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Sinead Butler
Apr 19, 2023
'Daughter teaches mum an important lesson through a funny prank '
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A mother has shared how she lost her daughter in a play area - but was quickly reunited with her thanks to remembering a helpful tip from TikTok.
Krista Piper (@krista.piper), a wedding photographer from Rushville, Ohio took to the platform to share how she managed to briefly lose her daughter Lily in a play area at Center of Science and Industry in Columbus,
"I lost my three-year-old in a kids play today and thank God for TikTok," Krista began.
"Another mom actually found her for me and found her way faster than if I had done what I normally done.
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"I went seven years without losing one of my children and this play place is huge, it runs the entire length of this giant science museum and the kids love it.
She noted how the space has a "lot of little nooks and crannies."
“I was talking to another mom that we came there with because our two boys were playing ’cause they’re older
“And all of a sudden I don’t know where my three-year-old is.”
"So I started calling her name. Right after I started calling her name, a little light bulb went off in my head that I remembered a TikTok that I had seen probably over a year ago,"
"But it was of a mom who had lost her kid in, I believe, a grocery store, and instead of yelling out the kid’s name, she yelled out the description of what her child was wearing, and she was able to find her kid way faster.
And that's exactly what Krista did, as she stopped calling her daughter's name and began to yell what she was wearing instead - in this case it was a pink Minnie Mouse shirt.
“I’m sure people thought I was a little crazy," she admitted and at this point her daughter Lily had been missing for around a minute, minute-and-a-half which "felt like an eternity" for the mother.
@krista.piper I lost my 3 year old todah in a play place and thank god for tiktok - I’m so happy i saw that tiktok of what to do when your kid goes missing. I found her fast by raising my voice and saying a description of what she was wearing. Should have added her age or hair color but the description if little girl with pink minnie mouse shirt got thr job done finding her. #parents #parentsoftiktok #playplace
She then heard other mums repeatedly shouting the description as walked up and down the area to try and find Lily.
In the end, a woman managed to find Lily and was able to get Krista's attention by mentioning the outfit description.
"Luckily, another mom said, ‘Little girl. Pink shirt. Minnie Mouse," she said. "I was like, ‘Yes.’ And that was her.”
While her method of finding her daughter was effective, Krista noted that on reflection she should have also shouted other details such as Lily's age, her hair colour etc.
Though all in all, she advised her followers: "So, PSA, if you ever lose your child or dog or anything, yell out their description,” she said. “Raise your voice.”
Since sharing her story, Krista's video has received nearly 600,000 views and 62,000 likes as well as comments from people who similarly saw the TikTok she mentioned and praised her for remaining calm in the situation.
One person said: "Tell me why- the min you said I remember this TikTok video, I knew exactly which one you were talking about. I'm so glad you found her!"
"During your explanation I noticed you got upset because that must have been overwhelming. Just wanted to say you did a great job mom!" another person wrote.
Someone else added: "As a mom if I hear someone yelling a name probably don’t think much of it but yelling a description is like a call to action to moms!"
"I take a picture when we go to crowded places just incase I forget what she's wearing," a fourth person commented.
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