All of the parents on our side of the street spoke with the officer. We all look out for each other's kids, and we were all scared. If one kid is missing, or God forbid taken, what does that mean for our children?!
All's well that ends well in this case. The little girl was playing inside at another friend's house a block and a half away. The officer was impressed with our collective response to a missing child. Every parent used whatever resources were available to track her down. He said it made his job much easier.
Some important info came out of this experience...
- Ask/tell your kids to let you know where they will be playing, and keep you updated if they change location
- Introduce yourself to your kids' friends' parents
- Know where your kids' friends live
- Get phone numbers!
- If a child goes missing, understand that your child will most likely be anxious and/or scared. Be honest and reassuring when explaining what's going on. And give lots of hugs and kisses.
