What a great show! We really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, so did the “Mom & Dad” sitting near us…

In fact, they enjoyed it so much, neither one of them saw their 3 year old daughter leave her seat, walk up the aisle, and disappear into a crowd of thousands of other guests! Talk about “clueless”!

Here’s the scenario…and you tell me who was at fault…. Mom or Dad?Mom and Dad arrive in our section with 4 crying daughters (ages 1-6) and a handful of zip-lock snacks.

It appears they could not get 6 seats together so Mom sits in front of us with two of the girls and Dad sits behind us with the other two, including “Ally”, the crying 3 year old. As the show starts, the girls stop crying but “Ally” wants to sit near Mom and Dad, so she goes back and forth between the seat in front of me and the seat behind me.

Just before intermission, “Ally” leaves her seat, walks up the stairs and disappears, out of sight.

The lights come on in the arena and Mom & Dad still haven’t noticed!! A few minutes later, an employee  of the arena comes down and asks Dad how many children are with him tonight? As he counts them (by pointing his finger at each one) he says out loud, “Where’s Ally”??

Mom turns around and says,”Where’s Ally?  She’s gone!”  Dad replies, “I thought you had her!” Mom says, “I thought she was on your lap?” Dad say, “She must have ran away?”

Neither one of them is getting up to find her! If you ask me, they should’ve been moving faster than Dash from The Incredibles! (see him run!)

I’m looking at these two, wondering if they have even one brain put together! Hello??? Your 3 yr old is gone! Why are you not moving faster??? Why are you so calm? There are 10,000 people in this arena!!

So, Mom gets up , gives Dad a “Wicked Step Mother”  look and walks her way up to the top of the stairs to find her daughter. As she leaves, one of her sisters says, “Ally’s gone. Where did she go?” Dad replies, “She must have not liked the show!” HUH?????????

Don’t worry… this story has a fairy tale ending. Thank God for some alert Arena employees.

Twenty minutes later, Mom comes back with “Ally”. The arena employees found her wandering around near one of the food courts. Whew!!!!!!

The good news is… Ally’s Ok! The bad news is… Mom & Dad have no idea how lucky they are.

The only thing Dad said to Mom when she came back was ,”Where can I put all these bags of snacks?”

The lights went out again as the show was about to resume… and I said to myself… “These people are exactly the reason why Parents need to be reminded that it’s their responsibility to take care of their children!”

Sorry if I sound like a broken record… but I have a hard time relating to this lack of carelessness.

I wonder how many “missing kids” are actually missing because of irresponsible parents?

We live in a much different world today than our parents grew up in. Wouldn’t you agree?

(Take a minute to request my Confidential Report for more details about a “different world”.)

So, let’s hear from you. Who would you say was at fault? Mom … or Dad?

Prepare.Prevent.Protect

We recently visited the “Happiest Place On Earth”… during the week of Spring Break! What were we thinking?

Disneyland is a magical place for children, but it can also be a challenging time to keep your kids close to you at all times.

My wife came up with a cute phrase that tells the girls it’s time to close the gap between them and us.

All she needs to say is “The Last Zebra” and the girls quickly move within arms reach of Mom or Dad.The premise of this phrase is found in the plains of Africa where herds of zebras roam together.

The zebras stay with the herd, where there’s safety and protection from numerous predators.

When a zebra runs with the herd, the stripes on their body can actually confuse an attacking lion,

because the lion is not sure which part of the body is moving. Sometimes this can confuse the lion enough to give up.

Yeah! … for the Zebra!

But when a zebra roams away from the herd… it usually ends up a victim. With no protection, the zebra is devoured by the predator.

This is exactly what can happen to our children, as well.

Remember… there is always a “den of lions” observing, searching, and hunting for the weak link in the shield of protection around your kids.

There’s a reason why they’re called “Sexual Predators”, right?

We need to always keep on eye on them and offer them the protection of our herd.

It’s our job… 24/7!

Momma Zebra

Prepare.Prevent.Protect

So what does “Stranger Danger” really mean?

When questioned, children will often describe a “stranger” as someone who is “ugly or mean”.

They don’t perceive nice-looking or friendly people as “strangers.”

And that’s the problem. Because we all know that good looking, nicely dressed people can be just as dangerous to our children… if not more dangerous than the obvious, “ugly” ones.

The folks at The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children feel it’s time to get rid of this message once and for all.

Here’s Why:

1. Kids Don’t Get it

2. Adults Don’t Practice It

3. It Doesn’t Go Far Enough To Protect Our Children

Think about this comment from their National Safety Director:

When we tell children to “never talk to strangers,” we have effectively eliminated a key source of help for them if they are in trouble. If they’re lost they may be surrounded by many “strangers” who could conceivably help them if they would only ask for it. Since we know parents and guardians can’t be with their children every second of the day, we need to give children “safety nets” of people they can go to if they need help. Those individuals may include uniformed law-enforcement or security officers; a store salesperson with a nametag; the person in an information booth at a mall or other public venue; or a mother with children.

Makes a lot of sense. Maybe “Stranger Danger” does need to take an early retirement.

Practice these tips with your kids. It can literally mean the difference between life & death.

Remember… it’s your job to protect your children!

Prepare. Prevent. Protect.

Read more about the NCMEC  here: www.missingkids.com

Stephen E. Quick, 31, and Samantha Light, 25, both of Veedersburg in western Indiana, were being held on $100,000 bond in Fountain County Jail. Both faced preliminary charges of child molestation and child exploitation. Jail staff did not know whether either one had an attorney.

Police who searched the couple’s home found a videotape depicting sex acts involving Quick and Light and at least four different children between the ages of 2 months and 6 years old, said Fountain County Sheriff’s Deputy Bob Kemp.

“In 15 years of doing this job, it’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen or imagined,” he told WRTV. “Just horrible, just horrible It’s a new low.”

Police searched the couple’s home after the parents of a 3-year-old girl reported that she told them Quick and Light had touched her inappropriately and photographed her at their home on Feb. 28.

Deputies seized several computers, cameras, a video camera, pornographic materials, drugs and drug paraphernalia. Several sex toys that appeared in the video were seized during a second search, police said.

Quick and Light were arrested March 5. Neither has a criminal history.

Authorities have removed the couple’s daughter from their home.

Prepare.Prevent.Protect

This week, a defendant in Riverside, Ca. was found guilty of attempted child molestation. He was one of 51 men snagged by Dateline’s “To Catch A Predator” investigation two years ago. If you have not seen this investigation yet… STOP everything you are doing and watch it now!

Here’s a great clip from the investigation about a math teacher who claims to be a Christian. Math Teacher Busted

I love Chris Hansen’s question, “Where is this found in the bible? The Old Testament or the New?”

It’s worth repeating that 51 men were caught during just this one investigation. That’s pretty scary!

And the variety of backgrounds from these guys was very diverse. Teachers, counselors, businessmen, and even a peace officer.

Whether you agree with the way this investigation was conducted (some say it was entrapment) or not… it’s a reality check !

There are some sick people in this world. And they won’t think twice about making your son, daughter, or loved one a victim.

Never forget that it’s your job to protect your children! It’s my job to remind you!

Be safe!

Have you ever lost your child, even for a split second?

If you have, you know how frightening it can be! Your mind goes absolutely       CRAZY, doesn’t it?

Did you know that nearly 2000 children become separated from  their                 caregiver every single day? That’s pretty scary.

Well… here’s a great product that gives you a little piece of mind…

Introducing SAFETY TAT!  (Take a look at the right hand corner of this blog!)

Safetytat is a stylish temporary tattoo for kids that can be customized with a parent or care-giver’s mobile phone number.

They’re convenient to carry and last for several days. And kids love them!

This is a perfect solution to safeguard your kids on a field trip, outdoor event, or amusement park.  SAFETYTATS come in a variety of styles and characters.

I love this product!

If you have children of any age.. this product is a no-brainer! It’s a great way to teach your kids about safety as well!

Grab your own SafetyTats right now…Just click on the link in the lower right hand corner of the page and you’re on your way!

SAFETYTAT… The TAT That Gets Your Kid Back!

Class dismissed!