Moms Share Their Most Unusual Tricks for Keeping Kids Safe
'Some things are non-negotiable,' Paige Catherine Johnson, a mother of four, tells TODAY.com.
'Tell me something you teach your kids to help keep them safe,' Johnson wrote as text in her TikTok video. 'I'm not talking about, 'Don't talk to strangers.' Give me the good stuff. Give me something unique that sticks with them and gives you peace of mind.'
Moms divulged their tips on water safety, stranger danger, body autonomy and self-defense. Some were controversial (screaming curse words in public to fend off child abductors), others were psychological ('Adults never ask kids for help' and 'Don't be nice to people who creep you out'). There was advice on situational awareness (memorize a parent's outfit in case kids get lost in a crowd) and using code words to communicate covertly.
Tips included:
'If someone asks you to keep a secret, you tell Mommy ASAP.'
'We have a code for when they're invited somewhere and maybe don't want to go. 'Did you clean the bathroom?' 'Yes' means they want to go and 'No' means they don't want to go and I step in and be the 'Bad Guy' who won't let them go play.'
'Take a picture of them before entering any crowded event: amusement park, aquarium, fair, etc. God forbid they go missing but if they do, you have an up-to-date picture, including the exact clothes they were wearing, for authorities.'
'I tell my daughter there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that a grown man will need your help with. Never, ever.'
'We use anatomically correct names for body parts and teach our kids that they can say no to family members who want a hug/kiss.'
'If you are lost or hurt, find a mom with kids. My oldest got hurt as a 22-year-old Marine while snorkeling ... he found a mom with kids and she had a first-aid kit and gave him a snack. Moms can fix anything.'
''No' is a full sentence. You don't have to explain yourself. You can just say 'No.''
'How to use the emergency dial on a locked phone.'
'If you're ever in trouble, yell 'Mom!' even if Mom isn't around. This will get the attention of all Mamas.'
'Validate their feelings and teach them to trust their gut.'
'No second locations — you fight like hell. Whatever they do to you in public, it's going to be way worse in private.'
'All three of my daughters do Jiu-Jitsu.'
'I taught them our address in a song. We used the tune of 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.''
'I tell my kids that if they ever find anything that's ... shaped like a pill, they can bring it to me and I'll give them a piece of candy.'
'If you can't see me, I can't see you.'
'We have a phrase if they're out and need me to come and get them. They asked me if I've 'fed the gecko.' We do not have a gecko.'
One TikTok user commented, 'This thread is the village.'
Johnson tells TODAY.com that safety is always on her mind, with four children, ages 7, 4, 2, and 5 months.
Pediatrician Dr. Heather Felton weighed in on some of the most commonly given tips.
According to Felton, a pediatrician in Louisville, Kentucky, the mom in the comments is absolutely correct that children should know how to identify their anatomy using correct words.
'This way, we're all communicating clearly,' Felton tells TODAY.com. 'You can then explain which body parts are private.'
She adds, 'When I do exams, I always ask the child for permission and explain the reason for the exam.'
Many TikTok commenters recommended the 'High-Five Rule.'
One wrote, 'I saw a video where the parents make their toddler give a high-five to Mom or Dad before getting in the pool and I think that's such a smart way to make sure your toddler doesn't sneak into the pool alone.'
Felton says the routine makes parents aware before kids enter the water, adding that gated fences around backyard pools and early swim lessons are other barriers to drowning.
'Drowning doesn't look like what we're trained to believe in TV and movies,' says Felton. 'It's very quick and very quiet. People think it's splashing and calling for help but that requires your head to be above water — and that's not what drowning is. It's silent and below the surface, so it can be really difficult to detect.'
Felton recommends that caregivers download a wearable tag called 'Water Watcher Card' from the website of Safe Kids Worldwide.
'A Water Watcher is a responsible adult who agrees to watch the kids in the water without distractions and wear a Water Watcher card,' reads the website. 'After a certain amount of time (such as 15-minutes), the Water Watcher card is passed to another adult, who is responsible for the active supervision.'
Establishing a secret code word with your child cultivates trust, whether it communicates 'I don't want a playdate today' or 'Can you come pick me up?'
'It means, 'Mom, I need an out,'' explains Felton. A secret word can take the pressure off kids who aren't comfortable saying, 'No' to friends.
Felton recommends a gentler alternative to a 'curfew.'
'A 'leave time' means you don't have to be home by 10 p.m. but you do have to leave by 9:30 p.m.,' says Felton. 'That might encourage teens to not stay until the last minute and then race home.'
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
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