I lost dd at the store today...............

[Acinonyx]

We were walking home from the park and stopped at the mini Tesco. Dd is 2 yrs old. I looked at her (3 feet away fiddling with some packets), looked at the bread, looked back - and she was gone. I ran up the aisle and looked - no dd. Looked down all the aisles - then someone said she had run out the door. She must have gone down the next aisle and out as I was looking for her.

I ran outside and looked around, calling for her. No dd. I was starting to get that strange fuzzy tingling feeling - I didn't know which way to go next. People asked me what the matter was. An oldish man came up the lane by the shop and asked if I was looking for my little-un. And there she was, down the lane, by an enormous lorry, looking a bit sheepish.

It just happened SO FAST I could not believe it. How can I ever take her walking again? She won't hold my hand. I do have reigns but rarely use them. Next time I'll have heart failure and she'll get run over or kidnapped...... Jill (is it too early for brandy..??)

How scary for you - no it's not too early for brandy!

Reins not roadkill I say!

Another vote for reins. They disappear in a flash. Just when you need to know she's beside you, when your browsing. You can hold her hand if you're just walking along but loop the reins over your arm and you can rest easy in shops.

Hope your heart rate is back to normal now

I feel your panic!

I think most of us have experienced something similar tbh. Buggy or reins next time.

We used to us a wrist band with a lead on for dd when she starting tantrumming over reins - she was much happier with it and total peace of mind

Reigns saved my dd on numerous occasions.

How scarey! Definately reins next time - or one of those wrist band things.
Hope you are fully recovered.

reins

My oldest son would be dead if not for reins.

dear god - you poor thing!

yes, reins would be good until she is a little older understands consequences more imo .. dd was the same, there one minute - gone the next (although usually only to the next aisle with an entire display around her feet!)

Reigns or buggy I think. I know a lot of people think reigns are verging on the criminal but I guess I'd rather be a cruel criminal mother of a living non-lost child!

She's usually glued to me and never wants to be out of my sight so I was really taken by surprise.

I suppose I will confess to dh. Poor man - if it had been him no doubt I would have given him a right bollocking! Jill

Reins for her highness even..

reins! you just answered your own question!

at 2 they just don't know what the dangers are, my ds2 would have just thought oh theres a truck.

It's been very educational for me - I really would not have believed I could lose her so fast - really the blink of an eye - if I hadn't actually experienced it.

Oh how scary for you, thank goodness she is ok.

IMHO its reins or pushchair until she is old enough to understand not to run off.

Holding hands wont help if you have a basket in one hand and actually want to put something in it!

I didnt realise there was a time acceptable for alcohol (except ANYtime)

They get a lot of scampering practice - it's hardly surprising they can leg it is it?

I always thought one of those dog leads with a retraction button would be good but apparently you can't get them for kids.

Bungee baby - that's what I'd call it!

We 'lost' dd when she was just a few weeks old. She was in her car seat in the trolley and we both went off looking for stuff thinking the other had the trolley. It was only when we met up around 10mins later with armfuls of shopping that we realised neither of us had the trolley!

We found her dosing by the cheese counter.

It does make your heart stop though, and when they get their legs, well yes I've lost them a good few times since!

REINS

You poor thing.

I was in ELC today and had put the shopping in the buggy to stop it tipping. Consequently forgot the baby wasn't in the buggy. At the till to pay, no baby, couldn't see him, Major panic. I am shouting for him and the staff are t h i s
slow at realising what has happened. Baby toddles from behind me as happy as larry playing with a hoover.

Have you talked to her about what happened?

try a wrist strap

use reins or writst strap. Dd2 used to run away and it drove me round the twist.

I might get a wrist strap and try that too. I tried to talk to her but I it is difficult at this age. I'm not sure if she took it in or not. I think she was playing hide and chase with me and was confused when I didn't come straight after her. Dh's advice was to always have her directly in front of me.

ELC is difficult too - hard to look at anything for looking for dd. Has anyone who used reins regularly had anyone make a nasty comment about it to them? JIll