The other thread got me thinking, does anyone use code words for their kids anymore. When I was a kid we were always told to ask any stranger that may approach for the code word. If they didn't know the correct phrase we were suppossed to take off running and screaming for help... LOL
We had a code word for when my mom would leave us home alone. If she called the house and we were in trouble and could not tell her for whatever reason, we were supposed to say "gorilla" in some form. Like "I was just playing gorilla ball" or something like that.
I do not have kids, but I was told the same thing when I was younger. The big time it was stressed was if someone tried to pick me from school. I normally rode the bus, but it was if someone tried to take me out or pick me up I had to ask for the magic word.
I was expecting a thread about code words you use around your kids. Wife: The red-tail hawk flies over Tilden at midnight. Me: I'm looking forward to seeing it's feathers.
We don't have any code words. They know what the local police uniform looks like. So they know not to go with any stanger who isn't wearing that uniform with a badge and a gun.
And a badge. All that stuff is not easy to come by if you're not a cop. While I was growing up, mama worked from 6PM until about 2AM six nights a week. We really couldn't depend on her calling when there might be a problem, so the windows were pinned to only open a certain distance, dead bolts on both doors and a security service. If you opened one of the doors you had a few seconds to disable the alarm. An alarm would go off and they would be notified. They would call and you had to answer the phone with a code. If the phone wasn't answered or you didn't give the code, they would call the police.
Around here anymore, the "uniforms" aren't much more than some cargo pants and a polo with a patch. lol But either way it is all easy to get, and badges... 1000's to chose from or you can even design your own.
LOL - Also cops have all that other hardware they have to carry around. I was brought home by a cop once. Even though I was not especially alert, I knew he was a cop. He put me in the front seat so I got to see all that stuff they have in police cars. He was a very smart cop. When I got sick he was able to reach over and open the door so I wouldn't throw up in his car. He was nice. He helped my mother put me to bed even though I don't remember that part. Then he came over the next day to talk to my mother. I was hoping he would stick around because I was afraid my mother was going to kill me. She didn't kill me, but she inflicted serious pain to my tail.
We had a code word, not that the kids used but what visitors had to use to say to the German shepard to get him to stop wanting to kill you. Funny how a dog could go from hair standing up and growling to tail wagging with the words be sweet.