And no I am not talking about losing them on purpose! (although some days you might wish you could….). I was listening to the radio and they were talking about the Octo mum who called the police the other day because she was convinced that the school bus hadn’t dropped off one of her boys. She called the police in a panic, and they showed up – only to find the boy in his bed sleeping.
LOST & FOUND!
I had to laugh because it’s happened to me. Now given that I have eight childre, the real shocker is that I have only lost one child – and it has always been that same child, a few times. By now I am sure you have guessed which one, and if you guessed Ryley then you win the prize!
I had been out and the children had been left with Dad taking care of them (okay so really we know right here that this is trouble in the making right?) when I came home the children came running over and showered me with hugs and kisses, because they missed me so much – okay maybe Ii just imagined that happened but lets just go with it shall we? I noticed ryley, who was 3 or 4 at the time, wasn’t with the bunch of monkeys so I asked where he was.
Surprise, surprise no one had a clue. No biggie, I figured he was up in his room and maybe fell asleep, but when I went upstairs to check – he wasn’t there. I started to check the other bedrooms – no sight of him. No I was beginning to get a little concerned! I asked the other children to start looking in the basement playroom, closets, and any other place he might be. Nothing. After almost 45mins of searching I was begining to panic. Where the hell was he?!
I thought about calling the police but held back because I figured they would think I was a loonie. We called out his name and continued to look. Usually I am calm, collected and composed, yet at this point I was a crying, blubberly mess.
Finally I gave in and picked up the phone. As I started to dial I heard Joshua call out that he had found him. I hung up the phone and ran to the front room. Behind a couch that was not quite against the wall were a few blankets – under the blankets was Ryley sleeping!
He must have heard the commotion we were all making because Ryley looked up at me and smiled.
“Did I win?” he asked.
I was confused. “Win what?”
He yawned. “The game.”
Getting more and more confused I asked him what game he was talking about.
“Hide n’seek!’.
OMG! I should have known because this is his favourite game! I explained to him that when playing hide n’seek everyone must agree to playing – not just one person, and that it wasn’t safe to hide like that without anybody knowing that he was hiding or playing the game. I explained how worried I had been that I couldn’t find him.
Well, all my talking helped for a few months – until he decided that he was mad at me and hid out in the backyard with a beach towel over his head – but thats another story.
Have you ever lost a child, in your house, a store, park – anywhere?
Until next time,
Chantel,momof8crazymonkeys
Kath I seriously think the game hide n seek should be banned – at least until they are 10 or so lol
First off I am so relieved that you never went back to that water park! wait an hour and come back? WTH? Crazy I would have flipped out. Water parks and anywhere with water pretty well stress me to the max as I am not a strong swimmer. When at these places with the children I always have someone with me but I still get a headache from my head turning back and forth, back and forth like a ping pong as I watch my children like a hawk.
20 minutes – omg I would have freaked out! At least my little one was in the house! It’s amazing how many people out there are generous and quick to help when needed – often we see so much negative. I am just picturing your little one sitting in the sand oblivious to the torture you went through gotta love them:)
Thanks:)
I like the way you write. Great blog
Scary alright! It is the worse feeling your heart almost stops. Glad you found here though:)
We were living in family hosing at university. There was a bike parade for the kids – I forget the event. My 5 year old was very excited – both children (3 and 5) were outside with their dad who was decorating our 5 year olds bike. I forget why I wasn’t there – but I did track them down in the hubbub and what seemed like hundreds of bikes, adults and kids. I asked my husband where our 3 year old was – he looked shocked – with his attention being on getting the bike decorated she had wandered off and he hadn’t noticed – I thought my heart would burst with fear! We found her about 20 minutes later with help from so many other parents – (I had been able to give a description of her clothes) sitting in a sand pit away from all the noise and flurry of people. I thought I was going to cry I was so relieved to find her.
I remember when my now 25 year old took off in a K-Mart and hid in the clothing racks. I was with my SIL and we both had newborns in strollers and my daughter took off. I called her name and she would not answer. We walked up and down the clothing section and finally she appeared from between the clothing. I was so relieved. Another time we were at a water park for my company and my daughter and son went to the bigger part of the park (they were 12 and 10 at the time) as I was in the kiddie area with the youngest. She had enough and we went to get the other 2 and I saw my daughter but not my son. I asked where he was and she said she didn’t know. I stayed calm on the outside, but was freaking out on the inside as this was a very busy water park. I went to the lost children hut and they informed me that if I hadn’t found him in an hour to come back. I actually said your kidding me right, this is a water park he could be at the bottom of one of your pools. I took my girls and sat them in a specific area and said don’t move. I went up and down the wave pool looking on the bottom (a parents nightmare), went to the tube return place couldn’t find him anywhere. I went back to my girls and looked up and seen him walking toward us. I grab him and gave him a hug (actually I really wanted to strangle him, don’t worry I didn’t) and said where were you. He apparently was at the tube return and we must have missed each other. He was done with tubing so he decided to return the tube, but forgot to let his sister know.
I will say it was one of the worst feelings in the world when you can’t find them.
FYI I have never been back to that water park.
Last summer we lost Fiona for a few minutes at Battery Park, Niagara Falls, NY. TWICE! The first time was at the Cave of the Winds and I wasn’t too worried, a few people stepped between us and there was no where for her to go (on a wooden platform under the Bridal Veil Falls). The other time was on our way out of the park. It was starting to rain so we were rushing along. Several paths met at a circle and continued on in different directions. We went in the direction of our car and I looked back – no Fiona! My heart, I could’ve died right then. There were hundreds of people around who could have taken her. I yelled up at John, “We’re missing a kid”, scooped up Sophie and started running back. John ran ahead and we found her at the circle, crying. A kind woman was trying to comfort her. John scooped her up and then she reached over to me and we both cried. The whole thing only lasted a few minutes but it was awful and she still talks about it sometimes. I totally understand the leash for kids idea, totally.
My Charlotte hid in one of those clothing carousels they have at Old Navy once when she was about 2. I FREAKED. OUT. I think it was when she heard the panic in my voice that she came out and sheepishly said, “I was plying hide and seek, Mommy…”
Laws, that was scary.
Gosh, lady… maybe you should put a bell around his neck! 😉
thank gawd, no. that is a feeling i never want to experience! but i can totally understand it happening, especially with more than two kids (heck, sometimes even one!)