Advice needed - stranger danger

[Shimmy21]

Yesterday my 5 yr old ran away from me on a walk in the countryside after being told off. He was missing for about half an hour and I panicked when a dog walker said she'd seen him walking off with a man she assumed was his granddad. I called the police but before they arrived he was found laughing and hiding. He thought it was a game but I can't believe he went so far and stayed hidden for so long.(He was following the man but didn't speak to him.) I've tried talking to him but he's a typical little boy and doesn't like listening. What do I do now? Punish him? How can I impress on him how dangerous it could be without terrifying him? Any ideas?

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thanks twiglett - will look for the book

The book Twiglett mentioned is by Anne Fine (previous children's laureate). I like it a lot for children this age, as it informs them, and makes them think a bit too, but doesn't scare them witless.

here on Amazon

Thanks for starting this thread and the advice as dd disappeared on Sunday in the park whilst we were distracted by ds trying to toch a dog. She was gone for about 15 mins and it was aweful, she was frightened but I am really not convinced she would not do it again .. I will be getting the book as I don't want to frighten the hell out of her but I know it is a lesson for us.
That was in the morning in the afternoon ds broke his leg Though dd going missing actually upset me more iykwim

OMG - feel so much for both of you. Glad everything was OK. Thanks for tfe link on those books roisin - there's a couple there I may get too

Thanks for the book recommendation. I think I might get that for my almost 5 year old daughter. She is the least shy child in the world and will talk to anyone - not necessarily a good thing.

Shimmy, I know how you feel. A few weeks ago my daughter disappeared on a crowded beach in France. She was missing for an hour. It was the most terrifying hour of my life. Luckily there were 2 other adults with us and they combed the beach while I stayed where we were with my 2 year old. We had the life guards and the police looking for her. We were starting to think that she must have been taken because if she was still on the beach someone would have found her. We assumed that she would also be frightened, crying, looking for me.

Well after an hour thankfully someone took her into the police station. We still don't quite understand where she was the whole time and how we hadn't seen her. She was soaking wet - she had decided to go for a swim by herself. And she hadn't been crying. She only cried when we were reunited, and that may only have been because I was sobbing. I'm not even sure she realises she was lost. I guess that's a good thing. It doesn't seem to have affected her, just the adults who were there that day. I have a knot in the pit of my stomach just thinking about it.