Create a Secret Safe Word for Your Family

If someone tells your child "your mom sent me to pick you up," a safe word is the proof. Choose something unusual that a child can easily remember — like "purple dinosaur" or "moonlight pizza" — and make sure every trusted adult in your circle knows it. Update it periodically, especially if a child shares it accidentally. This isn't about scaring kids — it's about giving them a clear, empowering tool to tell safe situations from unsafe ones. A child who can confidently say "What's the safe word?" is a child who knows it's okay to refuse adults who don't have the answer.