My son has a new, extremely annoying and worrying, thing he has begun to do. Whenever we are out in public he now thinks it's not only funny, but adventurous to just take off. You literally can't take your eyes off that kid for longer than 30 seconds. At my wedding, Scott's parents were in charge of my kids, or so I believed, but they became so busy with entertaining Edie and passing her around that soon they lost track of my son. It was only after coming back from pictures was I informed that my friend Alena found my son wandering by himself in the parking lot, next to a busy highway.
After that my family kept a close eye on him and I got to relax a bit, although my sister Michelle had to tell me more than once that they were handling it, and to stop chasing him and just enjoy my special day.
After my wedding the family reunion was still going on so Scott and I took the kids to the Enderby campground that my family was staying in and while Scott was gone (picking up some things at my grandparents house that we had forgotten there) my mom was placed in charge of Gabriel while I attempted to put Edie down for a nap. I was talking with my sister in law Mandy when I noticed Gabriel wander behind one of the tents. When he didnt come back out again a few minutes later I asked her to go grab him. Mandy came rushing back blurting out that he wasnt there. She ran to the path where the river was and said he wasnt in that direction either. That's when I began to panic.
My family was everywhere but no one was hearing Mandy and my's announcement that Gabe was missing. Finally I screamed at the top of my lungs with my voice breaking, "MY SON IS MISSING! HELP ME!" then everyone jumped into high gear while I fought back the rush of panic that threatened to collapse me into a puddle of tears. A few minutes later (the scariest of my life) a nearby neighbour came carrying my son as she heard our shouts for him. He was crying because he had tripped and fallen but otherwise seemed unharmed. After that little family panic session EVERY person in the camp kept their eye on him.
At this point I know not to take him out without someone directly in charge of watching him, whether that be me or someone else, and other than a multitude of time outs, im not sure what I should be doing to stop this behaviour.
Any mom's out there have any suggestions? Im at the end of my rope!!
4 comments:
Guess what? Totally in the same situation with Avery. I think, hmmm, I could try the beach with them alone, and then get the anxiety feeling, and the thought is over.
Consequence. I brought the stroller out when we went to the water park last time, and I told her if she ran off, she'd have a time out in it. We only used it twice, but she stopped. What works for him, consequence wise? If he walks with you, and he has to hold onto the stroller at all times, if he lets go, time out in the stroller, etc.
It sounds really simple, but I struggle with this exact same thing right now. I feel like I'm being judged in public, and am uptight, and it's like she knows she's in control; like I won't do anything. Super annoying.
If all else fails, don't go out solo, and laze around pregnant. Set up the water park in your back yard.
xx
Thats a great idea! I never considered time outs in a stroller! Im going to try that the next time i venture out! At this point im sooo nervous to go anywhere without another person with me because now that Edie is mobile I'll have to be chasing two kids. The next time I go out with scott though I will try your trick. It might be enough to get him to stop taking off, it truly is terrifying!
He wasn't at the parking lot, but he was far enough away from the reception for me to be uncomfortable with :P
Then he wouldn't come with me because he had no idea who I was.. even though I definitely knew who he was because of facebook lol. So at least he might not wander off with strangers! :)
Alena
Well thats a bit of a relief that he wont just happily go with people he's never met before. But I wish he was as cautious about not leaving whose ever in charge of him!
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