Outings-Lost Prevention :)

[afmama]

What do you guys suggest for the children to wear while we are out and about? They are required to have my name and phone number on them somewhere. I bought shirts yesterday and was just going to write on the inside tag.

But now I'm rethinking that this might not work. For one I have a lot of babies and the shirts would be huge, I think maybe something to clip onto them or maybe even just masking tape in their shirt?

[AnneCordelia]

I have bright orange shirts in various sizes from walmart. I bought iron-transfers from vistaprint and put them on...small ones, over the heart. I have shirts ranging in size from 12mo-8. Works great for us!

[Sunshine44]

I've seen bracelets or anklets with information on them for daycares. You could buy some smaller tshirts from Walmart cheap and use those for the babies. They have onesies and regular tshirts.

[heyhun77]

I have red shirts with my logo and phone number on the backs, nothing on the fronts. I also use a walking rope that everyone holds onto so usually there isn't anyone in random places. Most of our loss prevention starts with our routines more than our shirts. I don't take the kids farther than the neighborhood until I am comfortable with their listening skills as a group. For example, when we play at the playground and it's time to line up to leave I blow my whistle so they can hear me. That way when I need everyone to regroup quickly while we are in a more crowded situation I can blow my whistle and they know what I need them to do. Also, having the same color shirts helps while playing at the park because there are usually other kids there and I can easily count MY kids without having to interrupt their play.

I also practice defensive walking with the kids so that they are ready for many different situations. For instance, I teach the kids that just because there is a stop sign doesn't mean we shouldn't watch for the cars NOT to stop. Never have we needed that until last week when we were almost home and not one but two cars blew the red light when we were crossing. My line leader was watching the cars so at the same time I was pulling back on the walking rope to make sure they were safe the kid in the front was stepping back because he saw that the car wasn't going to stop. After my little heart attack and hugging all the kids I gave them big high fives for a job well done. they all told me they just didn't want to become pancakes.

I also have pictures of the kids in my phone AND on their page in the emergency book in my backpack just in case someone is missing. I have their parents numbers in my phone with us.

Since we ride the city bus I have bus maps galore with us as well as extra cash for bus fare just in case plus the number of the cab company in case we get into an emergency and can't ride the bus home. The cab ride is our absolute last resort since there are no carseats in the cab vans. We have only had to do that once and I NEVER want to do that again.

I guess the shorter version is to think about the situations you may get into and have a plan for them as much as possible.

[afmama]

Hmmm shirts just seem like a hassle. Especially because I do drop-in care I'd have to round up all the right sizes AND change babies into onesies. I guess I'll look into anklets. Or just stick some tape inside their shirt.

[squareone]

I have red shirts with my logo and phone number on the backs, nothing on the fronts. I also use a walking rope that everyone holds onto so usually there isn't anyone in random places. Most of our loss prevention starts with our routines more than our shirts. I don't take the kids farther than the neighborhood until I am comfortable with their listening skills as a group. For example, when we play at the playground and it's time to line up to leave I blow my whistle so they can hear me. That way when I need everyone to regroup quickly while we are in a more crowded situation I can blow my whistle and they know what I need them to do. Also, having the same color shirts helps while playing at the park because there are usually other kids there and I can easily count MY kids without having to interrupt their play.

I also practice defensive walking with the kids so that they are ready for many different situations. For instance, I teach the kids that just because there is a stop sign doesn't mean we shouldn't watch for the cars NOT to stop. Never have we needed that until last week when we were almost home and not one but two cars blew the red light when we were crossing. My line leader was watching the cars so at the same time I was pulling back on the walking rope to make sure they were safe the kid in the front was stepping back because he saw that the car wasn't going to stop. After my little heart attack and hugging all the kids I gave them big high fives for a job well done. they all told me they just didn't want to become pancakes.

I also have pictures of the kids in my phone AND on their page in the emergency book in my backpack just in case someone is missing. I have their parents numbers in my phone with us.

Since we ride the city bus I have bus maps galore with us as well as extra cash for bus fare just in case plus the number of the cab company in case we get into an emergency and can't ride the bus home. The cab ride is our absolute last resort since there are no carseats in the cab vans. We have only had to do that once and I NEVER want to do that again.

I guess the shorter version is to think about the situations you may get into and have a plan for them as much as possible.

Wow, heyhun you sounds like you really have things under control. It's a great idea to have pics of the kids in your phone. I will be doing that today when the kids get up from nap. Thanks for the tip.

[heyhun77]

Wow, heyhun you sounds like you really have things under control. It's a great idea to have pics of the kids in your phone. I will be doing that today when the kids get up from nap. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks.

I get lots of comments when we are out, especially this summer at baseball when we walk up to the field with everyone together and I settle everyone in with their water bottles (that are all hung together on a giant mommy clip and have colored bands on them so we know which one goes to which kid) and then my bag of activities for them to keep busy with while we watch the games.

My response is usually that all this organization is necessary since it's 9 against 1. The odds are against me unless I can manage the details. Otherwise we'd be all over the place and I'd be nuts!

[DBug]

I settle everyone in with their water bottles (that are all hung together on a giant mommy clip

Mommy clip? What is that? I've got 6-8 water bottles to carry and they're starting to get really cumbersome. Is it something that can work with any type of bottle?

[pappyny]

What do you guys suggest for the children to wear while we are out and about? They are required to have my name and phone number on them somewhere. I bought shirts yesterday and was just going to write on the inside tag.

But now I'm rethinking that this might not work. For one I have a lot of babies and the shirts would be huge, I think maybe something to clip onto them or maybe even just masking tape in their shirt?

I have my kids wear bright green shirts that have my daycare name on them. I also clip my information onto them. I printed my name, address, phone numbers and FCC office number on business cards. I put them in plastic name tag holders then clip them to the back of their shirts. I put the child's name on the opposite side of the business card with my label maker. For drop in kids, I just write their name on a small post it note and stick it in the holder instead of making a permanent one.

[heyhun77]

Mommy clip? What is that? I've got 6-8 water bottles to carry and they're starting to get really cumbersome. Is it something that can work with any type of bottle?

It's just a giant carabeaner (I think that's what it's called - the clip that is used for rock climbing type stuff) with some foam padding on it. I got it at burlington coat factory but I've seen a similar product in the baby section at walmart recently. I have sports water bottles for each kid with a colored paper strip taped around it (each child has a color assigned so they know what cup/water bottle/cubbie/ect is theirs) and then just tie a piece of rope around the neck of the water bottle and hang them all on the mommy hook. If we don't need a stroller then I can carry it but otherwise I just clip it onto the handle of the stroller.

Here's a link to the one I have...http://www.amazon.com/Mommy-Hook-100.../dp/B000JFEV1K

[Michelle]

It's just a giant carabeaner (I think that's what it's called - the clip that is used for rock climbing type stuff) with some foam padding on it. I got it at burlington coat factory but I've seen a similar product in the baby section at walmart recently. I have sports water bottles for each kid with a colored paper strip taped around it (each child has a color assigned so they know what cup/water bottle/cubbie/ect is theirs) and then just tie a piece of rope around the neck of the water bottle and hang them all on the mommy hook. If we don't need a stroller then I can carry it but otherwise I just clip it onto the handle of the stroller.

Here's a link to the one I have...http://www.amazon.com/Mommy-Hook-100.../dp/B000JFEV1K

wow, You can get those at home depot for $1.
I guess than can charge $9 because it says Mommy's hook on it, or whatever it said.

[Michelle]

I'm taking my dck's to Disneyland next Thurs. and we will all be wearing matching t-shirts with my logo on the front and a cute design on the back.
You would be amazed how many times I tried to grab a kid that wasn't mine from the back because they had the same color shirt and looked similar to one of my kids. So, I just had shirts made with printing on front and back this time!
Problem is vista print doesn't have kids size so, Im going to have to figure things out. ( this also happened to one of my kids, a teacher grabbed my dd. at a museum.)
She was horrified!

[afmama]

great idea pappy! I've seen those badge holders at walmart too...those would be perfect! I was sticking my business card in their pockets haha

I LOVE the mommy clip, I clip it onto the stroller whenever we are shopping and all the bags hook into it. Saving more room in the under-stroller storage.

[DaisyMamma]

Necklaces like you get at Disney world, its like a badge with your info on it.

[daycare]

I have the ones from walmart that you would use for name badges at meetings. I use the ones with he clips because I used he neck ones before and I had a 4 year old wrap the lanyard around his neck so tight I had to cut it off