When your Child Gets Lost

All parents have likely experienced it at least once. You are somewhere big and crowded and your child gets lost. One minute your child is right there with you while you dig through the clearance rack. The next minute, he or she is nowhere to be found. In almost every one of these cases, the child is nearby. Maybe he is hiding in a rack or maybe he was attracted to the glittery tops across the way and wandered off.  What can you to do to prevent these situations? And are there steps you should follow to find your child quickly if this does happen?

What to Teach your Children

Preparing your children for what to do if they get separated from you is the best way to ensure you find each other as quickly as possible. Use these tips for giving them information that could help them if they are lost.

• Teach young children their full name and parents’ first and last names. This is critical information for them to provide to someone they ask for help.
• When the child is old enough, teach him or her the parents’ cell phone numbers.  This is the fastest way to get them back to their parents. For younger children, write the number on the tongue of their shoe or have a bracelet or dog tags made with the information.
• Teach them about “safe people.” Identifying a person in authority may be difficult for younger children.  Tell them to go to someone who is behind a cash register or to ask a mommy who is with children. Statistically, women are much less likely to be predators and are also more likely to stay with the child until they are reunited with their parents.
• Talk to them about staying put. Children have been known to wander further away looking for their parents. They should find a safe person and stay with them.  If there isn’t a safe person nearby, they should stay where they are and yell for their parents by name.
• Tell older children where your meet-up place is when you arrive. If they get separated from you and cannot find you quickly, they should go to that place. Make sure it is somewhere they will remember and can find easily.
• Teach them about predatory behavior without scaring them. Explain that safe adults don’t ask children for help. If an adult needs help, he should ask another adult, not a child. Assure them that you would never send someone they don’t know to pick them up or take them somewhere. Tell them about tricks adults use, like offering to show them a puppy, get them an ice cream or asking for directions.

What to do When your Child is Missing

Most of the time, your child is still close. If there is water nearby, always check there first.

Look around and identify things that would appeal to her and draw her away from you. Is there a snow cone stand at the beach? Look for a game console set up at the electronics store. What about a cool character or signage at the amusement park?  And those racks at the department store are very enticing for little folks.  Look at these places and ask people around them if they have seen your child.

Next, call your child’s name. He or she is probably still within earshot and should be able to hear you if you call out. Keep saying the name so they can follow your voice.

If you set a meeting up place in advance, check that. If you have to leave the area to do that, be sure someone in authority remains vigilant while you are gone.

Enlist the help of others quickly. If your initial search isn’t successful, go to employees or someone in authority. Malls, entertainment venues and play areas will have a protocol they will implement immediately.

If ten minutes or more have passed and you haven’t found your child, call the police. While stranger abductions are very rare, having the police involved quickly will make sure all necessary steps are followed. If you are alone or have other children with you, also reach out to a family member or trusted friend to come and help you.

Plan Ahead

The majority of the time, a missing child is found within a very short time and was simply lost or distracted. The stress for the parent and child is still significant during the time they are separated. Talking regularly to your children about staying with you and about what to do if they do get lost is critical. In addition, always make sure you know what your child is wearing so you can easily describe him. And consider dressing him or her in bright, easily seen colors when you know you will be somewhere crowded!