We were in Amcorp Mall, right after a book-buying spree in BookXcess. While browsing something in Hot Value Mart on the LG floor, I went missing! The 3 of us were walking together all the time but when daddy and mummy moved on to the next aisle, I did not follow them.
Within a few seconds, as soon as daddy and mummy noticed my vanishing act, they called out my name. There was no response. They immediately combed the shop aisle by aisle, looking for me. Nope, I wasn't in the shop. Panic-stricken, mummy ran out of the shop to scan the whole area outside, hoping to spot me somewhere but no, I was nowhere to be seen!
Soon, the frantic search began. The anxiety level in mummy was so extreme that she felt dizzy and nauseous and nearly puked at the thought of not finding me! Negative thoughts filled her mind too, as she recalled reading about missing young girls in the newspapers that were never found.
The short, 5-minute search felt like an eternity as they walked around looking for me in vain. Just when mummy was feeling hopeless, trembling in fear and close to tears, she saw me emerging from the Giant supermarket nearby. I was holding the hand of a security guard, crying uncontrollably but silently! If only I had cried a little louder or screamed my lungs out or whatever...
That was truly a traumatic experience for all of us and we have each learned a valuable lesson from this ordeal.
Lesson for me: I must always, always stay close to daddy or mummy and never leave their side. I should also hold one of their hands at all times, if possible.
Lesson for daddy and mummy: This is a wake-up call for them... to always stay alert and be aware of my whereabouts. All this while, they thought such incidents would only happen to other people... especially negligent parents who never supervise their kids. Now, they know. It can happen to anyone in just a split second!
adoi...really makes your parents have heart attack! Moreover weekend that place is very crowded with Flea Market some more.
ReplyDeleteNext time must tag along your parents!Dont wander off like that!
Oh no... surely this incident would be remembered forever.
ReplyDeleteHopefully no more next time~
This is a valueble lesson learned by Chloe and mummy. Don't worry, should no more next time.
ReplyDeleteOh dear so sorry to hear. But yes, all these can happen in a split second.
ReplyDeleteWah!!!! I will get panic too in such a situation. Luckily you found each other in just 5 minutes.
ReplyDeleteYes...it can happen within a sec,therefore we as parents have to be extremely alert while bringing kids out.If i were at ur situation,i think i ll be the one who crying out loud while searching.
ReplyDeleteThis is every parent's nightmare. Glad Chloe is ok. The same thing happened to me just over the weekend. I think I'll blog about it too. Scared the sh*t out of me :(
ReplyDeleteHUh?!! What a coincident, I was there too that day, in Amcorp mall from 11am -145pm! However we didn't really look around, just visited Bx then we had A&W... lol, don't tell me you were there too!
ReplyDeleteYeah, kids can just vanish in a split second! I always tell my kids to shout for us once they lost our sight, stand at the spot, don't move until we get to her!
Oh my, this is such a terrifying experience for both Chloe and mummy.
ReplyDeleteOnce when Avery went missing from my sight, I was frantic with worry and started calling her name. She actually wander off to see some sweets over the counter. I know how it feel....
oh dear. i can 'feel' the ordeal while reading this post :(
ReplyDeletethank goodness everything is fine in the end. and yeah.. this serves as a wake up call for ALL of us!
oh dear luckily everything is fine now. Can feel your panic. Luckily the guide is there with her. Else really scare to think further.
ReplyDeleteThis is so scary experience...... Thank God Chloe's home safe and sound now...
ReplyDeleteLOL, I guess this is a good lesson for Chloe in the grown up process.
ReplyDeleteHehe...Shenny went missing twice in the mall too when she was 4 year old. For that two incidents, the guard helped her to locate us. The guards told us that they spot her because her face looks panic but no cry.
Oh dear..I understand how you feel coz it happened to me before. That time Gwen was 3 years plus. I was at the cashier counter paying (Hubs was not around), when I turned and look beside me, Gwen was gone. She wandered to the hair accessories area which was 2 metres away. It was a wake up call for me too.
ReplyDeleteI panicked when I read your title and your first sentence! Luckily all turned out well.
ReplyDeleteGood reminder for all of us to be careful.
OMG....if this situation happened to me..i sure panicked too.
ReplyDeleteaiyoyo... "scare die me". luckily nothing happened. phew
ReplyDeleteGosh!!! Can't imaging how panic ur mummy are that time! and yes, lesson learnt, and a warning to me too ~
ReplyDeleteI guess this happens to every parent, but time as bad as it is now, better be careful lol
ReplyDeletehey thank for your kind thoughts thank thank
I'm sure how relieve Chloe was when she saw mommy & daddy again at that moment!
ReplyDeleteTai Koo Mah's heart beat so fast as I read along the lines. Cried with joy after finished reading. Tai Koo Mah always felt so touched when Chloe gave me bear hugs. Must always hold mummy & daddy hands everywhere you go. There is a time where I did not hold Jeremy koh koh's hand, he said AFTERWARDS BAD GUY CATCH ME HOW???Esp places like toy shops crowded with many children. Bad guys always there eye for children. Be careful!! Tai Koo Mah love Chloe.
ReplyDeleteIt is a terrifying feeling...must be the longest 5 minutes in your life, Mummy Chloe!
ReplyDeleteThank God for kind people. Unfortunately, not many out there.
Glad the ordeal is over! I have one friend too who almost lost her child while at Genting theme park and she too felt nauseous, out of breath, etc, just like how your mummy felt.
ReplyDeleteSomething similar happened to me too. My son and I was at MPH Midvalley. I held his hand but he kept on fretting to not want to be held, so I loosen a bit by letting him follow whereever I walked. Then suddenly I cannot find him.Find, find, find, apparently he didn't stray too far...merely among some maze of book shelves. I was traumatic when I couldn't find him, but when I finally found him, I was so angry with him for not wanting to hold my hand that I gave him a hard slap on the spot.
this is so scary! i'm going to tell this incident to my kids as they always refuse to hold hands! sometimes even purposely walk another direction! Once, I hid and let QQ searched and bawled for 5 minutes, just to scare her. Mana tahu, she's back to her old ways now :-(.
ReplyDeleteI can feel your panic HweiLi.
ReplyDeleteNowadays Sarah likes to run freely at hypermarket which is very familiar with...I chase hard at her back and told her, "If you wanna walk and run ahead of me, you must always turn back and see me (making sure I am back of her) every few walks you take.".