I lost my 3 yr old in a kids consignment shop the other day. Been going there for 10 years. Small place, great staff, play nook. Great place. He's playing, I'm 3 ft away shopping. I glance, he's there, I glance, he's there, I glance, he's gone. I call his name...nothing. Panic sets in. I look left and right down the aisle and hear giggling. I look down. He was in the rack next to where I was shopping and he was hiding. In those few seconds, I was a wreck. I nearly passed out from fear. I cannot imagine actually losing a child. I cannot.
And before someone bashes me for letting him free 3 ft away from me to begin with, this is the only place outside of a family member's home that I would consider doing so. There are no shopping carts there to put him into and he's too old to be in a stroller, especially when the other toddlers/preschoolers are in the play nook. That wouldn't be fair to him.