Have You Ever Lost A Child While On Your Vacation?

A few years ago we went went on a mini family vaction to Illinois' Legislative Day at the state capital. Legislative Day is sponsored by Illinois' CHEC - Christian Home Educators Coalition. Home School families take two homemade cherry pies to deliver them to the state's Legislators and getting a chance to visit and talk with them as well as the group all getting together to sing.

We were at the hotel next door to the Capital and needed to go through to the building on the other side. I was carrying our pies walking along with my husband and four children. We meandered as we passed through.

In the rotunda at the middle of the hall, we stopped and watched an interesting presentation of some kind (it's been a long time!) We proceeded on out the other end of the Capital towards our meeting place.

As we walked along, a friend of ours called out "Haven't you forgotten something?"

I looked down at my pies, raised them up and said a questioning "No?" She ended up asking us two more times with us not having a clue as to what she was talking about.

Then she said, "Gina!"

We turned around and realized our youngest, who was about six, was missing. We RAN into the building and down the hall with our other three children right behind us while people stopped and stared at our mad dash.

As we reached the rotunda, we saw Gina calmly standing there, holding onto the rope around the presentation, attentively watching while waiting for us.

When we asked her why wasn't she upset, she told us that she prayed and then stayed right where she was like we taught her.

Deep sighs!

Whether you are on a vacation, or on errands around town, teach your children to 1) pray, 2) stay right where they are and 3) to stay calm. It is MUCH easier to find a still target then one that is moving around. Plus, it usually doesn't take long to figure out you're forgetting something, so they shouldn't be alone too long.

Don't forget to regularly review with them, asking them 'What if you turned around and couldn't find me at the mall?' 'We're out hiking in the mountains, you see an interesting bug and bend down to watch it. You straighten up to follow along and all you see are trees in every direction. What should you do?"

Have a plan and discuss and review it with all of your children from your toddler on up to your teen.