Little Boy Lost

Tuesday, August 26. 2008

Today I got the scare of a lifetime. Nicky has been walking home from school now for two days. I am barely comfortable with that but it is time.

Today I was watching the time. Giving him ample time to dilly dally along the way home. Well, 312 comes along and no Nicky. I waited five more minutes. No Nicky. I got my shoes on and headed downstairs looking in the upstairs bedrooms and asking if B had seen him. Nothing

I started walking to the school which is barely a 6 minute walk. Streets are dead as usual. By this time I am totally flooded with despair and started to cry a little. I turned around to go back home.

I heard some children laughing. My instincts perked and I walked to where I heard the sounds. There were three little boys jumping on a trampoline having the time of their lives. One such little boy looked like Nicky but from the distance I wasn't all that sure.

Getting up to the boys sure enough there was Nicky I was caught between emotions of being ever so angry and just relieved.

I asked him to get his things and we walked home. Tear again started to flow. Even though I found him it was still the left over stress over the overwhelming fear of every parent that their child might be missing.

Right now he is grounded to playing inside and not with his friends for his punishment. Although he apologized and was crying at seeing me cry he has to learn that by not coming straight home like he is supposed to it shows irresponsibility in his actions. He is only 8 going on 9 so I still worry.

Will he walk home alone tomorrow? No he will not. I think that he is just not ready to do this all the way home. Or maybe I am not ready to let go completely.

Posted by Pandora at 12:22 | Comments (11) | Trackbacks (0)

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That sure is scary! I lost sight of my toddler inside a crowded for less than a minute but that sure was the scariest moment in my life.

#1 Paula (Homepage) on 2008-08-26 13:31 (Reply)

Yikes! Way to scare the mommy to death!

I am so glad that he was okay... been there, done that ... it was an experience I would never want to repeat.

In my case, it was a teacher who had kept my kid after school - HOURS after school ... without so much as a phone call or a message via her sister. I was terrified long before I found her.

#2 flit (Homepage) on 2008-08-26 15:03 (Reply)

I don't blame you one bit for being worried enough to go find him. I'd be frantic too! Who knows how long he would have kept playing and more worried you would have become had you not looked for him when you did?

#3 Karen, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry" (Homepage) on 2008-08-26 16:05 (Reply)

How scary! I'm so glad everything turned out okay ...

#4 Elaine - Luxor's Mom (Homepage) on 2008-08-26 20:33 (Reply)

Hugs!!

That is scary. My daughter is 11 and I still get scared when she walks home from school. Glad all turned ok!

#5 Irene (Homepage) on 2008-08-26 20:42 (Reply)

I'm so glad everything is okay. I'd be scared too and I can understand your not wanting him to walk home alone.

#6 Mountain Woman (Homepage) on 2008-08-27 02:01 (Reply)

That's scary. Hmm. Would you allow him to own a mobile phone so he could send an SMS or call you?

Or too early for his age. :p

#7 Laarni (Homepage) on 2008-08-27 02:50 (Reply)

Oh my. That must have been awful. I am glad it turned out ok.

#8 Karen (Homepage) on 2008-08-27 03:45 (Reply)

I know it was scary, but children are children and easily tempted.

Rather than take away the independence of walking home from school alone, I would reiterate with him that he cannot stop on the way -- if after he gets home and checks in, he tells me where he would like to go back to play (such as the trampoline house), then I would let him go back to play with a time limit (30 minutes to an hour) and then he must return home. He may not go anywhere else period. If the other kids want to go to someone's house, then he must come home immediately -- he cannot play alone on the trampoline. Once he realizes you trust him this far, you will be faced with him wanting more leniency, but you can deal with that as it comes up. You will want to grant that leniency as time goes by in order to enable him to grow and mature.

I would also not let him go play not every day and not if there were other issues going on (homework or chores), but he needs to feel like you trust him and that he's growing up. To keep children wrapped in cotton wool only teaches them to be dependent on others for their welfare.

I know it's hard! I've been there, but it's so rewarding seeing my now 35 year old son confident and doing well in the world.

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#9 Margaret (Homepage) on 2008-08-27 09:25 (Reply)

All very good suggestions. I have 6 children and the oldest is 28

My older children laughed at what he did stating that each one of them did the same thing only once. They knew that the first time it was a simple grounding for a day. Second offense would be a longer grounding. So, I guess it works out for the best

#10 Pandora on 2008-08-27 11:12 (Reply)

My daughter is 17, and I still get nervous at 3:12. If I don't see her walking up the street, I am calling her cell phone at 3:13. I don't think I will ever not worry about her. I might watch too much Court/TRU Tv, but I would rather be safe than sorry. When my daughter was in her early teens, we spent time on the Missing and Exploited children website. Many young girls were missing, last known to have met some boy on Instant Messaging. We spent hours explaining that if she gets an instant message from someone she doesn't know, she needs to not share personal info. Just because they say they are 15, doesn't make it true.

Good Luck! Blessed Be!

#11 Kimmy (Homepage) on 2008-09-01 16:06 (Reply)

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