Help! My Mommy Is Lost!

I remember when I was a kid, my friend had this story in her family that even to this day, is a centerpiece of her families “funny stories.” They had five kids and one day the older kids remember shopping with mom, when the manager’s voice came over the store intercom: “Will the parents of a girl named ‘Jeff’ please come claim your child.”

What can I say, it was the 1970s and “Jeff” did indeed look like a girl with his long mop of hair. The humor in the family story was in regard to the gender mix-up. However, as a parent, I now listen to the story and think, “Wow, I think that is amazing that Jeff knew what to do when he got lost.”

When we are separated from a loved one in a public place, the reactions can vary. When a parent and child are separated, it is easy to go from fear to panic in 60 seconds. For the parent of a child who is a known “sprinter,” it seems you always live a constant state of anxiety every time you leave the house.

Here are some age appropriate tips on how to talk to your kids without scaring
them -- but empowering them to know what to do if the situation ever arises.

•  You can start to introduce the concept of a “Safe mom or dad 
with kids.” You can ask your kids to point out “the moms with a stroller” in
 the store. Make a game of it! 
• Practice your cell phone number with your child. Make sure they know your first name (not just "mommy").
• Use role-play games. You can explain to your child that sometimes we get lost or maybe we just need directions on how to get back to each other in the store. The word lost can seem very permanent to a child. As an alternate to using the word “lost” you can insert the word “directions.”
• School age kids are used to spending time away from mom  and dad. They have gotten used to asking adults for help. At this age, you can add an option to go find a “cash register” person if they need to locate you.
• Another option for your child is the “freeze and freak out.” Freeze in your tracks and yell, “MOM!” Kids may not think they can yell for help in a store. Make sure to let them know that they can yell and they can do so LOUDLY!

Always make sure your child knows that they are NEVER to leave the store without you. If you find a child who needs help locating a parent, stay with the child, enlist the help of another adult and NEVER transport or lead the child away.

About the Author: Kim Estes is the founder of  and has been a parenting educator in the Puget Sound Area for 15 years. Kim believes every adult has the power to keep kids safer through prevention education.