Surviving an ...............................

**FVR** · 03-23-2008, 11:26 AM

Easter Egg hunt.

Yesterday, took the two kids (both 5) to the local easter egg hunt at the big park.

Area set up for the 5 year olds, 1800 eggs out. So many people, the area is squared off, three sides have easter egg hunters, one side has the refs or whatever blocking the other area that is for the older kids.

On your mark, get set, go..............

Wife has daughters hand, as daughter has poor eyesight and needs help. Me, I am right behind my son. Upon go, the world erupts. I see him for a split second then whoooshhhhhhhhhh, gone. In a split second there were over a hundred people between me and my son.

Three minutes later, the hunt is over. All you hear are the yells of parents looking for their kids.

I am one of the parents. My son got swooshed away in the mad dash for plastic and chocolate. I see my wife, were is .................we go into search mode, we are hollaring for our son, people are crowding waiting for the next hunt. The hundreds now turn into thousands, I'm trying to see my son, all the kids look alike, so I start looking for his bucket, bright green. Wished he had not taken off his bright colored army baseball cap. Still no son, wife and I meet up again, I go to the front of the new hunt and tell them to hold off, lost child, I'm searching the ranks on the opposite side, looking into the mob.

Wife, who is just awsome in high stressed situations, runs up to the mic., lost boy, they put out the name, problem, he is 5, he does not know what a stage is.

Next thing I hear, is his description, two minutes later, a man brings my son to the stage to my wife.

I don't eve want to have that feeling again. My wife is crying, we thought the worse. Ya see, our son and daughter are adopted. They have bio relatives in and around the area, and in my sons case, I would not put it by them to just try and take him oneday.

NO MORE MASS EASTER EGG HUNTS.

All I could think of was, he was taken or that he was crying in the middle of a group of people just feeling lost and abandoned.

After we all got back together, he asked to go home. He played it off like it was nothing, but later he told us that he was scared. He also mentioned that he would never run off like that again. I told him that next time, he is not going to outrun me.

**Rick** · 03-23-2008, 11:34 AM

Wow! What a timely story. I'm really glad everything worked out well. If they carried a whistle (survival whistle) on them it might have helped. Maybe attached as a zipper pull?

I trained my kids to always approach a woman if they become lost. Never a policeman and here's why. If you get down on your knees or lower and view the world from a kid's eyes then a policeman looks like uniform pants and shiny boots. Anyone matching that description would be a policeman to a small child. And don't think predators haven't considered that. Instead, I told them to approach a woman. A woman is less likely to be a child molester and more likely to stay involved until the child is safely turned over to parents or the proper authorities.

I'm glad that wasn't needed here.

**Ridge Wolf** · 03-23-2008, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by FVR

Easter Egg hunt.

Yesterday, took the two kids (both 5) to the local easter egg hunt at the big park.

Area set up for the 5 year olds, 1800 eggs out. So many people, the area is squared off, three sides have easter egg hunters, one side has the refs or whatever blocking the other area that is for the older kids.

On your mark, get set, go..............

Wife has daughters hand, as daughter has poor eyesight and needs help. Me, I am right behind my son. Upon go, the world erupts. I see him for a split second then whoooshhhhhhhhhh, gone. In a split second there were over a hundred people between me and my son.

Three minutes later, the hunt is over. All you hear are the yells of parents looking for their kids.

I am one of the parents. My son got swooshed away in the mad dash for plastic and chocolate. I see my wife, were is .................we go into search mode, we are hollaring for our son, people are crowding waiting for the next hunt. The hundreds now turn into thousands, I'm trying to see my son, all the kids look alike, so I start looking for his bucket, bright green. Wished he had not taken off his bright colored army baseball cap. Still no son, wife and I meet up again, I go to the front of the new hunt and tell them to hold off, lost child, I'm searching the ranks on the opposite side, looking into the mob.

Wife, who is just awsome in high stressed situations, runs up to the mic., lost boy, they put out the name, problem, he is 5, he does not know what a stage is.

Next thing I hear, is his description, two minutes later, a man brings my son to the stage to my wife.

I don't eve want to have that feeling again. My wife is crying, we thought the worse. Ya see, our son and daughter are adopted. They have bio relatives in and around the area, and in my sons case, I would not put it by them to just try and take him oneday.

NO MORE MASS EASTER EGG HUNTS.

All I could think of was, he was taken or that he was crying in the middle of a group of people just feeling lost and abandoned.

After we all got back together, he asked to go home. He played it off like it was nothing, but later he told us that he was scared. He also mentioned that he would never run off like that again. I told him that next time, he is not going to outrun me.

You like me are a stepfather.. I genuinely respect that.. you are awesome with that kind of commitment. Don't you just hate crowds?? I do.

**crashdive123** · 03-23-2008, 11:56 AM

Glad it worked out OK FVR.

**FVR** · 03-23-2008, 12:37 PM

Yes, I am not much on crowds.

WOW, a whistle. Great idea and it will be done.

**GVan** · 03-23-2008, 12:58 PM

One problem with whistle though,most of the kids I know, and have known, They'll just blow the thing just for the fun of it. But it's worth a try. good luck.

**Alpine_Sapper** · 03-23-2008, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by GVan

One problem with whistle though,most of the kids I know, and have known, They'll just blow the thing just for the fun of it. But it's worth a try. good luck.

I had that issue to some extent taking my 3 year old on hikes. Once we finally got her to blow through the whistle instead of hum through it like a kazoo, getting her to stop was an issue, until we got out on the trail. Every time I saw her put it in her mouth I told her I was going to take it away from her if she blew it, and that the only time she was allowed to blow it was when she got lost. The response I typically got was "Ok, daddy, I only blow it when you and mommy get lost". After 500 or so times having this exchange, it finally sank in and I don't have that issue but maybe 10-20 times when we initially hit the trail. If you can get them used to that, you can give them a whistle pretty much anywhere.

**Rick** · 03-23-2008, 05:17 PM

It's like EVERY THING ELSE. Once the novelty wears off then you can train them. How many times does the boss have to tell YOU to do something?

**crashdive123** · 03-23-2008, 05:23 PM

After years and years of training, she only has to tell me once! (Yes dear, coming.....)

**Rick** · 03-23-2008, 05:27 PM

Ouch!!! I resemble THAT remark!!

**canid** · 03-23-2008, 05:31 PM

How many times does the boss have to tell YOU to do something?

i don't know, the count's still runnin on that one.

**trax** · 03-24-2008, 03:48 PM

That happened to me when I was a really little kid and I was out at a big community event with my Mom and I still remember it. I was pretty scared when I couldn't find her. Rick's right about the kid's point of view. I'm glad everything worked out for you guys Frank.