One evening, my little one and I went to a vibrant and colourful mela (fair) in our locality that had captivating rides, exhilarating activities, and delightful swings for children. As we were roaming about in the fair enjoying our ice creams, someone came up to us from behind and gently tapped my hand. I turned around to see a small girl sobbing and continuously wiping away tears with her tiny hands. Overwhelmed by concern, I knelt down to the girl’s eye level, comforted her, and gently patted her. When I noticed a glimmer of hope twinkle in her eyes, I inquired about the reason behind her tears in a compassionate voice, not before asking why was she by herself, unescorted by any adults.
She radiated a remarkable skill she possessed.
Taking a deep breath, she began narrating the situation in a step-by-step, precise manner about how she got separated from her parents in the fair. She first introduced herself to me, starting with her name. She spelled out her first name, A-D-I-T-I, and then told me she was 7 years old. Later, she went on to explain her situation nicely.
She told me that as she wandered through the fair with her parents, she became captivated by a colourful carousel spinning in mesmerizing circles. Unable to resist the temptation, she hopped aboard one of the gleaming horses. Lost in her own world of joy, she had failed to tell her parents that she was going on the ride. Her parents had gone forward thinking that she was close behind them, as this was the norm and they didn’t normally hold hands.
When the carousel ride ended she realized she was alone. Panic washed over her, and she started crying.
After hearing her story, we took Aditi to the fair’s concierge. The host reassured her and informed her that her parents would soon be reunited with her. He asked her some personal details, such as her name, her father’s and mother’s names, and contact numbers if she knew of anyone. My little one and I watched as she confidently shared all the asked-for details.
The host was also impressed by Aditi’s confidence, and he immediately made an announcement about the lost child. He contacted the provided numbers so that her parents could reach her as soon as possible. Thanks to the personal details Aditi had memorized, she was quickly reunited with her parents.
To Aditi it felt like an eternity, but in reality, it was only a short while before her parents arrived at the concierge’s desk. Their concerned faces reflected relief as Aditi’s eyes welled up with tears of joy. She ran into her parents’ warm embrace. They were immensely proud of their little girl, and their diligent efforts in teaching her to memorize personal details- such as the spelling of her name, their names, grandparents’ names, complete address along with the PIN* code, nearest police station, post office, and their contact number- had proven to be a lifeline in this moment of distress.
From that day onwards, Aditi’s experience became a powerful anecdote in my life, emphasizing to children and parents alike the importance of memorizing personal details.
Here are some parting words for parents:
Dear parents, I urge you to instill in your children this valuable life skill. The Power of Memorizing Personal Details can prove to be empowering in moments of urgency or emergency. Having these details memorized could be the key to a child’s safety and well-being. Children can also be enlightened about the first steps to take when they get separated from their parents or get lost in a fair or find themselves stranded in unknown places.
Aditi’s experience at the fair teaches everyone a vital lesson: sometimes, the most valuable skills are not the ones measured by academic success but rather the ones that empower children to navigate the world safely.
For your children aged 3 years and above, start emphasizing the importance of memorizing personal details such as spelling of their names, father’s name, mother’s name, grandparents’ names (optional), complete address along with the PIN code, nearest police station, post office, contact number of parents and caregivers (optional), and nationality.
Signing off, take care, and happy parenting!