Lost and Forgotten: A Story of Love

Ok, so it’s been many years ago now but it is time for me to publicly announce something. I forgot Number 2 at soccer practice one time. I had lost track of time while at a mall, which I went to during her soccer practice. As I was checking out, I got the call from the soccer coach. “Mike, I have your daughter with me at our house. You must have lost track of time and forgot practice ended a half hour ago.” I immediately went into panic mode and all the self-deprecation one can throw on oneself during the 10 minute drive to the coach’s house, I threw on even more. When I got there, he was as nice as could be as he had probably been in my shoes before and could relate to what I was going through at that moment. Number 2 not so much.

That evening Number 2 got whatever she wanted; ice cream for dinner, later bedtime, and she could choose the tv show she watched(well there was some negotiation there). As a parent there are few feeling that compare to forgetting or losing a child. This wasn’t the only time that Number 2 got away from us. Once when we were crossing a downtown street in a busy city, she broke free from my hand and started to run across without seeing the Trans Am baring down on her position. I screamed so loud and she stopped in her tracks and so did the Trans Am. Crisis avoided again.

We took an extended family vacation to Disney World when our kids were pretty young. It was over the holidays so Hollywood Studios was super busy. My mother in law had taken Number 2 to go to the bathroom as we all waited for a parade to begin. A few minutes later a frantic grandma showed up without our daughter! Everyone was running different directions when my wife got a call from a nice family that had found her and she knew the phone number to call! (Side note, teach your kids a phone number to call if there is ever a problem as early as you can!) Another crisis averted.

Now that 3 of our kids are out of the house, you would think it would get easier for us as parents but it never does and never will no matter their age. They are our kids and we will always worry about them getting lost or injured in life. We will always be there for them no matter what. Now that we are transitioning to this new phase of life, the cell phone has become our lifeline to our kids. Whether we are using Find My iPhone to make sure we know where they are, to texting to find out what is going on in their lives, to actual phone conversations to talk about adult topics or to help them through a difficult situation, we are constantly thinking about all of them and how we can help them to become the best versions of themselves.

Of course now, we find ourselves in more of an advising role as they are old enough to make a lot of their own decisions. It is our hope that we have armed them with enough knowledge and common sense to make good decisions. We also know that their brains are still not fully developed and that they will make mistakes along the way. We are pleased to know that they do turn to us in those times they get lost and we are able to help them see the way back. After all that is the Zag Zig life we both signed up for over 20 years ago.