Just as we were finishing up our shopping in the back corner of the store a little girl about their age came running towards us and sobbing. I realized immediately that she was lost.
"Have you lost your Mommy?" I asked her.
She nodded her head as she continued to cry and look around nervously.
"Come with me to the front desk and let's have them call her on the big microphone," I urged.
At this point she looked extremely alarmed and took off running away from me.
Oh, no, I thought, I have really scared her. I am a stranger to her. She doesn't know if she can trust me.
I watched anxiously as she continued running frantically through the store. She would pause at each aisle and look around, then cry even harder. I tried to trail her, out of fear that she was going to run out the front door of the store...but I didn't want her to feel threatened by me. As I attempted to push my big cart full of groceries and stunned children, I was not exactly in a position to keep up with a nervous, darting child.
Another man my age, whose reaction to her told me he was likely a Daddy, watched her run by. He could tell I was watching her and appeared to be trying to see if I was her Mom. As our eyes met I told him that she was lost and afraid of me.
"I didn't try to help her out of fear I would make her more afraid," he said.
Just then I saw an assistant manager helping another customer.
"There is a little girl the size of my children in a bright pink shirt. She is lost and crying. She doesn't know me, so she won't let me help her. She is heading towards the exit."
He headed in one direction, while the children and I went another. For a LONG 90 seconds we strolled the front of the store trying to catch a glimpse of her. My children, whose eyes were as big as saucers, understood the gravity of the situation. I saw the concerned man doing the same thing we were doing along the back aisle of the store. Then I saw the assistant manager.
"She found her mother, " he said.
As we all breathed a big sigh of relief, I couldn't help but wonder if my children would have known what to do in that situation. We are big fans of the Safe Side Superchick--and have watched the video at least a dozen times. Even so, my three each had a different answer for what they would have done. Thankfully, we had an opportunity to learn from someone else's experience today.
One of the points they teach children on the video that I had never heard before was that if you cannot find a police officer, you should look for a Mommy with children and ask her to help. It makes sense and is a pretty easy thing for a small child to identify in a scary situation.
I was reminded today of the importance of reviewing things like this periodically--just in case.
10 comments:
I also tell my kids to go to the last place that we were together in the store and wait there- to find a mommy or a person who works there. It's happened once- in the movie theater- V went right back to the theater entrance we had come out of and waited with a mom- it was the longest 60 seconds of my life, but they did listen.
Good lesson for all of us. Thanks for sharing.
Just reading this scared me. Sounds like you handled it very well.
Aww, poor little one! You did the right thing though. Just like with the fire alarm we had today at school so the kids could practice, it's always good for the kids to know what to do!
WOW! Scary, but great lesson. I need to check out those videos. thanks!
We love Safe Side Superchick, too!
Hi Jenn-
Thank you so much for the link. I notice that the product is recommended for ages 5-8. Did you just start using it? I am wondering if it would be alright for my Ella Grace, who is almost 4?
Thanks again for all that you share to better others!
God Bless!
Emily Cook
Emily- I bought these when my kiddos were 4 and found them age appropriate. The older they get, the more we are able to discuss some of the tip, but I would think 4 would be a perfectly acceptable age to start!
Very Scary! I had a similar experience at a Babies R Us in Atl. about a year ago. I was there with both kids when we noticed a boy, no older than 2, was walking around all by himself. He was not distressed by it and seemed to be having fun, but there were no other adults within eyesight. So I just stood there and watched him and then followed behind him. Will kept asking where his parents were. I watched him for probably 2 minutes, but it seemed much longer before a VERY young couple with a newborn baby in tow just casually walked up and said " oh, there you are." They didn't seem the least bit phased by the fact that they couldn't find him. I'm not even sure they were actively looking for him, and I was much more concerned and upset than they were. Their lack of concern was just really alarming to me because I'm way over-protective of my children.
Oh what a frightful experience. My daughter ran out of a store in the mall thinking that I left her about a month ago. It was the most terrifying five minutes I have experienced as a mother thus far. Since then we have had many conversations on the topic. Thankfully, it all ended well.
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