Missing Makenna

Well it seems our little talk about telling mommy where she is going hasn't sunk in quite yet. On Monday (April 4th), after swim I usually let her go out and play with the toys for a few minutes while I finish up in the locker room. Okay, so maybe I'm too trusting but I feel she needs to get a little independence and it's only for about 5 minutes, which I know some of you will say, too much time for her to be on her own.

Before she left the locker room I specifically asked her if she needed to go to the bathroom and she said no, and then she went on her way. I went out shortly after and I could not find her. Panic mode. I went back into the locker room even though I was fairly certain she did not come back through. I looked back on the swim deck, I went back to the lobby, I went looking outside, and just as I was about to talk to the front desk staff, out she comes from the bathrooms in the front lobby. I gave her a quick stern talking to and then we went into the car where I really laid it on.

We get home and she disappears again! We were taking out the dogs and she usually does this lap or two around the garage and house. Well after her second or third lap, she didn't return. I'm yelling for her, and she wasn't responding. So now I'm frantically looking around the garage, the woods, and finally find her on the back porch playing with a ball. I again told her that she has to respond to me when I call her so I know she's okay.

That nights discussion was talking about strangers and what strangers mean and how she needs to kick, scream, yell, etc. when someone she doesn't know is trying to take her or making her do something she does not want to do. (I fear that this lesson will be turned around on me at some point).

The next day, she leaves the house to go to the car for school, I come out and she's nowhere to be found. I start yelling, no reply. I then hear the car door automatically open and realize that's where she is. I reiterate to her again the importance of telling me of where she's going. If she tells me she's going to be one place and then decides to go to another place, that she has to come ask and/or tell me.

Have I learned my lesson? Yes...so please don't berate me. Does she still need to learn some life skills...yes but maybe in smaller doses as my heart can't take these "missing" moments.