Teaching the child what to do if they get lost

It is very important for the life and safety of the child, to know what to do if he finds himself alone and without knowing how to find you. In order to be able to face such a situation, he should be well prepared, so that before anything else, he can activate his calmness. Suppose you are in a large shopping mall or in an entertainment venue or a park, and something happens, where the child escapes your attention and gets lost. Let’s see how you should prepare him for such a situation.

The child should know his or her first and last name, as well as the names of his or her mother and father, from a very young age. Some children, even as young as 3 years old, are able to learn and remember their mother and father’s phone numbers. You can of course put a note with emergency numbers and the child’s and yours in a pocket or purse, but the safest thing is for them to remember them.

Start it as a game. Teach your child how to call you on your cell phone, landline, or any other family member you trust.

It is important for the child to know that he should not talk to strangers, but when he finds himself in such a situation, he should calmly ask for help. What should you tell him? That if something like this happens and he finds himself alone in a crowd, it is a good idea to ask for help from a saleswoman or a restaurant or bakery employee, or from a security person who can recognize him by his specific uniform.

How will he distinguish these people? On your walks, show him all those special characteristics that make these people stand out. For example, a store clerk, even if she does not wear a name tag, is certainly not wearing a coat and is not carrying a bag or is behind a counter or the store cashier.

It’s important for your child to know that if they get lost, they should stay where they are. If they start running around the park, or if they go up and down floors in the mall, it will be even harder to find them.

At random moments, ask your child what he would do if you were somewhere and suddenly couldn’t find you. Also, ask him who he would turn to and what he would say. Would he know his parents’ names and phone numbers? In any case, try not to scare the child. Pass on the message that the most important thing in such moments is to keep our cool so that we can think clearly and be able to meet again quickly.