Partying teen texts mom asking if there's 'ice cream' at home — it was their secret code to come get her

As parents, you are always worried about your child's safety. A mom who goes by @prinkasusa on X, too, often found herself concerned about her daughter's safety until she created a few life-saving secret codes that now allow her to reach her child within minutes if something seems fishy. The mother posted it on March 16. 

The daughter was away from home, partying somewhere, when she texted her mom. "Mom, do we still have ice cream at home?" she asked. The message seems simple, nothing suspicious, right? But in reality, it was a secret code she used to tell her mom that she was not in a good space. "I didn’t ask questions. I didn’t text back. I just grabbed my keys and drove," the mom recalled. In fact, once her daughter got into the car, she confessed that people had made her uncomfortable by bringing out things she didn’t like.

The mom explained that "ice cream" in their secret code language means "come, get me right now," whereas "cookies" means "call me in five minutes with an excuse," and "nothing" means "I am okay." Throughout their drive back home, the mom didn't ask her daughter any questions. Neither did she force her to explain the situation. And that's because the mom believes, "Every kid deserves a way out without having to explain themselves first."

Child safety, especially that of the girl child, is a growing concern worldwide. In a shocking survey, Girlguiding revealed that 80% of girls and young women don’t feel safe when they go outside alone. In fact, 60% of respondents between 13 and 18 years of age reported experiencing unwanted attention, 16% experienced unwanted touching on public transport, and 51% confessed to receiving unwanted sexual comments in public. However, despite the harassment, not everyone can confide in their parents about such horrifying incidents.

Another survey of 1,000 found that among girls who have faced harassment, only 7% told their parents about it, while 30% said nothing to anybody. What's more shocking is that 21% of girls said that such harassment "happens all the time and is no big deal." This means that many girls or young women are scared or uncomfortable sharing such details with their parents, unlike the girl in the Twitter story. 

Meanwhile, reacting to the safety code, @alacritic_super commented, "Good parenting is not just about rules. It is about building systems of trust so your child knows they can always choose safety... and you will always show up." @decent_ui pointed out, "Most people don't know that in order for this to work, you first have to be the kind of parent your child isn't afraid to call. The code is cute, but the trust behind it took years to build." Similarly, @ekuazep wrote, "This is exactly the kind of quiet, no-questions-asked safety net every teen needs. You showed up. You listened with silence instead of interrogation. That trust probably saved more than just one night. Smart code. Smarter parenting."

You can follow @prinkasusa on X for more parenting content.

More on Scoop Upworthy

Parent created a 'code-word' emoji for their son to use as a call for help — then one day, the text came

Former FBI agent shares tips for ensuring the safety of kids outdoors and at school

Mom's warning over internet safety is a wake-up call to parents who post back-to-school snaps online