What to Do if your Child Gets Lost

It is every parent’s nightmare to have her child get lost. This fear isn’t unfounded because we read stories of children getting lost in parks, schools, malls and surely, parents of those children did not will for it to happen. To make things worse, we hear of stories of kidnapping incidents more frequently these days.  

The best way to deal with such a situation is to prevent it from happening. Take all necessary precautions to ensure that your child does not get lost whenever you step out of your door – whether traveling or just taking a quick trip to the supermarket or the mall.

Angelica Paculan Andal, School Director of Family Partners Learning Center, gives us tips on how to prevent ending up in such a predicament, and tips on what to do in case it happens:

• Every time there is an opportunity to discuss safety, take it. When there is a kidnapping incident that they hear about, take the chance to remind them to never talk to strangers, or at least be discerning - regardless of whether that person is male, female, young or old. If you see this happening, approach your child immediately and facilitate interaction. Andal notes, however, to be careful in overemphasizing the situation lest the child becomes too paranoid and afraid.
• Before leaving the house, always talk to your child about how important it is to stay close to you, your husband or the yaya, moreso when you’re traveling abroad where English is not the common language. Your child needs to understand that the people in the country you are going to may not know how to speak English so if they get lost, the people around them might not understand the questions they ask in their attempt to find their way back.
• Running away from you is a big no-no. In the first instance it happens, you must immediately take your child and give him a stern reprimand. Your child has to understand that you are serious about this and it’s a non-negotiable rule. Impose sanctions immediately should it happen again.
• Have your child memorize your full name, not just Mommy or your first name. This will be very helpful when you need to be paged in a mall. For your older children, have them memorize your mobile phone.
• Every time you go to a mall or a supermarket, show your child the people they can approach in case they get lost - security guards, customer service personnel, etc. Tell your child to approach them for help, especially when a stranger starts talking to him or her.

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• Teach your child to shout “Mommy!” very, very loudly if they cannot see you and think he/she or he is lost (because chances are you could be close by but just aren’t in their line of sight). If this happens, come to your child at once so he or she is encouraged to do the same the next time it happens.
• In case that your child thinks that he/she is lost, instruct him/her to first stay put (and call out for you), because it will be easier for you to find a stationary child vs. one that is wandering around.
• Teach older siblings to set a good example of staying close to you and help look out after the younger ones.
• Orient your yayas well. They should understand the importance of keeping an eye on their “alaga” at all times. They shouldn’t be using their mobile phones while in public places with your child, except for when they need to contact you. They should likewise avoid talking to strangers. And no matter how trusted your yaya is, constantly check on her and your child.

Vigilance is key. Do not get too caught up with shopping, talking or texting on your mobile phone or even talking with fellow adults. Make sure you have your child in your line of sight or within earshot at all times.

Here are more travel safety tips from real moms:

• "Have a safety plan (with older kids). Teach them what to do and where to go in case they get separated from you." - Nadja Gaerlan, mom to Sirocco Fin, 7
• "Let them wear an 'identification card' (containing all pertinent information) with a copy of their passport (if traveling abroad), in case they get lost." - Joee Mendiola-Manalo, mom to Meg, 6 and Moira, 4
• "Everyone in the traveling entourage should know exactly who’s in charge of looking out for the little ones.  This is to avoid situations where one parent thinks the child is with the other parent, but is in fact lost." - Chic Nicolas, mom to Julia, 3
• "Dress them in easy-to-spot clothing." - April Valencia, mom to Tori, 6, Carrie, 3 and Julio, 1
• "Using a child leash may be politically incorrect for most, but if you think it’s the best way to keep your child close, by all means, use one." - Anne Santos, mom to Tiago, 3

 

Photo from flickr.com