice:
Tell your kids to find a mom if they get lost -- find a woman with kids. No offense to guys out there, but the numbers are pretty overwhelming when it comes to predators -- they are mostly male. And no offense to the male CMs, either -- I'm just saying, a lost kid is better off finding a mom. A mom is going to stay with that kid until that kid is safe back with his/her mom.
Also, make sure your kids know their own full name AND your name. If all they know is "mommy" or "grandma Smith", it's not going to help. I practice with my kids, and do a little drill "little boy, what is your name? What's your mommy's name?" It's the first thing a cop or someone is going to ask them, and if they are confident about the answers, they won't be so scared to answer more questions.
Thanks for the bracelet and bead necklace idea. I'm totally going to do that with my boys, and I'm sure they will love their special name Disney bracelets!

Thank You soooo much for this post!!
Twice in 9 days we lost our dd or ds.
It is hard to identify cast members when you are small because they are all dressed differently. So, I told them if we get separated to find a mother with kids and tell her you are lost.

We were in the living in the seas pavilion and ds9 had to go to the bathroom. My dh took him, and my ds7 said he needed to go too. I told him to hurry and catch up to his father. I watched until he was next to him. DH didn't realize DS7 was with him.
He met me with ds9 and he asked were DS7 was......

I alerted a cast member right away that my ds was missing. Another cast member radioed his description to other cast members in the pavillion. Within 5 minutes we found him cluthing the arm of a wonderful mother who was wiping away his tears. DS refused to go with the cast member who had located him. He told him that he was supposed to stay with a mommy if he got lost. He gave my cell number and my full name to the mother(not the cm) and he was crying, but he felt safe.

Thank You so much for this advice.

Nalagh

[esquared221]

Originally Posted by korki-rad

Something we ended up doing, pretty much by accident that might work for a toddler...I had made a heart-shaped dog tag for DD to wear on a bracelet that had our contact info on it, but it was too big and kept falling off. So instead, I threaded it around one of her belt loops...it was out of her way and she completely forgot about it, but if she had gotten lost, it was also very obvious. On a couple of days when she didn't have belt loops, I threaded it through the laces in her shoes.

You can see the heart-shaped tag in this picture, hanging off her belt loop, just to give you some idea....

What a great idea!! I just got done making personalized lugagge tags out of print-able Shrinky Dink paper- looks like I have another project for our trip! Thanks!

[esquared221]

Originally Posted by Pax

Seriously? Get one of those "kid leash" things.

Finally: if it's a nice, visible sort of affair, it dissuades people from moving between you and your daughter, so you should have far less instances of "suddenly, the crowd closed in and I couldn't see her" moments of uncertainty.

You know, thats a really good point. I hate it when people walk between a parent and child- clearly they have never tried to keep tabs on one before!! Im still unsure of how I feel about the "leash thingies"- I guess its something every parent stews over. On the one hand, you worry what people will think but on the other, you have your kid on a leash Actually, DH and I talked about trying to find one like we saw the other day- it was the back pack kind with a chest buckle (to keep your little wiggly one from wiggling out) that looked like a monkey and the "leash" was its tail that the toddlers mom held firmly in her hand. The wrist- to- wrist kind sounds pretty cool too. Hmmm, time to check 'em out online!

[Pax]

Originally Posted by esquared221

You know, thats a really good point. I hate it when people walk between a parent and child- clearly they have never tried to keep tabs on one before!! Im still unsure of how I feel about the "leash thingies"- I guess its something every parent stews over. On the one hand, you worry what people will think but on the other, you have your kid on a leash Actually, DH and I talked about trying to find one like we saw the other day- it was the back pack kind with a chest buckle (to keep your little wiggly one from wiggling out) that looked like a monkey and the "leash" was its tail that the toddlers mom held firmly in her hand. The wrist- to- wrist kind sounds pretty cool too. Hmmm, time to check 'em out online!

Even if it's "belt to belt", rather than some sort of harness (the appropriateness of such depends on the child's age, I bet - the shoulder-and-back harness is probably better for toddlers, whereas a wrist/bracelet setup is better for older children) it's basically just a way to always have contact with your kid .... and more importantly, it can serve as a security blanket, because it means the kid one always has a connection to YOU, as well.

Just remember that it probably has to come off, during most rides! ^_^

[KS Tink]

Some people who look "down" on others who have their child in a "leash" or harness obviously have not tried to keep track of a two or three year old who is not the best listners. When I lived in St. Louis, I worked in a baby/child supply store. One day mother/child were at a mall and the child looked over a railing and fell to his death. The mother was three feet away looking at a rack of clothes. She literally turned her head for 30 seconds. The weeks after this incident we sold more "leashes" than ever before. You may not like them, but if they keep your child safe, who cares? Your child's safety is more important than what anyone else thinks!
We will be doing the bracelets (worn as anklets), and a stroller for my 4 yo. My older two are usually required to either hold a hand or have a hand on the stroller. Loosing a child is a parent's worst nightmare!

[disney]

Originally Posted by KS Tink

Some people who look "down" on others who have their child in a "leash" or harness obviously have not tried to keep track of a two or three year old who is not the best listners. When I lived in St. Louis, I worked in a baby/child supply store. One day mother/child were at a mall and the child looked over a railing and fell to his death. The mother was three feet away looking at a rack of clothes. She literally turned her head for 30 seconds. The weeks after this incident we sold more "leashes" than ever before. You may not like them, but if they keep your child safe, who cares? Your child's safety is more important than what anyone else thinks!
We will be doing the bracelets (worn as anklets), and a stroller for my 4 yo. My older two are usually required to either hold a hand or have a hand on the stroller. Loosing a child is a parent's worst nightmare!

THANK YOU kstink,
i've been woundering when people would really see the light on the leash factor we have dd7 and ds 3 i've found this one at a baby expo 5years ago and i've loved it and so did my kids . we use it all over malls, parks, disney, fairs. people always come over and say it is a nice idea where can i buy it so here is the link .
O'PAIR Replaces the Toddler Harness or Leash with Fun, Functional Connecting Fanny Packs, Adorable plush for kids, classic black for you. from Inventive Parent.com!
ireally hate to hear stories like that but this is one reason why i will preach this product.

[KS Tink]

Some people who look "down" on others who have their child in a "leash" or harness obviously have not tried to keep track of a two or three year old who is not the best listners. When I lived in St. Louis, I worked in a baby/child supply store. One day mother/child were at a mall and the child looked over a railing and fell to his death. The mother was three feet away looking at a rack of clothes. She literally turned her head for 30 seconds. The weeks after this incident we sold more "leashes" than ever before. You may not like them, but if they keep your child safe, who cares? Your child's safety is more important than what anyone else thinks!
We will be doing the bracelets (worn as anklets), and a stroller for my 4 yo. My older two are usually required to either hold a hand or have a hand on the stroller. Loosing a child is a parent's worst nightmare!