Nightmare Scenario; 31 for 21

Grab This Button
<a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/09/31-for-21-eve.html" _mce_href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/09/31-for-21-eve.html.html"><img src="http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x198/wish4rk/TTR31for21-5.png" _mce_src="http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x198/wish4rk/TTR31for21-5.png"/></a><br/><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/09/31-for-21-eve.html" _mce_href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/09/31-for-21-eve.html.html">Grab This Button</a><br/>

This afternoon our local DS parent group had a Welcome Social for new parents. You know, a sort of "welcome to the club" dealio that I am sure most groups put on. It was a fun one and well-attended. The kids dressed in their costumes and there was pizza and pie. The whole she-bang.

Why am I going on about all that though? I don't know. Because really, the nightmare? It was what happened less than an hour after we arrived.

Georgia got away.

Like, out the door, frantic "Where's Georgia???!?!?," down the (MAIN) street, carried back in by someone who ran out to look for her while Alex and I were looking elsewhere. A.WAY!!!

I will definitely be losing some sleep over this. And feeling like a terrible mom.

I mean, in my defense, it was crowded, I had some "official" stuff I was doing (greeting new parents, making sure everyone had what they needed), there were lots of kids dressed similarly to Georgia and several rooms in which she could (and was) playing. So it was easy to lose a kid. I also didn't know they had propped a door open (so people could find us).

But the thing is, I let my guard down. Even if just for a couple moments. And she left. She LEFT! My four-year-old, more-or-less helpless (in traffic anyway), little girl LEFT THE BUILDING!!!

And on THAT ROAD. In THAT AREA.

I still feel like I am going to throw-up.

The thing is, too, that because Alex was also there and keeping an eye on the kids, I almost DIDN'T panic, or take a second look for her at first. CERTAIN that he must have her eye on her. But then. HE was probably certain that I did. You know?

It's nobody's fault. And both of ours.

And she LEFT THE FREAKING BUILDING!! Was found by someone else and carried back to me.

When I realized she was really gone, I ran. There were SO many places she could be. And she was OUTSIDE. UNATTENDED. NEAR A BUSY STREET!

I have a feeling those are the words that are going to continue going through my mind. And I am SURE I am going to only be that much more paranoid. I have considered this type of thing with terror before.

My baby! Alone in the big bad world.

It could have all gone so terribly wrong.

Of course, it didn't, thank everything good and holy and decent and protective in this universe.

But it could've.

And I am now off to research GPS devices for kids.

It can all go very badly in an instant.

Comments

[Nora]

I know it's easy for *me* to say this, but this isn't a parenting fail. These things happen. My cousin Molly left through her unlocked front door as a kid -- and was returned by two strangers, after she'd managed to cross the street on her own! (And this was in Somerville -- on a reasonably quiet street, but still!). My aunt Ann had some crazy adventure at around that age, too -- I don't remember the exact details (this was all long before I was born), but I think it involved her walking down by the creek that ran behind their house, and following it until she met the road, a few blocks away. Again, kind strangers brought her home.

My point is that these things do happen -- good parents have good kids who wander off and good people step in to bring them home safe. Not that you shouldn't try to minimize the chances of it happening again, but don't beat yourself up that it happened this time. G's home safe, and you're still a good mom. An understandably freaked out mom, but a good mom. :)

[Kristin]

Aside from these things do happen, I haven't found a truly affordable GPS system, since you have to subscribe to a monthly monitoring service - ugh. In the meantime, I got both kiddos ID bracelets with my cell number on it. Of course that doesn't help if they run into traffic. I looked into the 'Mommy I'm Here' beeper, but again, in your situation, not sure you would have even heard the beep. Good luck.
Products found here: http://www.mypreciouskid.com/child-locator.html
and here: http://www.mypreciouskid.com/child-id-bracelet.html

[RK]

Oh my. This makes me cringe as I read. SO glad she was alright. On the heels of what happened to our precious little friend on Friday, this makes my sensitivity (read: paranoia) heightened even more.

So fast. It can happen so fast. Really scary to me. Thank God she is ok.