When my son Ian was 3, I bought him a cellphone. It had three buttons: Call Mom, call Dad and call Grandma. He was young, but it helped us all feel better that he could reach us.
There may be situations where your child, partner or parent can’t make a phone call … or worse. They could have someone looking over their shoulder when they text. That’s when a secret emoji could save the day.
It’s a way to ask for help quickly and you can do this without alerting anyone, unlike if you made a phone call. I’ve shared this with my family so all of us are on the same page.
Why an emoji?
These little images are often worth a thousand words, especially if they’re part of an inside joke with your family and friends.
In an emergency, an emoji is less conspicuous than a word or phrase — which could signal someone else if your child is reaching out for help. If your child can’t make a call to you or someone is watching them text, an emoji can serve as the perfect distress signal.
Which one should we pick?
Make sure it’s easy to remember — but not one your family usually uses. That’s going to cause unnecessary confusion and probably distress. Don’t use commonly used emojis, like hearts or smiley faces.
Here are 10 emojis that could be used as a secret signal in case of an emergency:
🐙 Octopus
🦒 Giraffe
🦄 Unicorn
🍄 Mushroom
🌋 Volcano
🦉 Owl
🎠 Carousel Horse
🛰️ Satellite
🎏 Carp Streamer
🛎️ Bellhop Bell
How to have the talk
Don’t just mention this in passing. Have a formal sit-down with your family to discuss the plan. Make sure everyone knows your family emoji should only be used in emergencies — no funny business.
Explain which responses anyone should expect from you if they use it. When they send you the emoji, will you follow up with a phone call? If so, what will you say?
🦒 Let’s say your teen texts you the giraffe
He went to a party at a friend’s house. Things there are making him uncomfortable. He wants to leave. You can text him back the giraffe, which means you’re on your way to get him.
If you don’t know where he is, look him up on the Find My app. Depending on what’s going on, other steps you can take as a parent are contacting the authorities or reaching out to trusted adults nearby.
What about your parents? They can text you an emoji if a caregiver is less than caring and can’t talk around that person. Make it a point to revisit your plan every three months. Set up a family meeting once or twice a year to review so it becomes natural in a real emergency.
If you need more help talking to your kiddos about tech, check out my free kids and parents tech contract.
Now, share this critical information with your family.
