I lost Magdalene at the shops on Monday and it scared the crap out of me.
One moment she was standing with other children her age watching the Playdough show, the next she was nowhere to be seen and I panicked. Where could she have gone? Did someone take her?
It’s not the first time I’ve had this experience at the same shopping centre.
When Esther was two she ran away from an indoor playground when my attention was momentarily taken by another mother whose child was playing in the same area. There were a number of mums from my church who were watching their kids in the same playground. When I couldn’t find Esther, all the mums who knew her scanned the area where she had been playing. I remember the fear that crept in my heart when we couldn’t locate her. And then she emerged from the Cheap $2 shop adjacent the playground, arms laden with craft supplies, oblivious to the ruckus of panic she had caused us mums. We all laughed. I roused on her and took her back into the shop to put back all the products and I vowed to never take my eyes off her again.
When I realized that Magdalene was missing on Monday, I got Esther into action to help me find her sister. Phoebe was crying in the pram which didn’t help with the fear in the pit of my stomach.
After about 5 minutes of asking other mums if they had seen my Magdalene walk off, I wheeled the pram around to do a search within the shopping centre and coming towards the gathered mums and kids who were watching the show were two young women (who I assumed were mums) carrying my Magdalene. Relief washed over me and I nearly burst into tears thanking both the women for bringing my daughter back to the gathered area. I explained that I took my eyes off her for a moment to give her sister her bottle and when I looked up she was gone.
Apparently Magdalene bolted from watching the show and headed towards the playground. Her freedom run was recognized by the women as a ‘toddler on the loose’ and they knew they had to catch her and find her mummy.
Praise God for the community of mums.
Thankfully they didn’t judge me when they saw I had my hands full. I was relieved they found my baby girl.
It wouldn’t have mattered if they did judge me. They did the right thing by catching my daughter and bringing her back to the show to find me. I’m sure I’m not the only mum that thinks about Daniel Morcombe when their child goes missing. It was my first thought when I couldn’t find Esther two years ago and the same thought entered my mind on Monday. It’s every mother’s worst fear.
It made me think how aware I am when I’m out and about. Often I can be focused on keeping my own brood safe within arm’s reach, and not fully aware of children that may do a runner or find themselves in the most unsettling of circumstances being lost. I think that I would notice a lost child if I saw one, but after Monday’s episode I will be sure to be more aware of the children in my surroundings.
Have you ever lost your child at a shopping center or park?
