Here are a couple other factors that could close the gate, thus keeping people from catching their flights:

Dust Storm – have you experienced one of those yet?
Accident on the Highway – because people are too drunk, sleepy, stupid or some combination thereof.

Both of those can happen at the “wrong time” and do far more often than a lost kid.

Here are some other factors that can happen to keep you from entering or leaving:

Flat tire, ran out of gas, broken vehicle, forgot your tickets at home, as you are packing your EZ up blew out into the open playa and now you must chase that rather large piece of MOOP, medical issues, your carpool mate is no where to be seen, you were sexually assaulted early in the morning and the police will not let you go until you file a report…

All of those impact your burn in a not so pleasant way. All those happen more often then a child being lost. Don’t blame me as burner parent nor my child for affecting your burn – that is on YOU!

FYI – I am a volunteer for ESD-Mental Health on Playa, specializing in Child Issues (neglect, abuse, lost children). In the past three years I have been volunteering – one missing child case that was solved in 40 minutes. In those same years dozens of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault cases.

Just some perspective on what can impact your burn – children are the least of your worries!

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Good point. One lost child may cause 100 burners to wait and (tragedy of tragedies) their flight is delayed and through FOMOS happen to arrive late for That Thing In the Desert.

Did you know that a lost child on playa results in the gates being closed (no ins or outs) until the child is found? A lost parent on the other hand (i.e. a child wandering around looking for their missing parent) permits us as a 60,000 person community to carry on rediscovering our inner child.

So you miss your flight out. So what? What kind of community are we creating? How would you plan for managing the safety of ALL members of the Disneyman community (especially the small and vulnerable)?

What is our option as inclusive participants when we see parents doing a particularly poor job of taking care of themselves and their offspring? Do we mutter and mull over it until we have the opportunity to Troll an online forum? Do we speak up in the moment to check our fellow participants when they’re being asshats? It’s really up to all of us.

nikOpeachZ clear and going off comm.

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These things have all been taken out of the real world by adults. I am thankful that 1 week out of the year i have a place to go where I can be the kid i want to be as an adult. The real world is dripping with PAIN, SORROW, DEPRESSION, LAME CLOTHES, CONTROLLED EVENTS, LACK OF FREEDOM. Burning Man is just all big kids. Welcome the small ones and LEARN from them so we can make Burning Man a better place.
)’(

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“I find it both fascinating and pathetic that it’s still relatively socially acceptable to hate children.”

are you fucking kidding? children are worshiped in this society like little kings and queens. if you dare look at one sideways, you could be arrested for abuse if they dare point their finger at you.

children are hazardous to be around because of society and their parents – not because of the children themselves. it’s totally out of control. adults are second class citizens when these heavenly creatures are around all because you forgot to take the pill or use a condom.

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“So I’m going on a holiday where we’re going to dance, and make things, and play pretend, and share, and there will be cars that look like giant snails, and trampolines, and ball pits, and things to climb on, and people dressed like fairies, and popcorn, and candy, and bacon, and all kinds of multicoloured lights at night, and music, and hugging; and you can’t come with me because children aren’t allowed.”

I really prefer how instead, I’m able to spend time with her over at our local makerspace, while we make her EL-rimmed fairy wings, decorate/illuminate her bike trailer, get to know more of the people she might interact with when she accompanies me for my volunteer shifts on playa, and listen to the stories she tells me about how much fun she had on-playa when it was her mother’s turn to watch her.

Also, before anyone gets on too much about kids not belonging on the playa, stop for a moment and consider how many awesome art projects you’ve interacted with may actually have come into existence because at some point, their creators thought that their kids would love them.

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