MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE A “CODE WORD” — WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY IS WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE WITH YOUR LOVED ONES TOO.

My little girl usually spends some weekends with her father, but what happened this time sent my heart racing. She called me, used our secret code word, and let me know she needed to leave immediately. Moments like this remind me why having a code word is such an important safety tool for kids.

When I was young, my own mother taught me to use a secret word whenever I was in trouble and couldn’t speak openly. As I grew older, I decided to pass that wisdom on to my daughter. I imagined she might use it to escape awkward sleepovers or uncomfortable social situations—but I never expected her to need it so soon.

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