Realizing what could happen

[garth1]

Today, I was in Wal-Mart, and was going by the toy section, and I heard a mother calling for her child. And who do I see strolling down the main aisle, but the little girl that is lost. I heard the mother calling her name, and I realized that she was several aisle over. I called her name, and she came back toward me, and said that she was looking for "mommy". Mom comes out of the aisle, and I point to the little girl, and tell her that she is right here.

It made me feel good to do something good, in what could have been a potentially very bad situation. Mom thanked me profusely, and admonished the girl to never stray from her.

It just put a little joy in my heart to do something like that.

[Bliss]

On one hand, be carefull you're not mistaken as a kidnapper, but on the other kudos to you, always keep an eye open for that stuff.

Once I was strolling by a pharmacy (drug store?) near home, which has a frontal parking lot. As I walk by I saw a guy in one car get out, go to another car and take a kid (small) from that car back to his. I stood in place watching, took note of his license plate number and car description, and was deciding whether to stop him from leaving when a woman came out from the store with family and it became completely clear they where part of a small caravan and actually together ("mom" left another kid and an adult with the guy and took other people with herself on her car).

I kept the license in any case but never had to use it.

[Anakah]

My work shirt is not hard to miss, its bright and ugly. Now, a CW of mine had gone to lunch (BK) and when she came back she told me this:

Some scared little boy ran up to her crying (didn't really speak english) But she got this gist that he was scared and lost. The boy cried and clung to her as she took him to security. I'm just glad the little boy knew to go to someone in uniform.

I've heard people tell their kids to find a female. Honestly I hope it never comes down to me telling my kid which gender is safe because there really isn't.

[XCashier]

I've heard people tell their kids to find a female. Honestly I hope it never comes down to me telling my kid which gender is safe because there really isn't.

No, there isn't. Kidnappers come in all genders and ages. That sweet-looking grandmotherly old lady could be a kidnapper. Best bet is for the kid to find a store employee or police/fire/security officer (look for the uniform).

[Becks]

admonished the girl to never stray from her.

Yes, I know small children (and even myself, at age 29) have a tendency to wander.

Either stick the child in a cart, a stroller, or even get a wrist leash.

Please.

[Amina516]

I was in walmart a few weeks ago and I notice a little boy about 5 or so...just walking and crying silently. I stop him and ask him if hes lost and he tells me yes. I take his hand and head him over to the customer service desk.

The amount of people (sadly, that included employees) that completely bypassed this kid was ridiculous. If that were my child, Id appreciate a kind person taking him to an employee or the desk so that he could be helped. Its scary actually, anyone could have picked him up..!

[tollbaby]

It *is* frightening, and it scares the hell out of me every single day that someone could just walk up to my daughter and grab her (my son's harder to grab - he's heavy... and loud!) My 7 year old, on the other hand, is so friendly and outgoing that she talks to EVERYBODY. *grumble*

[trunks2k]

A child is really most likely to be kidnapped by a family member or someone that the child knows well. The chances of a child being kidnapped by a total stranger is extremely low, especially in public places. We just think it happens much more often than it really does - the risk for the given predator is just too great in that sort of situation. A predator is much more likely to gain the trust of the child and the parents such that he/she can be alone with the child and the child will be afraid to report anything wrong.

I'd argue that if a child is lost, unless someone "in uniform" is within view, he/she should approach the nearest adult. The chances that the nearest adult is someone that would want to kidnap or hurt the child is almost nothing, and it lessens the amount of time a child is wandering around looking confused and lost and gaining the attention of a person that might actually want to kidnap a child (not that it's likely that such a person is around anyways).

[Chromatix]

I got "lost" once, but not in a supermarket. I still don't know whether it was just a miscommunication, but I ended up waiting in front of a large, well-known Liverpudlian department store for several hours, while my mother had... gone home. I didn't have any money for a bus fare, but I was old enough to know my way home if I did.

I eventually plucked up the courage to walk into the nearby police information office - not a full station. They sorted out what had happened, lent me a pound for bus fare, and sent me on my way. Of course I had to come straight back again to return the pound.

[wagegoth]

I got "lost" once, but not in a supermarket. I still don't know whether it was just a miscommunication, but I ended up waiting in front of a large, well-known Liverpudlian department store for several hours, while my mother had... gone home. I didn't have any money for a bus fare, but I was old enough to know my way home if I did.

I eventually plucked up the courage to walk into the nearby police information office - not a full station. They sorted out what had happened, lent me a pound for bus fare, and sent me on my way. Of course I had to come straight back again to return the pound.

Your mother should have returned the pound. WTH?!

I don't know how old you are, but nowadays here, unless it's a small town where the cops know everyone, the police would be calling your mother and child protective services.




The one time I was separated from my mother, I did what she had told me to do: I went to the main entrance of the store and waited there for her or a security guard to find me. She, in her panic, forgot what she had told me to do and had security searching the store for me. She was sobbing by the time she found me and wanted to know where I had been and what I was doing there. "I did what you told me to do, Mommy," I said.

[Evil Queen]

I was lost in some store, eons ago. I was relatively blind having just finished a eye doctor's appointment (I was a very blind child. I wore Coke bottle glasses) and had gone out shopping with my grand parents. I was maybe 6 at the time? I sat down, cried my eyes out until a very nice lady employee helped me find my grandpa ("he's a really really big man in a brown shirt!").

Thank god I lived in a small town at the time; the employee knew my grandpa and tracked him down for me. Oh, I was so happy to see him!

Damn. Now I miss my grandpa (he died a "long time ago" now).

[Pagan]

I see kids that are too little to be by themselves all the time, especially at a certain large store here. Good luck trying to find out who they belong to.

Of course, the parents seem to think that the place is a playground to turn them loose in and we'll all babysit them. If you want me to do that, you're gonna pay me!

[CaroPhoenix]

Tollbaby - I'm right with you on the friendly aspect.

My daughter is friendly to everyone. She especially loves store employees (have no clue, but those are the ones she likes to hug the most *le sigh*).

But she does have a tendency to wander away, that's why I only take her to stores I know have a shopping buggy with a seat attached. That way I don't have to chase her.

[Chromatix]

Your mother should have returned the pound. WTH?!

I don't know how old you are, but nowadays here, unless it's a small town where the cops know everyone, the police would be calling your mother and child protective services.

This was roughly 20 years ago, but I wasn't *that* young. It was at least vaguely reasonable for me to take the pound back by myself (and my mother did supply this, as well as the extra bus tickets). I reliably knew our home phone number and address, for example. I don't remember my actual age at the time though.

Social Services *were* called - eventually, and for a completely different reason. That's a different tale which I probably won't tell here.

But I wouldn't be horribly surprised to find my mother appearing on this board as an SC.