What do you do when you see a small child wandering alone?

Question

My 2 year old daughter decided to take off running the other day through a department store and I had to go look for her. This was the first time she has ever done this, so I was a bit panicked. I asked random people if they had seen a little girl run by, and at least two of them casually told me, "she went that way" without even looking away from their shopping. It struck me as odd that someone would see such a small child by herself and not make any attempt to look for the parents. Is it unusual for me to think that a lost child in public is something worthy of at least a small amount of attention? Any time I see a little kid alone, I look around for a parent, or ask the kid where his mom and dad are. What do you do when you see a child alone?

Answer 1

if i had my son with me, i would stop them and ask where mummy was.

if i was alone, and they came to me, i would help them find mummy.

else i would just watch them to make sure they weren't hurt.

i would behave differently without my son, as i have told him if he ever gets lost, to find another mummy with children to ask for help.

Answer 2

firstly,  do'nt blame other's, you were at fault.

a two year old child should not be out of your sight, especially in a department store.

it's not only men / boy's that pick children up,

females are just as bad,

Answer 3

im 14 and this one time me and my friends were walking around and we saw this little kid with a backpack running down the sidewalk so we stopped him and asked where he was going. he was supposed to go home with his brother to a friends house but his older brother ditched him. so we called his elementary school and we walked him there. and they called the friends mom. he was really scared and we were glad tht we stopped him and not some serial killer guy.

Answer 4

I always look around for a parent. any time that i can remember there was always one near buy watching them, so i can't say what i do after that.

Answer 5

I generally watch them and look around to see if theyve got someone watching them. Ill watch them until I see theyve got someone there. Ive never been in a situation where there hasnt been a parent there with them.

Answer 6

Be greatful a pervert didn't find her first.

I haven't found a child alone but who knows how a freaked out parent would react to a missing child and then seeing you talking to them.

Personally I would bring them to a store associate to make an announcement

Answer 7

im only 14 and wen i see a kid by them self ofcoarse id ask if there parents are around or if there lost.

the world gets worst every day no one is consiterete.

you here about ppl getting robed and ppl just standing around doing nothing.

its horriball.

Answer 8

thats absolutely rediculous!! i would have stopped her n looked around to see if any one was looking for her. if i didnt see no one i would get her hand and help look around to see if any one is looking panicked?? then i would take her to customer sevice b/c i kno if the parents arnt screaming around the store, then they prolly went to customer service! idk its jus wat i would do!

Answer 9

I do the same as you .

EXACT SAME !

I think it is important that you would try and help either the parent or the child .

The same thing happened to me today and a woman came up to me and asked if I had seen a little 6 year old girl running by. I hadn't but helped her look as I think it is quite iignorant not to.

Answer 10

im only fourteen so i normally dont get involved cuz im practically a kid myself .. :)

but i do worry about the little kid i see .. crying 'mama' ..

i once saw a little asian baby at the airport and i felt SOOO bad, but thank god, after about 10 minutes of hearing him cry and cry ... the airport police found him and located his parents.

Answer 11

I would ask where their parents are but most people would probably think (a) she was running towards her mom or dad OR (b) The parents didn't care if she wanders off.

But keep in mind it could have been much worse! They could have said look a kid lets take it home!

Answer 12

totally agree with you

what were they THINKING, if they actually were. maybe i'd just hold their hand and walk with them until i see a parent looking for their child :)

but of course, kids don't interact with strangers

Answer 13

I would say the reason no one cares is because so many parents don't care themselves. The let their kids run a muck and eventually people get used to the idea that little kids aren't always with their parents. If I can tell that the child is indeed lost and not just a product of bad parenting I would try to help them.

Answer 14

yo ask them where their mommy and daddy are and if she is not able to point to them then you bring her up to the front desk and ask her her name and have someone anouce the childs location over the loud speaker

Answer 15

This just lets ppl know u care for ur child and thats ur first child dont worry if i had seen a child running and a mother looking that is caring but if u didnt freak out and not ask anybody then i would be a little worried but ur fine

Answer 16

It depends on the situation being a department store kids sometimes walk away from their parents so me being a mother I bring it to the parents attention depending on how old the child is. But in this day and time you can't approach or say anything to certain people about their kids because they are ignorant and may think your trying to say something about their parenting skills.

Answer 17

I guess it depends on how old the kid was and where we were. 2 year olds are hard to catch and I am not about to snatch someone else's kid up.

It is the parents responsibility to make sure their young'n is not running loose like a little Hellion.

If a parent hasn't the attention span to watch their own hooligan then they should get a kid leash.

Answer 18

Well its known for a child to run off like that...just keep a close eye on them. I would just look around for the parent, if i dotn see a parent i would tell the closest store clerk or a security guard.

Answer 19

Always take notice!!!! Being a mom myself I would also look around for a parent and where the child might be running to or from!!!  and wait with him or her until some one of authority arrived to make sure they got home safely!!

Answer 20

i would go up to them and say 'wheres ur mommy and daddy?' if they dont know id ask them wat there parent(s) look like and take them by the hand and look for them for a few mins... then if we cant find them id go to a cashier and tell them about it and theyd say theres a little kid named ______, will his/her parent(s) come to the front???

Answer 21

Nothing unless they are looking lost or crying!  To many people let their kids run wild in the stores these days to pay any attention!  Why weren't YOU paying the attention to her you should have been?  Two is awful young for you to be so irresponsible with her!!  She is YOUR daughter and YOUR responsibility to watch, not the other shoppers!

Answer 22

well if the child looks scared, lost, confused, or sad, or is crying, i help them out. But if i see a kid wondering but there are adults close to them than I assume they are the kid's family so I don't' ask.

Answer 23

I know my mom would take a kid up to the register and ask the person there to call for his mom, and I would probably do the same.  I for sure would not just look at the kid and assume that he or she knows where they are going!

Answer 24

I would have taken the child to the customer services desk..

Unfortunate it is common place for a lot of parents to allow their kids to run rampant through stores so other customers think nothing of it...

Answer 25

Leave it be.  This is because society has me so scared to even look a child and not be considered a molester, or a kidnapper.  

I don't like children for this reason, that  and (i'm not saying it's you because kids are unpredictable) but some parents just do not have the time of day to watch their own and expect the public to be doing their deeds.

Answer 26

Well personally - I get involved...

However... It has cost me.

I'd tell you a story of how I save a 4 year old from LITERALLY killing himself... and when I handed him back to his mother, she literally took a swing at me.

It's a darn good thing I was taking karate at the time, and instinctively was able to block her punch.

For a while - I thought twice... about getting involved.

Answer 27

Take child by hand if (s)he is willing and immediately ask people in the vicinity if they know who the child's parent is so I don't look like I'm a kidnapper.  I work my way to the customer service desk and report.

Yes, I agree, that is completely stupid that people just kept on shopping and let your two year old daughter go by.  She could have tripped and hurt herself or been kidnapped or eaten something and choked.

Answer 28

welll first i depends on wat age the kid is.. if he/she was like ur daughter first i would look for his/her parents. (look around and see if ani1 is loukin for a kid) then i would go to the kid and ask where his/her parents r.. thats wat i would probably do. (ive done it b4)

Answer 29

I pay no attention to other people's children.  I learned my lesson some time ago when I picked a little boy up off of a sidewalk because he had been running and fell.  His mother gave ME holy h**l to leave her son alone (she was no where to be found when I first got to the child) So quite your btchin hon and keep an eye on your child.  The rest of us are tired of catching h**l for trying to help.

Answer 30

I would go up to the little kid and introduce myself, as not to seem scary, and I would kindly ask where his/her mommy and daddy were, and if s/he needed help finding them.

Answer 31

try to keep a look out for her or wait around her but not close to her cause then people will think you did it.just hang around her at a distance and wait for a parent to get her