@Jude: Good families can get separated in public too. :)
I got separated from my mom a few times as a kid. Always my fault, I was distracted by shiny, pretty things and decided to explore. When I realized I was alone I felt bad, I knew my mother would be freaking out so I just found a map, looked for an employee or the service desk and made them handle the problem that was me.
I wasn’t too scared myself. Upset, yes, because I knew how my mom would feel.
I think I was 4ish and 7ish when those happened.
And besides, my mom had my two older siblings screaming and throwing crap in public. I was the quiet, calm one. I wasn’t the focus on public outings. I kinda slipped through the cracks when my siblings threw tantrums.