Parents Are Unknowingly Compromising Their Children’s Safety With This Super Common Habit

Parades also became popular during the COVID-19 lockdowns, so opt to decorate your car and drive by friends’ homes or attend a school-organized graduation parade. These celebrations are fun, mobile, and less likely to leave long-term digital traces.

Custom Apparel Or Yard Flags

T-shirts, banners, or reusable yard flags with more general messages can be a safer way to show your excitement without giving away your child’s identity.

“I have yard signs up in my own yard with school names, but I do not post my children’s names in yard signs or on social media,” said Pathak. 

Host A Small, Private Gathering

Invite family or close friends for a graduation brunch, backyard party, or virtual toast. Celebrating in a more personal setting can be just as meaningful — and much more secure.

These alternatives let you cheer on your graduate without putting their personal information on public display.

“Community is an important thing and we often want to share these milestones in our communities,” Pathak said. “Every parent has to make their own risk assessment. But beyond whether or not to put up a yard sign, I think it’s an important launching pad to have a conversation with your children about how much information about them might be out in the world: A stranger is still a stranger, even if they seem to know your name and where you go to school.”

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.