Worst 4 minutes of my life

We just got back from vacation and successfully completed the trip WITHOUT a stroller! The girls did great at the airports, getting the rental car, while visiting a botanical garden and several museums. We had some whining when they got tired of walking, but overall it went great.

On our last day of vaca, we went to an amazing children's museum in Raleigh NC (because it was on the way to the airport). As soon as we got there, Meara just started to take off. I called her back, and then commented to my aunt how she never looks back, unlike Ana who does check in. We had 4 adults for 3 kids (my girls and my cousin's 4 year old).

You would think that since the adults outnumbered the kids it wouldn't be a problem, but in a split second, it was. We were all in one play area and DH and I were right there, and then a split second later, Meara was gone. At first I just thought she was up on one of the slides or something, but after about a minute it became apparent she wasn't there. I grabbed Ana and started screaming her name. My mind immediately went to "OMG someone took her." My aunt got an employee, DH was searching one side, I was on the other side, but she was no where.

Finally DH went to look in the other rooms of the museum and she was happily painting in another section of the museum. Once DH brought her back to me she started crying (because she saw my face), but when he found her she wasn't bothered at all. She knows to "stick with the group," but I guess she didn't realize no one followed her out. Scary 4 minutes (that felt like hours).

 

:hug: how scary!! It does feel like time takes forever and that feeling is just the worst! I'm glad things turned out okay and that the stroller-free vacation was a success!

 

:hug: Leighann. Those moments are so terrifying. We experienced something similar at home with Sofia. She was hiding in an obscure place outside and wouldn't respond to my screaming her name. Luckily my DH found her, as I was about to call the police. Glad she was OK and that the rest of your vacation was successful!

 

Glad it only took 4 minutes to find her, Leighann! I think that is every parent's nightmare!

 

Sometimes it's worse when the adults outnumber the kids, because everyone assumes someone else is watching. The times that I've lost one of mine (and it's happened more than once!), it was usually because we were in a group, so I wasn't making visual contact with each child every 10 seconds because I "knew" there were plenty of eyes.

Our next-door neighbors (who also have two small children) were freaking out one day because they couldn't find their 4-year-old -- they were banging on doors up & down the street and on the verge of calling the police. It turned out she was asleep in a tent in the living room, so sound asleep that she didn't hear everyone screaming her name. :ibiggrin:

 

:hug: so scary! i'm glad everything was fine.

and congrats on a successful vaca!

 

:grouphug: Leighann! I would have been terrified too and I know those 4 minutes would have felt like hours! Glad she was found quickly and you had a successful vacation!

 

Was it Marbles Museum? I just went there recently. My boys loved it there! I'll be going back soon! It is easy to lose a kid in there since it's so crowded, but with tons to do in that museum, there's always somethign to distract a child before running out. Either way, I'm sorry you had a scare. I can only imagine how that must have felt! I'm glad all was good and your vacation went well. I have yet to get my boys on a plane. I hopefully will get the chance soon. My family is getting really restless for me to come visit them and they ALL live out of state!

 

we had that happen with Ian at the twin gathering over Memorial day weekend - fortunately he had on a bright orange T-Shirt and we found him within 10 minutes (at Sesame Place!)

 

Glad you found her. I've been there a few times, and it was awful for the 2-3 minutes it took to find the missing kid.

 

Oh, how scary!! :hug: :hug:

 

Wow! That is scary! I was scared reading your post! :hug:

 

:hug: What a nightmare it must have been for you!!

 

OMG, I would have had a heart attack! :hug: Thank goodness you found her and everything was ok.

 

How scary!! I'm glad she was found so quickly.

I lost Nolan last year at the Boston Children's Museum and this year we lost Liam for 10-15 minutes in a restaurant. He was hiding because he had an accident and wouldn't come out. I was in the parking lot looking in the back seats of cars for him. So scary.

 

It was! What a fantastic place.

 

Ugh, I am so sorry. I have had moments like that & they are absolutely terrifying! I am glad you found her safe & sound. :hug:

 

UGH! We have had a similiar situation with Cooper. VERY terrifying!! So glad you guys found her safe and sound. :grouphug:

 

How scary! We went to a children't museum type place once and there was an indoor playground with a huge climbing castle for preschoolers. It drove me INSANE that I couldn't see them when they got to the top! Luckily, there was a gate with a magnetic lock they couldn't reach to get out of the area.

So glad everything was OK and that you had a fun vaca!

 

I have the biggest goosebumps right now. :cry: I can't even imagine the panic that set in. :hug: :hug: :hug:

First thing I thought of when I came in to read this. :cry: That was AWFUL.

 

:hug: How scary.

 

Oh Goodness, this JUST happened to me last weekend at Six Flags.
I won't go into the long story but when I finally saw Delilah I became HYSTERCLE!! It was like a sense of relief but also the feeling of "what if" combined with the stress your body and mind go through while they're missing.

I was a MESS!! I was in the middle of the play area on my knees (I don't even remember falling) sobbing. My husband was trying to "entertain" the girls and strangers were coming up to me asking me if I needed help because I could not catch my breath.
It took a while to "recover" but I had to so we as a family could enjoy the rest of our day. Truth be told though it took a few days for me to calm down and even now I'm a little effected. It's like post tramatic stress syndrome.

Ugh, what a terrible feeling.
Geez Louise this parenting thing is H.A.R.D.!! (and wonderful

 

I've yet to experience this and hope I NEVER WILL. I agree with the pp mentioning how the more adults you have the higher the chance. I find men in their 60s (both grandfathers) were the worst !! I said very loudly "here you hold onto your grandpa's hand" to which I hand him her hand and he takes it. I grab another child and turn around and he isn't holding her hand !!! We are in a parking lot !!! Not busy parking lot but it only takes one car. So... I trust very few people now.

Heather