My baby girl usually visits her father on some weekends, but what happened this time had my heart racing. Our daughter asked to talk to me over the phone and used our code word, alerting me that she needed a way out. Here’s why having code words is an important trick to keep our kids safe.
When I was a little girl, my mother taught me how to use a code word if I was in trouble and couldn’t speak up. As an adult, I decided to impart this brilliant method to my baby girl. I figured she could use it to get out of sleepovers or if she had awkward hangouts. But I never imagined her needing to use it so soon.
So yesterday was like any other day or so I thought. As I sat in my kitchen, finishing my evening coffee, my phone rang. It was my ex-husband, Dave. Our relationship, once filled with warmth and affection, had grown strained over the years.Divorce had a way of doing that, and while we tried to maintain a civil relationship for the sake of our daughter, Amy, things were often tense.
“Hey, Claire,” Dave’s voice came through, slightly hesitant. “Amy wants to talk to you. She’s been asking to tell you about her day since she got here.”This caught me off guard. Amy usually enjoyed her sleepover weekends with her dad and rarely called me during those visits. “Oh, sure, put her on,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. The fact that Dave sounded a bit off only added to the unease that was beginning to settle in my stomach. “Hi, Mom!” Amy’s voice was as cheerful as ever, but there was something in the way she spoke that I couldn’t quite place. This was unusual for her, so I perked up and listened intently.