I had a new kid that started last week. His parents said he is ADHD and does have some behavior problems (mainly not listening). He was here all week last week. Had one incident where he ran out the door after his dad left where I had to chase him but other than that, so far so good. Well today we are outside playing (by the way he is 3 and will be 4 in June), and I tell everyone it's time to go in. My outside play area is right outside my back door so they go ahead and go in and sit down so I can get them ready for lunch. Luckily they know the drill. I turned around while they were going in to get lunch out of my outside freezer which is right by the back door. Turn back around and count to make sure everyone came in and new boy is missing.
I called for him, checked all over the backyard, and didn't see him. Started to get nervous. Gate was closed so I knew he hadn't gotten out that way but he is a climber so I worried he went over. I go inside check and make sure he didn't slip by me without me seeing, still couldn't find him. Start really gettin scared that he took off! I don't live close to a hwy but there is a creek a good ways down. I start running around frantically looking for him in the neighbors back yards, front yards, go back inside look under beds, check all bedrooms, still nothing. At this point I knew I had to call the cops. It had been about 5 minutes or pretty close to it. I was sick at my stomach at the thought of having to tell these parents that i lost their child! I was checking the bedrooms one more good time when one of my 3 year olds says "there he is! On the tree!"
He was still in the backyard. I have one little tree out there but the way it grows I couldn't see him good. Im pretty sure he had climbed up a little ways too to hide even better. I asked him what he was doing and he said "hiding from you"
He knew what he was doing. I'm do irritated. Really thinking
Of terming because of this.
Not only did he have my blood pressure high, but it took me away from the other kids to look for him. My heart is beating fast as I type this and it happened about an hour ago. I was stern with him. Really hope he doesn't do this again.
Sorry if there are typos. Doing this from my phone and it's hard to see if I make mistakes.

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Oh I am so sorry you have been through this. I can only imagine the terror you must have felt ! My heart would be pounding too and I probably would have cried afterwards too!

As far as terming you'll have to think about that one. I
I imagine he'd be fine once he's adjusted he's probably still shy and scared to be with you and the group.

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Yes I am probably over reacting on the "terming" part right now since its so fresh. I guess I am just worried this will happen again. Hopefully it won't. He is having to learn all the rules. He was in daycare before but it just closed down. You'd think he would be accustomed to the structure. He is always trying to go in all the other parts of my house that is off limits. And I expect that, I know he doesn't know my rules yet but I really hope he doesn't do this again.
Guess he will be my little shadow buddy next time it's time to come inside from playing.

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How scary!! I'm glad you found him! Do you think he did it for attention?

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Sounds like you have shadow! Say hello to your new best friend!

So scary...glad you found him and everything's okay. I would be liv-id.

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I think he did it because he didn't want to come inside. It could've been for attention I guess but I feel like he gets a good bit of attention when he is here (maybe not the best attention but he is always doing something he isn't supposed to be. His parents have an open CPS case now so I know he probably hasn't had it that well. He is a sweet kid, just a handful!

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Oh gosh, I'd have had a heart attack lol. Why not tell him of the new shadow game. When outside, he has to see you ALL the time. Make a game of it. It does sound like he's pushing all the buttons and he knew you'd be scared you couldn't find him. You did the right thing by explaining what he did was wrong and he is certainly old enough to know better. Let him know he really scared you. Maybe at home he disappears and nobody cares at all?? Gosh as I typed that, it made me sad to think that. But it may be true.

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I had a normally sweet, well behaved kid run from the park one day. We were gathering our stuff to go home, and he took off... I kept screaming his name over and over...but, I couldn't go after him, and leave the others alone in the park. He ran ACROSSTHESTREET (stopped my heart) and kept running til he got to my house.

I had such mixed emotions between anger and joy that he was safe and alive...but, then i wanted to kill him myself. But, it was so unlike him.

I was stern with him, then talked to his mom about it, and she was stern with him. It never did happen again, and I'll probably never know why he did it. But, it was a horrible experience, because by the time I got across the street myself with the other kids, I couldn't see him anymore. (I could see my house, but the garage blocked the view of the front door.)

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Oh my gosh I would be sooooo upset with dcb. I have one 4 yo boy who used to always want to hide when someone arrived or when his mom arrived to pick him up. Then the other kids started trying to do it. I became concerned it could be a possible problem in the future if the kids start hiding at other times so I made it a rule that nobody is supposed to hide and explained that in the event of an emergency and one of them were 'hidden' I wouldn't have time to find them and make sure everyone was safe.

I've often felt guilty as hide and seek is such a great game kids really enjoy, but I was just fearful it could get out of hand and become an issue if there ever was an emergency.

Now, I'm glad I have followed my plan because I'd have been so freaking out and once I found that child I'd have been furious he was intentionally hiding from me.

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