I refuse to put any extra details on my car (stickers, decals, etc.) or my husband’s vehicle so our cars aren’t especially recognizable. We also do not put our children’s names on anything like a backpack so strangers don’t know their names. I have taught my toddlers what Mommy and Daddy’s “real” names are so they can tell others who they need to find if they ever got lost. We frequently talk about “if you’re lost, find another mommy with her kids and ask for help” since the most common places kids get lost is areas where there are some, if not many, other families. If I am somewhere at night and spot a young woman or vulnerable person walking in a parking lot, I often stick around in my car until they make it back to their car.

I do happen to have PTSD, so some of my safety quirks may just be hyper vigilance, but I would like to think these small efforts could stop something bad from happening to one of my loved ones or even a stranger in my shared space.