once bitten twice shy?

*during dismissal*
“Goodbye Teacher Yanni… Goodbye Friends!”

“That’s fast! Child S is at the playground… Wow enjoying her biscuit some more!” I thought to myself as I wait at the door with the rest of the children,

“Hmm… something is not right! Child S’ mother is not on her left, Child S’ brother is not on her right, Child S’ grandmother is nowhere to be seen too!” I thought.

“OH NO! Without me knowing, she walked over to the playground on her own, despite her guardian hasn’t come yet!”

“VOLCANO ERUPTING” was written on my face! I immediately walked to the playground, without any questioning… I grabbed her hand and brought her back to classroom, threw away the biscuit she was eating and started my scolding! Guess where did she got the biscuit... she asked it from a stranger (her friend's mum) by the side.

I scold… I scold… I scold… I SCOLD and SCOLD… *Child S cried*
*believe me… at the point, I was realllllllllly very angry! The thought of “what if” she is lost just frightened me!

Not only did I just scold, I also did reason with her- telling her the danger of her going/being alone. So when the mum came, I tried to tell the mum what happened as she was on a important call but she did replied me- “Yes! I understand… she naughty!”

After that… I was talking to one of the auntie who knew what had happened, she made a statement:
”Children like them… maybe they will only learn after something really happened”

But I myself think that… that is only 1% true because afterall they are children, young children. We really cant afford to let ‘one’ thing happened to make them learn their lesson.

*Just like- the day before this incident, our school actually received a call from the police, to check on our 2 K2s children- trying to ask how they were being dismissed, as their form of going back are by school bus. Shortly after, we knew that both of them was being send up to bus from school and by school bus, they were sent back home but they were lost when their parents brought them out to playground and without the parents who was busy chit chatting knowing, this 2 children wander off and get lost in a unfamiliar place. But thank God they were found not long after by one of their mum’s friend.

Conversation we had with one of the child who came back to school the following day:

Chers: So, Child B, what happened yesterday?
Child B: *smile shyly*
Chers: What happened to you and Child P (another child who was lost)?
Child B: We go playground… then we walked… and walked
Chers: Then you cant find your mummy already?
Child B: Yes…
Chers: Then what happened?
Child B: Then… I very tired… so I sit down… at bus-stop
Chers: Then what about Child P? She was not with you?
Child B: I don’t know
Chers: Oh… then after that?
Child B: Then… my uncle sees me… he carries me to police station. Police station there, I saw Child P.
Chers: *flipped*
Child B: I hug my… mummy
Chers: Did your mummy scold you?
Child B: No… she talks to me only… she said next time cannot do it again
Chers: So are you afraid, want to anyhow walk away from mummy again?
Child B: No…
Chers: Then why Child P never comes to school today?
Child B: Think… she is very scare… so never come