Mom Jessie Harris Bouton is sharing the scary incident she and her daughter endured in March during the end of a school day. As many parents have taught their children many times during their adolescent years, strangers equal danger.
However, what some parents may not realize is that with the addition of masks into our daily lives, it’s now hard to recognize people just by looking at their faces. And as Bouton is revealing her her terrifying story, parents now have to stress the lesson of stranger danger and masks.
As Bouton revealed on Instagram, her daughter, Lola, went missing for about 15 minutes at the end of her school day. This is a story she is urging every mom, every parent, to listen closely to.
According to the mom, like she does most days, she traveled to her daughter’s school to pick her up from pre-kindergarten on March 26. However, when she arrived, Lola was nowhere to be found.
And when Bouton asked Lola’s teacher where her daughter was, the teacher told her “her grandfather had already picked her up.” But that was never the plan.
“It seemed odd – I hadn’t asked him to,”Bouton wrote on Instagram. “And when I pressed the teacher a bit further, she explained that Lola was reluctant but she assumed it was because Lola was disappointed I hadn’t picked her up.”
Bouton admitted she immediately got a funny feeling and drove straight home to see if her grandfather had actually picked her up from school and brought her home. But again, Lola was no where to be found and not with Bouton’s father-in-law.
“HOLY SH*T,” Bouton thought. “WHO THE HELL HAS MY BABY?!?!” And after calling all of the people she could have thought may have Lola, Bouton raced back to her daughter’s school.
Thankfully, 15 minutes later, Lola was back in her mom’s arms. So here’s what happened:
“The teacher handed her to another grandpa who regularly picks up his granddaughter. The masks caused confusion,” Bouton explained. “YES, it’s crazy that the man didn’t notice it wasn’t his granddaughter. YES, it’s crazy the school doesn’t have a policy in place to ensure a mistake like that doesn’t happen.”
RELATED: I Have Concerns About the Idea of Kids Wearing Masks at School: Advice?
However, the one thing she wants moms and parents to take most away from their experience is, “please talk with your kids about stranger danger with masks.”
“Teach them it’s ok to ask to see faces if they aren’t sure it’s someone they know. Teach them to understand that adults can make mistakes too and to speak up and use their voice if they think something isn’t right. And lastly, things like this happen every day and so many aren’t as fortunate as me to get their baby back in their arms safely.”
And because of that Bouton says she is counting her blessing but hopes to be an advocate for the better policies needed to help protect children’s safety. Wow!
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