What Works for Me: Secret Words
When my husband and I were starting to get serious, we began the practice of having "secret words" when we were with a group of people. One to say, "I love you," one to say, "Let's Go," and a few others. These words can be used in completely normal conversations..."Your GREEN plates are so beautiful, Georgeann!" could mean "Please get me out of this situation...I am freaking out!" I got this idea from my family having a secret password. If someone was to come and pick us up saying, "your parents sent me," we were supposed to ask for the password even if we knew who they were. Funny enough, when I was eight, my mom had a minor fender bender on the way to pick me up from school. She called her friend from a pay phone (way back before cell phones!) asking her to pick me and my two brothers up. The woman came said, "your mom was in an accident, Lets go home." Now, I somewhat recognized this woman (all adults look the same except for your mom) and I knew her kids in the car but I stopped my brothers from getting in the car and said, "whats the password?" Of course she didn't have it, and I wouldn't get in the car. The poor woman had to go drive to where my mom was dealing with the fenderbender...ask for the password...come back...tell me the password...and THEN I got in the car with her. She probably never did a favor for my mom again.
Nevertheless, I think having secret words to share for safety or to show your love is a great way to make special connections within your family. I am definately going to have special words with my kids to let them know I love them and their safe. I hope it will make them feel as loved and special as my secret words made me. Thats why they work for me.
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9 comments:
I think this could be one of the most important wfmw entries so far. I will make a point of implementing this in my family.
Thank you very much for this idea!
What a wonderful way to teach safety to your kids. I do believe that will be implemented in our family.
I really like your code word for getting out of a situation!
Great idea! I'm passing this on to friends with children. A secret word is good for so many occasions!
You rock, girl! What a great idea... now I'll feel bad if you ever use the word green around me again.
We had a password too. My father would often take trips to the lumber yard and leave my brother and I in the car (we were old enough to sit and read and play madlibs) and were told if anyone came to the car, to ask for the password.
we never had to use our password. My sister and I picked the real name of Alice on Brady bunch. Ann B. Davis. We laugh about it and use it now. I'll have to do that with my boys too. thanks for the reminder.
secret words, that's much better than trying to interpret a silent look or a kick under the table.
Although, I pretty much know what my husband means when he puts his arm around me when we're with people, it usually means "you're not the only one at this party, can you tone it down some?"
Great idea!
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