Emoji secrets REVEALED: How to keep your family safe with a single symbol
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.
How to see what the kids are doing on their phones
In this modern world of digital dangers and threats, keeping children safe while online is of the utmost importance to all parents. There are inappropriate websites and apps, cyberbullying, sexting, the risk of internet and digital addiction and worst of all, online predators that your child can be exposed to.
The one app you need to keep your family safe
There’s a lot of technology that helps you keep in touch with your loved ones. But what happens if there’s an emergency? What if someone is hurt or stranded?
That’s where a safety app can help, and we researched them all to find the best one out there. With this app, you can quickly track down people you love when they’re in need or just for peace of mind. It provides real-time location information on everyone you add to your “circle.”