It all happened within ten seconds but it was a really terrifying ten seconds. That night, I had a bad dream about Max being swallowed up by one of the racks in the store.
Not long afterward, I found out about Road ID. It's a company that makes identification bracelets for runners, who can wear them in case of an accident where they're unable to speak.
Wow, I thought. Perfect for Max. The company let me try out a couple for him and Sabrina, too.
I got them each a fabric Wrist ID Sport ($19.99)...
...and a rubberized Wrist ID Elite ($29.99). Both have laser-engraved, stainless-steel bands. Max wanted purple, of course...
...and Sabrina got green. I easily adjusted them to fit the kids' wrists.
I think they are pretty awesome for all children, but especially for ones with communication issues. Max and Sabrina just think they're cute and are happy to wear them out when we're at a big event.
I'd like to get one for Dave that says, "If found wandering aimlessly around Best Buy, please return to family."
The Road ID people are offering three of you a free personalized bracelet for your kid, in any color of either style. Just leave a comment below mentioning what color your child is most loving now. I'll randomly pick three winners, announce them here, then send you the checkout code that's good for one ID plus shipping and handling.
This giveaway is open until Tuesday October 12, 11:59 EST.
UPDATE: The winners are Stimey, Kristina (the first one!), and Christine Harling. I hope you and your kids get good use out of these...and that you'll never actually need to put one to the test.
Mason likes black b/c he has a pirate shirt! I would also go for orange though! This is an awesome idea! M is also a runner, if you turn around he is gone and he never comes looking for you either!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! My Jack's favorite color is black.
ReplyDeleteWonderful idea! My daughter's favorite color at the moment is green!
ReplyDeletejclaiborn@yahoo.com
Great idea!
ReplyDeletePink, pink, and more pink!
Mizstevens@hotmail.com
Great idea! Love it! We love pink!
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome idea! Max favorite color red or black, for Spider Men. Max like to wonder allot, you turn around he is gone. His favorite aria to explore is Elevator. Thanks
ReplyDeleteLyudaK_2002@yahoo.com
I tend to dress Corrigan in blue more than anything else.
ReplyDeletehow hard are they to take off? I can imagine Gracie trying to chew through it. xx
ReplyDeleteSunshine doesn't seem to show much preference for colors yet. So, I'm exercising my mommy right to choose for her and we do lots of pink and purple. :)
ReplyDeleteThese are cool :) Andy's favorite color is blue.
ReplyDeleteMy First "non-anonymous" post:
ReplyDeleteMy two kids are caught up in a fit of silliness about colours: the "what is your favourite colour?" question was wearing my husband down each and every day, so one day he answered "hippopotamus". Now, we MUST answer something non-colourish. In the meantime, clothes still count for favourite colours: BLUE!
Thanks for the blog!
Fletcher's favorite color is blue, or at least that is the only color's name he can approximate right now.
ReplyDeleteWas wondering what you will put on Max's bracelet... dx or just phone numbers. I am thinking since Fletch is pretty much non-verbal and has a shiny new seizure disorder dx and rx, I should probably get him a medical alert bracelet, but maybe something like this could do...
Moe doesn't have much of a color preference, but the first color he said was "yellow" so I'll go with that! Such a great idea for busy places like the mall or the zoo. I'm not brave enough to dare an amusement park just yet...
ReplyDeleteOooh! Avery is all about red and has been for a few years now! She has a definite preference, especially now that she's a kindergartner! ID bracelet would be so cool for our 1st ever trip to Disney in Dec!!
ReplyDeleteleah.mosenthal@hitchcock.org
kiddycool.com do them in the UK for £3.45. Great idea
ReplyDeletePINK! My daughter at 5 is finally making friends with girls so PINK is now the color of choice!
ReplyDeleteI thought about getting Lizzy an epilepsy ID bracelet but the doc said, 'well she is always with you anyway!' I guess pink for Lizzy and Will love purple - just like Max!
ReplyDeleteOh well maybe Lizzy would like red... she can see red best!
ReplyDeleteNo favorite color yet. But loves watching Harold and the purple crayon on HBO. So I'm thinking purple!!
ReplyDeleteLove these! Cara is really into blue right now and would think this is really cool.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your blog every AM! Thanks!
I have been thinking of getting one of these for Gracie for a while now, but just have never done it.
ReplyDeleteI know she would love purple!!!
We have had a few moments like these. They only last a few seconds but scare me so badly!
I was looking for something like this and this is perfect. Aidan's favorite color is blue (including everything he eats - blueberry or blue rasperry always trump everything else!). We've had scares many times with Aidan wandering off, and have been very lucky that neighbors who know us have found him and brought him home. Since he can't remember his phone number or address, one of these would be a lifesaver - possibly literally (we hope it's never necessary!).
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea! Orange, of course!
ReplyDeleteI have one kid who loves orange beyond all reason, and one kid who doesn't have a preference yet. (Which means I'd get to choose!)
ReplyDeleteWow,what a cool idea! My daughter's favorite color is purple, my son's favorite is green. I have no idea what my two year old son's favorite color is, but he looks definitely looks cutest in blue ;-)
ReplyDeletemararegan@hotmail.com
Yankee Blue baby!! Derek may be nonverbal but he loves watching Jeter play baseball.
ReplyDeleteOrange!!!! I have a redhead, who insists on wearing all orange. Quite a sight to see!
ReplyDeleteGotta go with Max and say "purple" is the color that makes her happy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for all kids, but especially those with super powers!
These are great! I've been thinking about getting something like this for a long time. I've had heart attack moments like the one you described with Max and I swear they take at least a year off my life. NO FUN.
ReplyDeleteLeo is obsessed with yellow.
Thanks!
It's funny that you posted this today as I was just talking to my husband about getting an ID for my 5 year old who is constantly running off! Was going to google them today! Yedidya's favorite color is blue.
ReplyDeleteT-man looks good in green, so I am assuming that his favorite color is green.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea!!
thanks Ellen!
Kristen
kebpo@aol.com - Kristen (forgot, duh!)
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful idea! I may get one even I didn't get the "free" one ;-) My son's favorite color is RED. It is nice that the bracelet looks cool instead of looking weird.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
My son would choose blue.
ReplyDeleteericandsarita(at)gmail(dot)com
What a great idea! Monkey's favorite color is red. Even though he can communicate well, little kids don't always remember important details such as their address and phone number when they're under stress. Also, with Monkey's high risk of seizures and his allergies, a bracelet like that would really help. Good luck to everyone, and I plan to buy one myself if I don't win.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter goes towards red and pink, but she is mostly non-verbal and does on occasion say blue so maybe she would prefer blue!
ReplyDeletePurple fo sho! Thanks Ellen!
ReplyDeleteI swear I'm not trying to cheat w these multiple entries! Just on a train w spotty connection. So now this makes 4...give me that ID bracelet or I'll keep commenting!
ReplyDeleteI like the one you would get your huband! :)
ReplyDeleteD is blind so colors don't matter to him but we think he looks good in orange.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear about this. My daughter is getting more mobile and I'm starting to worry when we go out since she is still nonverbal. If I don't win I will have to order one!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure she would love purple just like Max!
Gabe loves blue...and I think I may have to get one for hubby like the one Dave needs :P
ReplyDeleteKennedy is a pink girl all the way!
ReplyDeletecolleenmouse at gmail.com
M. doesn't really have a favorite color but I think he wears a lot of orange, so we'll go with that! :-)
ReplyDeleteHe's a major runner these days & doesn't respond to "stop" or "no", + he's non-verbal, so this would be AWESOME for him!
Awesome idea! Allie LOVES pink just like Pinkalicious!
ReplyDeleteThis would be great for Aria! I think she'd prefer pink. =]
ReplyDeleteWOW
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea
KE is always wandering
Very scary
Once he got lost for about 10 minutes at JC Penny - My mom stood by elevator and screamed for the clerk to call it on the announcements. I was screaming his name like a lunactic. I found him under a shirt rack with a lady shopping right on top of him (she saw him)
I gave him a hug then walked away before I said anything to the shopper
If you see a boy with a tube in his nose and someone screaming a child's name and saying her boy is missing - shouldn't you put two and two together ? :}
KE likes orange
THANKS
I've thought of getting one of these. It would have been nice when we were in Disney this summer. Just a little extra reassurance when you're in such a big place. Emma's favorite color is purple.
ReplyDeleteHow cute are your kids? What a great idea! Emily is currently in love with purple!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! We were just talking about this issue! I lost my oldest son in a close rack... he was playing hide n seek, but forgot to tell me! I only found him because he got the giggles!
ReplyDeleteWe like black!
My daughter is a huge flight risk and I have looked into these, but never seen them so inexpensive! I'd love to have one for her. Oh, and right now her favorite color is also purple. :)
ReplyDeleteSuper!!!
ReplyDeleteMary's color is purple!
I love your blog and your voice for kids with special powers. I can definitely see how this would give peace of mind, particularly for kids with limited speech. It also reminds me of the craze for kids to have their names on their shirts, and why that eventually went away. Do you think there's any concern about someone using this information to their advantage? If you're a kid, and the adult is slick enough, here's someone who knows your name, where you live, and a little about your family...what's not to trust? However, it seems like this risk is so much smaller than the everyday risk of a child wandering off.
ReplyDeleteorange for frankie!
ReplyDeleteOwen would definitely want blue (if he could tell me, of course)! What a wonderful way to adapt this for Max!!
ReplyDeleteJohnny's all about RED!
ReplyDeleteBut we wonder...will he just chew it off? hum.... :)
Thanks for letting us know about this!
I have been thinking about getting my Max a braclet due to his special diet, his diet is his medicine and he needs to be protected. I had not found this company until you blogged about it, thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy son is autistic and soon to go off to preschool with the school district. This has me in a panic, because he doesnot talk and has been known to "escape". This would really ease my mind! I think my son would be into green. Always goes for percy, and he's green :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you guys liked! Erin, we put Max's name and birth year on it, my cell, Dave's cell, and "Nut allergies/Seizures" on the last line—no room for an inspiring quote, alas!
ReplyDeleteNote, these bracelets close easily but they're not that easy for kids to remove, so no worries there.
Very Cool! Ethan always seems to be partial to orange.
ReplyDeleteWould LOVE this for either one of my boys... they're always running around. LOL
ReplyDeleteThese are awesome. My daughter is a runner and doesn't notice when she is away from us. I have wanted to get something like this. No favorite colors yet, but she loves bracelets. If someone asked her her name all she could say is I pretty (but not that clear) emandsam@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteEsme would go for "mermaid" colour (that's teal / aquamarine!). Or pink. Or purple. Or... sparkles. If you could imagine a fairy or a princess or a fairy princess wearing it, she would go for it!
ReplyDeleteWe have made a tag we stick on the back of Esme when we are somewhere very crowded (eg. a fair), but we don't use it when we are just out and about. The bracelet seems like a much better option than the tag!
Jane janelouisemcrae@yahoo.ca
This would be perfect for my 3 year old son Andre. He recently got diagnosed with autism and so his speech is very delayed. This would be just perfect for him - also hes a runner!! i would choose blue or black
ReplyDeletedaniellep at toronto-college-dental dot org
Oh, my daughter would LOVE the pink one--or the purple one. Apparently, both are "princess colors". :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win!
Courtney :)
www.lovewilllead.com
What a great idea these are. My son likes black.
ReplyDeletepurple!
ReplyDeletebluemoose@cableone.net
Sad to say I don't know if Luke has a favorite color or not :(
ReplyDeleteThis weekend when we went shopping for fall clothes he did pick the green shirt over the red (which I would have picked!)
If by chance I'm NOT a winner -- I will get one for Luke -- who is completely non-verbal and has given me those 10 second panics.
jdoll at mail dot win dot org
Black would be best - it would look like a watch band to him. Great idea for child with autism
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! Scarlett's favourite colour is (of course!) red.
ReplyDeleteMy son likes all colours but I think orange might be his fave at the moment. tiaceleste@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has multiple anaphylactic allergies. She currently wears a little badge on her shirt w/ all allergies listed but she has recently started pulling it off. However, she loves bracelets; I think this is the ticket. She's a girly girl and loves pink and purple.
ReplyDeleteLJ favors red. I'm not sure if it's because it easily contrast with other colors in the background or if he actually likes that color but he tends to gravitate towards it.
ReplyDeleteI actually have been thinking about something like this, but for emergency situations. I'm not sure if it would be helpful to an EMT or other medical professional to know a brief history. I was also wanting something for the home to alert firefighters that he's non verbal/mobile so they know he's there but can't respond.
I'm such a worrier.
Great idea! Ashlyn loves purple too!
ReplyDeletealuscomb@mediacomcc.com
These are great and aesthetically pleasing too. Dylan likes green. He is deaf and non verbal. He has a speech generating device, but recently on a trip to the doctor he ran into an elevator by himself, pushed a button and was gone. I had his talker by the way. He remembered the floor we were on and came back, but in those few moments I pictured him getting off the elevator and being completely unable to tell anyone anything. It was terrifying!
ReplyDeleteI love this! Charlotte doesn't have a favorite color yet, so I'd go with purple.
ReplyDeleteMy girlie loves pink! I've been looking into something like this for my ASD daughter, but then I convince myself it's not necessary. If I ignore the issue it'll totally go away, right?
ReplyDeletei like red
ReplyDeletenannypanpan at sbcglobal.net
I think these items are awesome. I have been looking at them lately now that I think my son will leave them on and not freak out because it was on his arm.
ReplyDeleteMy son is a eloper and has given us several scares. His favorite color is green!
Acadia loves purple! It matches her 48" stuffed Barney pal :o)
ReplyDeleteMy husband is a cyclist and Road ID was our saving grace when he was hit by a car. I would get the purple one too, b/c like Max, I LOVE PURPLE!!
ReplyDeleteWow I thought for sure I had missed this. My son Bryce has CP and we are currently checking to see if he is having seizures. He is non verbal also. I think these are the greatest ever!
ReplyDeleteBryce loves the color red....just like his favorite toy, Rocket!
bryces_mommy@yahoo.com