Madeleine McCann

First let me just say, I can't even imagine how terrified and full of dread her parents must be. Actually, once my own three year old disappeared at an outlet mall. She was missing for only half an hour, but in that time we organized a search party, mall security closed the parking lot and everything stopped while we searched for her. By about minute 15 I had visions of her being carried off down the nearby interstate. So, I guess I've felt a small fraction of that kind of fear. Fortunately, my child was only hiding in the racks of clothes. Whenever this stuff happens I start lecturing (myself and anyone within hearing) about child safety and parenting. This always makes me even more vigilant than my normally neurotic self. I have this terrible feeling this wasn't the first time Madeleine's parents had dinner out while the babies slept back at the room. People who do terrible things like steal babies know exactly what they're doing. They probably watched these people and got to know their habits and patterns. I try to keep from having the same daily routine for this exact reason. I set the house alarm to go to the mailbox, I'm that cautious. And, not to disparage all foreign countries, but when you are out of your element to that degree, you are so vulnerable. Once on a trip out-of-country, our child got a head injury at our hotel. The hotel manager said he wouldn't recommend going to the hospital, he couldn't guarantee our safety. First I felt like the worst parent for bringing a child to such an unsafe place and second, I felt like a very small dot on a very large planet. I couldn't get home fast enough.

I am confident the enormous reward being offered will get people's tongues wagging and they will find this poor little girl. I love people like JK Rowling who get involved in cases like this and use their fortune in such a benevolent way.

In the week after Elizabeth Smart was abducted, my child was invited to a sleep-over. I asked the Mother if they had an alarm on their house. She just laughed and said they don't even lock their doors, God will protect them. I just laughed and reminded her that God gave her the locks for a reason.

I am not trying to vilify these poor parents. It just makes me crazy when people play into the bad guy's hands like this.