Once your little one hits a certain age, they begin to feel less fearful about going off on their own. But for a mum, there is nothing quite as frightening as realising that your child is out of sight.
So, to ensure you keep your head and don't panic if it does happen, read these tips:
Don’t panic
This is a lot harder to say then to actually do, but it is important you try to keep calm. Panicking won’t help your find your little one, it will simply put your head in a spin and you won’t be able to focus on what you need to do.
Look around
As mentioned above, it is important you try to keep a clear head. Don’t run around the shop or area looking for them, instead stop and try to think where the last place you saw them was. Have a look around that area and get down on your hands and knees to check any nearby cubby holes or clothes rails that your child could be hiding in or under.
Tell someone
If you are in a shop, contact a manager and ask if you can get your little one’s name called out over the intercom. Unfortunately, this is a little bit more difficult when you are outside. If you are outside - say in the park - ask other parents or people near you if they have seen your child. Remain calm and describe what your little one is wearing. The more people that know, the bigger the chance of someone having spotted them somewhere.
Call the police
If your child has been missing for more than 15/30 minutes, call the police. While they are likely to have just walked off towards something that caught their eye, it is important you act quickly when kids are involved. Don’t wait to call the police, especially if you are outside.
Don’t give out to them
When your child is successfully located, give them a huge hug. When they realised that they were lost they were probably just as frightened as you so don’t give out to them. Instead when everything has calmed own, have a chat with them about staying beside you when out and what they need to do if they get lost again.
