How would you help a lost child?

Seems like a simple question right?

As it turns out, I just realized that I'm totally unprepared for this scenario. Coming home from the store this evening, I came across a toddler, somewhere between 3 and 5, running down the middle of the street, playing with his dog. At least I assume it was his dog. No adults in sight. I did what I thought was best, which was to turn and stop full broadside in the middle of the road, thereby blocking traffic. Then I watched to see which direction he ran, hoping to catch a glimpse of an adult, an authority figure, anybody really. At the end of the street he started darting between buildings of the apartment complex that sits on the edge of my neighborhood. He looked like he knew the layout of those buildings, I guess he lived there? Not sure, I phoned it in to the police that a kid was out playing in the neighborhood, alone.

And then I felt guilty for calling the police for something that we did ourselves as kids. If this was the rose-colored-glassed nostalgia of decades past, I would have gotten out and approached the kid, to see if we could get him out of the street and a little closer to home. But I kind of fear doing that in modern times. Mostly it's the possibility of being accused a pederass trafficker among other nefarious things, but we're led to believe not to approach kids, even when the kids need help. It's a rather depressing comment, that we are afraid to even get out of our vehicles and interact with neighbors, but there's the scenario I found myself in tonight.

So, what would you do? How best to help a lost child?

 

I understand your plight. I have been on both sides of the fence with this predicament.
Returned several children to their nanny/ parent and have had he sherriff and CPS called on me.
I firmly believe getting out and helping.... the police aren't going to get there in time to prevent the child from being run over, kidnapped, or attacked by a animal (dog) wandering into a place he/she shouldn't be. Secure the child and then decide best course of action. By returning the child to the caregiver. You can then judge on the child's actual sitiation. Then decide proper course of action.
Edit.... oh and never ever touch the child.

 

Yup, makes sense. It kind of hurt to involve the police, an unaccompanied kid doesn't necessarily mean neglectful parents and it sucks if they have to get investigated over it.

 

Mine rode his bike to the park (play ground) while i was fishing. I showed up after a hour of him not returning. I was met by 3 very angry officers . He was 8 and some nosey soccer mom thought she knew better.

 

Im def taking notes on this Once mine gets old enough

 

They call them helicopter parents.

 

Damn I just looked that up didn’t know such a thing

 

On one hand you want to give them the freedom we enjoyed as kids. On the other hand, society...

All the training ive had says don't be alone with a child. My instinct would to flag down another car and enlist their help, but that isn't a solid plan.

 

Lol.... I believe I. What they call free range parenting. It is terribly frowned upon this day and age.
I grew up with no boundaries.... hell my nearest friend lived like a mile away. Get up in the morning, leave the house and not be home until dark.

 

When I was in the big city, my Asian neighbors let their 3 year olds out like a cockerspaniel, it was normal to see him roaming around...

I never called child services, but was close. I try to mind my own business, but they would be wandering the alley way without suprivision.

Now that I'm a dad, I would 100% call social services. Hindsight.

 

Growing up my neighborhood was bordered by a lake on one side and a (then 55 mph) roadway on the other. Starting somewhere around 7-8 years old I had free reign of everything in between. The three rules bestowed and enforced upon me were: a) no riding bikes past the neighborhood entrance which signified proximity to the main road, b) no swimming by the boat ramp or in the marina, or far enough out into the lake where there was boat traffic, c) no trespassing in neighbor's yards or new construction. Empty lots were fair game, just please watch out for rattlesnakes and water moccasins.

The only rule I violated was c), because new construction was too tempting not to explore. Oh, and I swam under the docks at the marina once on a dare, but that was it.

I genuinely feel sorry for the kids of today.

 

This is why most are addicted to the tablets/phones, youtube and video games. There really is nothing else to do unless you plan on keeping your kids schedule full with outdoor activities. Like karate, baseball, soccer etc... but each of those programs are 150 to 350 bucks and only 12 weeks long. That covers about 3 to 5 hours a week maybe. You still have another 40 or so to occupy.
This is why, camping, hiking, fishing are my main activities with my son. It has recently changed in the past year or so and the electronic devices are winning. Have not been able to get out and do the other stuff with the injury.

 

Having a child that is nonverbal and a runner, I’d hope someone would call the police if they found him out by himself. However, as he looks like any other teen that probably wouldn’t be the case. I’ve actually had people hold doors open for him as he’s running away from me. He has no concept of danger or strangers.

 

That is a difficult situation. Most people do not have any situational awareness to the bigger picture of anything other than what they see or hear in that moment. Sometimes its necessary to just get involved. Other times it has to be, monitor until shit hits the fan.
Hence why the show on ABC "what would you do?" Is so popular.