Did your parents have a secret word?

Mine mentioned something like that once, but I’m sure they forgot it a week later, as you’d think it’s the kind of thing you’d reaffirm on a regular basis.

I doubt that practice is particularly common these days, now that nearly everyone has a cellphone. It’s a heck of a lot easier to get in touch with your kids now than it was before.

Thanx for giving us your secret word. Now I can come get you! :)
My parents didn’t, but we do for our sons. And we laugh about it sometimes, since our oldest is a sophomore in college. He knows tho if I text that word to him, he MUST call me ASAP…...It’s also the emergency word that means move heaven and earth to reach me or dad…...
I sure hope that people with smaller kids continue to use it and use it wisely.

I figure the word is safe to give out now… I’m the youngest and I am 25.

I need to ask them where they got the word… seems like a weird one to use.

My parents had talked about setting one up, but we never did. I lived within walking distance to school, so it would have been weird for someone to come pick me up anyway.

@Skippy My parents and I have the same thing. The word is “Sallie Mae”.

My family had one. The was a time that it was used to, and that was really scary. But I think that it is a great way to let a child know that there is a problem and it is ok to trust this person. In my case, I had an old lady come over and tell me your teddy bears name is rufus. That was when i knew something wrong.

@mowens Since we still use ours -I just won’t tell it, but let’s it’s Skippy – The word is soooooo far out in left field, there is no way anyone would or could guess it.

That’s the beauty of having this type of word. It has to be one that can be remembered, but not something easily guessed. I have some friends that use old pets names, streets they lived on etc… to be effective, it has to be illogical.

No, in the fact the idea is totally absurd to me.

Yes! Ours was Cumquat.

I’m certain it never even occurred to my parents to have a secret word, but I do have one with the boys.

what a great idea! I’m going to do that when my daughter gets here. @shego how scary. you must’ve freaked out…

It was “cantaloupe” in my family. It was never used. I wonder if my parents still remember it.

Ice cream was the “secret” word my mom & I came up with. But I can tell you someone I didn’t know would’ve been hard-pressed to get me into their vehicle or get me to follow them anywhere. I was leery of even people I did know well as a kid.

@trailsillustrated I was like ten years old, and it did scare me, she had had a heart attack. That scared me even more.

@hug_of_war Why do you think it is a bad idea? Just out of curiosity.

Yes, pizza.

Pizza and ice cream? Wouldn’t a pedophile be potentially likely to offer those things to a child anyway?

e.g. Your mom said it was okay for us to go get some ice cream.

@nzigler We’re Italian….Food is the first thing we’d answer a stranger to. ;D Most pedophiles use candy, puppies and kitties as a lure.

My mom said specifically she’d tell whomever it was to use her full name, my dad’s full name * my sis’s full name along with the word “ice cream”. As I said, even then the person woulda had trouble getting me to go with them unless I personally knew them. If it were a man that I didn’t know…lots a luck!

@shego how very frightening- I hope she was ok

@SpatzieLover You’re Italian too?? Ok, now I know we have a lot in common!

@ItalianPrincess1217 I’m a shorty, too ;D

@SpatzieLover You must be my long lost sister.

Yes we had one. Lemondrops. We never used it except as a joke when tormenting each other.

I lived with my grandma till I was 7 and a half and she used to tell me every night to scream out Blueberry if I was having nightmares so I would wake up (or she would wake me up usually) – It worked!

What’s with all the fruit/plant words?!

My parents had a secret word, but it wasn’t for our use. It was “tuna casserole” and was an indication that the kids needed to be put to bed early.

The only secret word we have for our kids is my husband’s first name. Very few folks in the US know it and even fewer say it right. So if someone doesn’t know their dad’s name and how to say it, they should run like hell.