If you're going to be in a crowd, dress your tot in bright colors
or a distinctive hat so she'll be easy to spot.
Safety-pin a card with your phone number into your child's
pocket, and "practice with your children what they'll say or do if
they get lost," says Dallas teacher Sara Long.
Investigate a high-tech tracking system. lonKids allows parents
to monitor the locations of up to four kids via water-and
tamper-resistant wrist tags that transmit their whereabouts to a
base unit up to 500 feet away outdoors, or 350 feet indoors ($200
for one handheld base unit and one hand-held Wrist Tag,
www.ionkids.com).
Avoid Losing Toys
"When you realize a particular toy is important, buy another one
of them," says child psychologist Lawrence Shapiro, author of The
Secret Language of Children ($15, www.amazon.com. ).
Never let a treasured toy out of your home, he also suggests.
Buy or make a collar and a dog tag for beloved stuffed animals.
Avoid Losing Your Pets
Make sure your pet is properly tagged and licensed. And consider
an ID microchip, suggests Ruth Goldstein of the ASPCA. This tiny
metal chip is injected between your pet's shoulder blades.
Animal-control authorities routinely scan lost animals for chips.
"Use a standard leash, not a retractable one," says Seth
Edelstein, owner of New York City dog-walking service Walkee
Doggie. The small plastic handle of a retractable leash is harder
to hold on to if your dog bolts.
Clip the leash to your dog's collar or harness and to a nylon
safety choke collar ($3 to $6, www.bowwowshop.com). If the regular
collar breaks, the safety collar will save the day.
