Getting LOST
Hygiene Chronicles | July 7We recently got hooked on LOST. Yeah, I know… we’re a little lame in how it takes us two years to finally get hooked into a show that’s been around this long. Honestly, if it weren’t for Apple hooking me into downloading the shows to my iPod, it might have been years before I saw this show. But $1.99 later and I had great viewing material for my Metro rides home. (When did reading on the subway become so passé?)
After watching the season premier three times (including the dumb move of watching it on a plane ride), we were instantly hooked and rented the entire season from NetFlix. I love the program because it’s provoking and makes you question traditional ways of thinking. It took us about a month, but we got through the seven DVDs. Now we’re chomping at the bit for season two to be released.
The two-part season finale was awesome….creating even more questions than answering. It also set up situations that would allow for a great beginning to season two. It was awesome… except one scene.
(Given the fact the show’s been out for two years, I think I’m exempt from spoiler alerts, however, maybe this may spur some of you to watch the series, so I’m about to leak something from the finale.)
The scene I’m referring to is when Walt was kidnapped from the raft right in front of his dad…and his dad could do nothing. Four people holding him back. The dad fought and fought, but in the end, he could only watch his son being taken by strangers as Walt screamed for help.
This is my nightmare; what I worry about constantly. The thought of my son being taken or lost, scares the crap out of me. Honestly, I’m a pretty easy going dad, but secretly I’m over vigilant when we’re in a public place. I know it drives my partner crazy, but this is what I worry about most.
My son lives with his moms half the time and I fear for the day that he won’t go into the ladies room with them. He’s pretty independent now and we try and encourage that, but I don’t ever want to leave him along in a public place.
Am I paranoid? Are TV and the media making me more fearful of this than I need to be? I can’t be the only one who thinks kids should come with GPS systems built in.
How do you feel about it?
[…] Getting LOSTWe recently got hooked on LOST. Yeah, I know were a little lame in how it takes us two years to finally get hooked into a show thats been around… […]
So far I can’t pry my daughter off of me in public, but I’m thinking about getting a Lo-Jack chip for the boy.
Season 1 was awesome! Season two bored us to death…we stopped watching it after 3 episodes. But there’s still a lot of fans out there..I think..so maybe you’ll really like it?
You’re not alone. All we can do is prepare them as best we can (without simultaneously scarring them for life) that not everyone is a Nice Person. My son goes into the restrooms by himself now (he’s nine) but I wait outside and if it starts feeling like too much time has passed, I’ll open the door and call out his name. We also made it a rule that he isn’t to speak to ANYONE in the restroom, even if they’re polite and nice and just making conversation. We told him that it’s not appropriate for adults to talk to children in restrooms and if it happens, ignore the person and get out fast.
WWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLllllllllllllllTTTTT!!!!!
Seriously, the reason you hear about child snatching on the news is because it doesn’t happen very much. If it was a common occurence they would be talking about something else.
Plus it grabs the viewers so your emotions are on high when they cut to a commercial to try and sell you something.
I imagine the look on The Bean’s face if she ever got lost. I feel her panic in every cell of my body. My heart nearly explodes. And that’s just in my nightmares. You might as show me to a padded room ‘cuz I would lose it completely if either (or both) of my little girls were to get lost or worse– abducted.
The frequency of these panic attacks has subsided over the last 2 1/2 years, only because I feel like I’ve gotten pretty diligent in keeping an eye on her. (did I just jinx myself? damn it….)
I can’t say I completely agree with Kevin. I keep an Amber Alert ticker on my page, I am seriously amazed at how frequently it turns yellow (when an alert is in progress). True we hear a lot about “high profile” cases, ones that draw interest, but there are scores of others that just aren’t “newsworthy.”
My daughter just reached that stage where, using the men’s bathroom is unacceptable to her. When the whole family is together of course, not a problem, but when we are alone together, such as at our Saturday Bowling Outings, I now follow her to the ladies room and wait directly outside the door (there is no window large enough for a human (even a small child) to fit through).
There was a case here in New Jersey on July 4th, where in a crowd, a(prior) sex offender, grabbed a child right in front of her aunt and took off. If this idiot hadn’t been so dumb as to illegally park his car (it was towed), he may have gotten away. A wacko this brazen may not be commonplace, but it does demonstrate how vulnerable children are, at all times.
I’ve wondered how many abductions are by sex offenders/strangers vs. ex-wives/husbands.
First, LOST is an awesome show to get hooked on. Season 2 will answer some questions, but turn up many more. As for the paranoia of your child getting stolen or lost in public, I am the same way with my 3 and 4 year olds. I am absolutely petrified of this. When we are in public, I don’t think I pay as much attention to what is going on around us because I am more focused on where they are.
I am also a big fan of Lost.
I too am an over protective father when I am in Public with my two year old. They move quick.
We recently took a trip to another state and I was so paranoid that I actually went to the petstore and had ID tags made for my kids. I had their first names and our cell phone numbers put on them. Then we put them on their sandals. With the name facing inward, of course! You can never be too careful when it comes to your children. Although it does suck being terrified all of the time!
When we have kids this won’t be a problem because we’ve already decided our child(ren) won’t be allowed to see the light of day until they are 30. So by that time no one will want to take them. And they will have no social skills so they won’t be desireable for a drunken one-night stand. See? We’ve totally got it all figured out, PLUS it’s completley realistic!
When we go to the mall, I always try to give my Okapis some room to wander. I want them to feel free enough to explore while knowing I am right there if they need me. Of course, with two they can go in different directions and then I’m in deep trouble. And I’m terrified something will happen to them, that they’ll be taken. But I also feel that building their independence, their sense of self-reliance, sense of exploration is very important. As with so much of parenting, it is a fine line we have to walk isn’t it?
Kevins point is made by the exact sentiment expressed by almost everyone: the thought of loosing your kid is damn scary. We all know what that feer feels like. It is, however important to remember that it’s irrational. Should we keep an eye on our kids in public? You bet. And everywhere else as well; you never know what kind of trouble they’re going to get into. But the statistics I’ve read indicate that strangers are not who we should really (statisticly) be worried about.
I wouldn’t let my three-year old wander out of sight in the mall, but I probably will let him ride his bike to the park once he’s old enough.
I’ve been mothering children for 23 years and I’ve not lost one yet, no matter how hard I’ve tried. (rim shot) OK, bad joke… yes, I do keep a pretty good eye on them when we’re out and about, but I don’t think it happens as easily or frequently as people think. Even when a kid does get lost in a store or something, you have to realize that 99.9% of people are good and kind and will help your child. Yes, we have to worry about that other .01%, I know. But the odds are soooooo in your favor.
I’ve also read somewhere that over 90% of Amber Alerts are because a non-custodial spouse abscounds with a child. Yes, the alert is necessary and the situation requires resolution, however generally these children aren’t in stranger danger, it’s more a case of an ugly divorce or disagreement over custody, etc.
Wait until you watch season 2. You’ll have some new questions from Michael’s response to Walt’s kidnapping. BTW, that was the most frightening scene I’ve ever watched on TV. It hits you right in the heart.
Argh! I can never avoid reading spoilers…now I need to avoid telling my wife about Walt’s disappearance. (We’ve only made it to disc 4. Watching Claire’s abduction with a pregnant wife has been a bit traumatic, to say the least.
Maybe the little one can wait a few more years to be born…I’m already cringing at the idea of having to keep her on a leash so she doesn’t disappear on me.
I find that discovering a series late is often much less stressful - as you can Tivo all existing episodes, and not have to deal with the weekly stress of waiting for what’s next.
I try to deny all possible paranoia inducing stimuli. I figure that when whatever horrible situations that are inevitable will present themselves - I will do my best, but it would be an injustice to my daughter to teach her to be afraid of living.