ring missing, child may be to blame

[partgypsy]

I have been heartsick these last few days, because my anniversary ring has gone missing. Normally I wear it every day, but the last week or so I had not worn it much because it started sticking on my finger, so kept it in my jewelry box. I go to put it on last Thursday, and it is not there! To give you some background, my 3 year old daughter and her 4 year old cousin got very interested in my jewelry box and going through it, taking things out of it, etc. We sternly lectured them that it was off limits, and after that I''ve been keeping it in the middle of the crib, thinking they couldn''t reach it from there.
I start having a bad feeling, so ask my daughter, Did you and Isabel take anything out of my jewelry box? She then says she didn''t but isabel took my ring and was playing with it in her room. We have her parents ask her and she says no she knows she''s not supposed to play with my rings it was Penelope''s ring she was playing with. Both agree they were playing with some ring in my daughter''s room, but both don''t know where that ring is now, with my daughter saying things like "I think its lost forever Mommy". Needless to say my husband and I have been throughly searching through the house, especially that bedroom to find it, but so far, no sign of it. Oh yeah I asked her how would they reach the ring, and she walks up to the crib, sticks her arm through the slats and shows how she can reach and open the top of the jewelry box!!!
Ironically though there are a number of people here that love the hunt of the upgrade I love this ring and don''t want to replace it, I just want to find it, but I am losing hope.

I don''t even know why I''m even posting, other than this is the only group of people that I think would understand what I am going through
(And yes, I''m going to buy a locking jewelry box).

 

[Dee*Jay]

Oh, PG, you poor thing! Keep looking, especially in that bedroom and any other place they were playing and it might turn up. You''re insurance might require that you report a loss within a certain period of time though, so be conscious of that as the days go on.

Good searching vibes going out to you!!!

 

[Ellen]

Gosh pg, I''m so sorry. Whenever something went missing when mine were little, I had to put myself in their shoes. Get down on their level, look in weird places, short places, places you would never dream of putting something. Heat ducts, cold air returns, kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets under sinks, shoes, etc. With little ones, you never know.

Good luck!


p.s. Maybe a metal detector?

 

[flopkins]

I have no ideas to help but just wanted to say I hope you find it!!!!

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh geez, so sorry. Getting down on a childs level is a good idea. Take a flashlight and look under bureaus, beds etc.. Look under the cushions of your sofas etc.. I really hope you find it, good luck!!!

 

[oshinbreez]

I feel so bad for you. Hopefully you can find it.

A sugguestion. In a casual way, start looking at all the pretty things in your jewelry box. Have your daughter in the room with you. Take out several items, one at a time, let her try them on, you put them on, etc. Say things like "isn''t this pretty" to her. After a few minutes, ask her if she has any pretty things. Don''t mention the missing ring. If she doesn''t come up with it, check toybox, drawers (pull out each article of clothes and shake it), check behind or under dresser, bed, etc. When you asked her before she may have known that she was in trouble. If you let her try things on with you, she may feel less threatened.

 

[movie zombie]

sorry to hear your ring may have disappeared.

stating the obvious: knowing they were already interested in the box and lecturing that it was off limits is just not enough for this age group.....such a box is crying out to be opened, fondled, and the contents adored by those eyes and hands. i''m not even sure i''d stay away from the box if it were left out in plan view

learning lesson to us all: in any home where there resides the young and curious or the young and curious visit, its best to put have our treasure boxes out of view....because they really are treasure: both to us and those who just can''t resist the temptation to play with them. sad to say in this instance, but it is simply amazing what little minds and hands can accomplish when motivated.

perhaps you can enlist your daughter and her cousin in the search: make it a game of ''if i were a ring, where would i hide?'' offer some kind of reward with great praise for finding it. perhaps a pretty bauble of their very own to have and cherish might help your''s to resurface.

movie zombie

ps on the humorous side, they have already developed a taste for finer gems and may be posting here on pricescope one day.......

 

[partgypsy]

Thanks for the comments. I get pretty upset when I think about it, especially as I kick myself thinking I could have prevented this from happening. We are going to keep looking, and I will definitely post if there is good news.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 8/7/2006 6:00:59 PM
Author: part gypsy
Thanks for the comments. I get pretty upset when I think about it, especially as I kick myself thinking I could have prevented this from happening. We are going to keep looking, and I will definitely post if there is good news.

Don''t kick yourself, we are not perfect. I know, hard to believe.

Wishing you luck.

 

[diamondsrock]

I was going to suggest if she has a toybox then try going through that. I remember my son''s toybox when he was little was full of stuff and all the little things fell to the bottom. Good luck!

 

[mingagreen]

oh Part Gypsy, I know exactly what you are going thru as my 3 year old DD was playing with my Ering about 4 months ago. We looked everywhere for my ring (I still look) but unfortunately no sign of it. We did file ins. claim so things are moving on. I totally sympathize with you and truely hope your ring shows up.
If you have heat vents that the ring may have gone in, put a flashlight in the vent and hold a mirror over it, you can see down the vent for anything sparkly. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[IrishAngel7982]

PG ~ I''m so sorry! The only advice I have is to carefully look everywhere. Don''t rush, and try to stay calm. When I get worked up about losing something I usually find it when I''m calm and not ransacking the place. Keep us posted and I hope you find it soon!

 

[partgypsy]

Well no new news on ring front. I did check out both my daughter''s and my neice''s jewelry box. In the neice''s box were a couple pieces of my daughter''s costume jewelry and an inexpensive necklace that was in my jewelry box, but no ring. However I feel better as I bit the bullet and called the insurance people and told them the situation and as far as they can tell it would still be covered. However before I officially submit it I am going to do a thorough search of the house including all the drawers and toy bins this weekend and hopefully find it.

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh good luck PG!!! I really hope you find it!!

 

[gailrmv]

Part Gypsy, any news?

 

[partgypsy]

No, no news yet. I haven''t had time to look much more this week, but want to this weekend. I''m going through with my plan to submit next week if I haven''t found it, but also thinking another time it might be found is when my mother in law comes for the new baby, she was a home ec major is a very good cleaner, maybe it would turn up then. Ironically because of getting ready for the new baby really been cleaning and decluttering, so it is dismaying it hasn''t been found yet, since house is more orderly than usual. At this point its got to be someplace pretty obscure if its still in the house...

 

[partgypsy]

MY RING IS BACK!!!


So my husband picks me up from work today and he says, there''s something in your hair, and I turn my head, and when I turn my head back he is holding my ring in front of my face! I gasp and he starts laughing. He said he was very tempted to call me at work to tell me but he said it was totally worth it to see my expression.

I seriously thought I would never see it again.

The story: My husband has "Daddy day care" every Weds at our house, which is a standing invitation for other friends with small kids to come over in the morning and afternoon. Well one of the other kids had taken the ring (though I would be surprised if Penelope didn''t have some involvement). That parent didn''t come last week, but came today returning "Penelope''s" ring to Mark. She assumed it was costume/diamonds weren''t real so she didn''t call to tell us or anything!!! Mark explained what it was, and she said, good thing I didn''t let her keep wearing it, she wanted to wear it on the walk here!!!

The only left to do is call the insurance company to cancel the claim (and find a good place to hide my jewelry from tiny fingers!)

 

[mrssalvo]

YAY part gypsy...that is just wonderful news

 

[movie zombie]

i'm so glad you got your ring back!

hiding place that is under lock and key......your little one already has the bling bug! eta: and she's infected her friends!

movie zombie

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh happy day PG, that is great news. Now keep that jewelry box hidden and up high so the little ones can't play with it anymore. I bet your expression was priceless, wish your DH had a camera to capture it. So happy for you!!!

 

[Allisonfaye]

Glad to hear your story had a happy ending!

 

[Stone Hunter]

So very very GLAD that your ring came back to you.

 

[Ellen]

pg, I seriously thought about you yesterday and wondered how the search was going. SO glad you found it! (that lil dickens!)

 

[WTNLVR]

So glad you found it

 

[MINE!!]

YEAH YEAH!!! WHat a relief!! I am soo happy that you got your ring back!!

 

[Dee*Jay]

I''m so happy that you got your ring back!

 

[diamondsrock]

that is great news!!! I can''t belive that parent thought it was costume jewelry! Even if I thought it was I still would have returned it sooner, but that''s just me. Glad it all worked out.

 

[partgypsy]

Yeah, I didn''t think this would have a happy ending but it did!
Thanks for all your moral support!

My husband was also puzzled that she thought it was costume jewelry, since it certainly doesn''t have the heft or look of costume. The only thing I could think of is that I am not "known" for diamond jewelry, usually wear sterling silver and semi precious jewelry and previously wore an emerald ring on that hand, so she may not have even been aware I owned a diamond ring. It gives me the heebie geebies that a 3 year old had the ring out of the house and was walking around with it, and it didn''t get lost.

Yes, unfortunately, I think my daughter has acquired some of my affection for jewelry, and unfortunately like to play with the "good" stuff more than the costume jewelry I have given her. But I will wait till she is significantly older (16? 18?) before I give her any jewelry of significant value since I know how easily it can be lost.

 

[Scintillating]

That''s wonderful! That''s cute what your hubbie did.
It sounds like it''s time for a safe bolted to the floor of the closet.

Scintillating...

 

[flopkins]

oh thank goodness!!!!!!!

yes, I agree it is a bit weird that the other parent did not call you up to just check if the ring was real, perhaps they assumed any jewelry the kiddos could get their hands on were probably fake!!!