I lost my daughter for the first time today!  Never lost my son in 6 years, but she just vanished.  I have to admit, though, that I was at a model railway expo and there were lots of people, everywhere.  At first I stayed calm and just thought that she wouldn't go too far.  But she has been going much further away from us than before.  I walked back and forward almost looking under womens dresses becoming more desperate and more concerned that some train-loving peadoiphile would have known that this was a target-rich environment.  Right then I heard on the loudspeaker that a child had been found.  But I couldn't hear the description and knew that my daughter couldn't say her name.  I tried to regain calm.  I know from cognitive psychology that panic reduces sensory skills and in particular peripheral vision.  When we get stressed we become less able to identify different objects.  We can even convince ourselves that an object is not there, when it's staring us in the face.  Stay calm and keep your percepction broad. She's only very short, wearing pink.  Everyone's wearing pink!  I also felt that sense of pride.  "OF course, I haven't lost my daughter.  I'm careful and she's well behaved."  Screw, pride.  Where's the office?  I arrive at the desk and everyone in front of me is asking pathetic questions about how to find the toilets and can they buy a raffle ticket.  "I surrounded by uncaring idiots," I scream to myself.  Then I feel someone grab my leg at toddler height.  My daughter is right next to me and a kind woman saying that she found her admiring the pies and sausage rolls in the cafe.  She didn't seem worried at all, but something about her made her think that she was lost.  She gave me that look.  "Father, out with the kids for a day.  Can't even do that part properly.  Can't even keep his 2 year old daughter under control.  Probably got his head down in some magazine or discussion the finer points of an HO diesel locomotive."  Anway, I was damn glad to see her.  But 30 minutes later she was off again.  This time, I did keep more of an eye on her.  Can't let them out of your sight, is all I'll say.

Wombat