Monkey Buddy comes with us on all trips to theme parks, museums and other large gatherings.
MB attracts attention where ever we go. People smile, point and sometimes, grimace and shake their heads. We tell him to not mind THOSE kinds of people as they just don't understand.
Do you know who does understand our good friend MB? Anyone who has ever, even for just one teensie tiny moment thought that their child was lost.
It happened to us once when our oldest was about 5. We were at the Children's Museum in Boston. We were on the elevator, not because we were too lazy to walk a few steps but because son # 1 was in a stroller. Up we were going when the elevator stopped to let someone out on floor #2. We were going up to floor #3. We were all there... everything was good. Then, just as the doors were shutting, our 5 year old went through the doors and they shut! It was the longest 30 seconds of my entire life! ( why'd he do that? He saw someone leaving and at the last second thought it was us.)
Instantly we could hear him crying in panic. We tried yelling through the elevator that we were coming. My husband bound through the 3rd floor opening and bolted down the stairs. Thankfully the floors are open so when we got out and started yelling to him, he could hear us. Some nice lady saw what happened and stayed with him until my husband got down there. For a while, I never thought I could take my kids to places like that again - I had been far more frightened than my son because I was far more aware of all that could of happened (but didn't, thank you Jesus!!) than he.
Another time at the super market after making new friends in the isles as we went a shoppin' (you know how you keep seeing the same people even if you're going in different directions?) we heard a mother's panic in the check out line. Our 'friends', a young mother with her 2 year old son and newborn baby, were a few people behind us in line when the mother noticed that the 2 year old was gone. The panic in her heart broke voice sent chills down my spine. "I know this feeling" I thought. This was a very rare occassion when I was actually shopping with my husband and both children. I told my husband - 'stay here with them!' and off I went.
I went running to the far end of the store yelling for Andrew and asking folks in the isles if they'd seen a small boy (everyone in the store was at a standstill as they could hear the mom yelling - even though they really didn't know what was going on. and... can I just say that Shaw's did NOTHING to help!!! they didn't have employees help, they didn't stop people from leaving the store - NOTHING!! and the manager was well aware of what was going on!). Finally an older lady said to me 'I did see a boy by himself down there climbing into a shelf' pointing down the paper goods isle. Ok - #1 - you see a 2 year old by himself and that didn't raise a red flag?! #2 - He was climbing on a shelf, and again...nothing?
Speaking of #2, when I got down to little Andrew, I do believe his reason for seperation was that he was at the age where he was about ready to potty train and wanted a little privacy if you know what I mean. I scooped the little man up in my arms and started yelling for the people at the end of the isle to tell the mom I had him!
By the time I got into the car, I just sat and cried. Not my kid - true! Didn't even know them (other than saying 'hello' and warning the mom that he was filling her cart with frosting) - true! But I'm a mom. I knew her terror!
So, Monkey Buddy.... Don't get him? Don't really care!!! It keeps my child safe in situations where he could become easily lost and I love my son just as much (read 1000 x more!!) as another loves their animal (I like animals too). So I will go on using our dear Monkey Buddy until age/behavior render him no longer necessary.
But I will say that as we were leaving the Museum of Science yesterday, a police officer pointed to us and said "Love those!! They make my job so much better. Thank you for using one of those lady!" So there scoffers!!!
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