When we visited Seiple Farms last week we did have a serious incident. I didn't get a chance to post about it before. We were running late that day, and we didn't go to all the places there that we normally do. The pumpkin harvest was also not good, so it took longer to find decent pumpkins. But when we took the kids to the part where they have straw bales set up for kids to run around on-with a tiny maze in the middle-Timothy ran away. I still don't understand why. The kids were all enjoying themselves, running around, climbing. Tom was filming and I took Jacob around a little. We were both there, and all the sudden I noticed that I hadn't seen Timothy in a couple minutes. It wasn't long, and I know I seem paranoid sometimes because I want to know where they all are all the time. But this feeling wouldn't let go so I called over to Tom and he said Timothy just went into the maze. I walked around and still didn't see him but figured I was just missing him. But still that nagging mother's intuition was REALLY bothering me and I asked Tom again. He insisted he saw Timothy so I asked Leanna. I sent her into the maze to look and she couldn't find him. So I went back to Tom and asked him to look also. Then he couldn't find him and we began looking around us, besides the maze/bales. Tom watched the video he'd just shot to see if he could see Timothy going somewhere. I'm starting to get really really worried now. I'm thinking about all those Without a Trace shows Tom has watched and how they say time is really important in searching for a missing person. Tom says that the tape shows Timothy going into the maze but not coming out. I'm scanning the whole place I can see from there and Tom leaves to walk around. Timothy has a tendency to wander, but I'm worrying that either someone might take him or he might get hurt on his own. I pulled Leanna and Justin out and headed over for the DJ booth to ask him if he's seen a little boy in an Eagles sweatshirt and boots walk past and to see if he can make an announcement or something. I am so very scared at this point. Tom thinks Timothy was gone for about 15 minutes but I think it was longer. If felt like forever. But as I headed toward the DJ booth I see a woman carrying Timothy headed over there too. "Hey!" I yell, "that's my son!" I start running, pushing the stroller with the other two following me. She said she found him wandering in the parking lot-quite a distance from the hay where we were. I just kept thanking her. Timothy was completely undisturbed, the lady said he never cried or was scared. I was thinking, of course not-the little stinker wandered off on his own, he wasn't left behind! We were right there, and it's not a spread out place. You wouldn't think he'd be able to get away without us noticing. Leanna and Justin would have been very scared if they realized we weren't around. They won't let us get out of sight. Timothy isn't at all bothered by it. He wandered off on his own at the block party, and at my cousin's daughter's party. And it's never a situation where he's bored. He just heads off all the sudden. That's the scary part. I think he may have been trying to get to our van to get water (I'd told him that we left it in the car) or he may just have been trying to go on the tractors (hayride) and gotten lost. He could easily have been run over in the parking lot, he's so little. His guardian angel was with him that day!
We didn't "whip his butt" as was suggested to me. Honestly, that would never even occur to me. He's not doing it to be bad or to scare us. And He doesn't understand the possible consequences. A spanking now won't deter him months down the road-or whenever-from wandering away. I could see punishing him for willful disobedience. But that isn't what happened here. I don't think there's a real solution at his age. Just vigilance on our part. Hyper-vigilance.
For days afterward, I kept talking to him about it. Even if it had left his mind, it certainly hadn't left mine. Very very scary.
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4 comments:
I really think Timothy is a very Curious George here in this episode of the hay maze. He probably was just walking and walking and wasn't paying attention to where he was, until that woman saw he was alone. I really bet that woman was just a scared and worried as you were Steph, especially seeing a little child all alone with no parent around.
You hear about it all the time with kids wandering off to investigate things on their own.
I too, came across a little child one time when I was shopping in a store years ago. That child came up to me saying it was lost and can't find his mommy. I can just imagine how that mommy felt and the child wandering where each were at the time. I can just see Timothy looking around and thinking to himself of well they are around here somewhere with no worries or concern.
He is just so darn cute.
My first reaction would be to swat his little bottom because I would be the one scared, but really what would that solve, because Timothy would only think to himself, what did I do wrong. At that age a child has NO FEAR and they are so innocent looking.
i understand why you do, but you shouldn't have to explain yourself and what punishment you choose for your own child =) you are the only one who knows what works for them...
that is my worst fear (besides peanuts!) steph! that is a very scary situation. Its nice to know that people will get involved and not just ignore the little kid in the parking lot alone. this day and age people are so afraid to get in trouble that they do nothing. it's a shame...
LOL Sue-Timothy LOVES Curious George. Now I'm thinking maybe a little too much!
I teach my kids that if they ever get lost to look for a policeman, an employee, or a mommy with kids. Justin and Leanna get it and absolutely would have. I'm glad a nice person found him, since Timothy would never have done that on his own.
Very scary...I'm glad all worked out well. I don't recall that happened with either of my kids when they were small....thank goodness.
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