Parenting 101: Reduce back to school 'locker anxiety'

August 28, 5:41 PMSt. Louis Family & Parenting ExaminerAngela Atkinson

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Do your kids have trouble remembering their combinations for their bike locks or lockers at school?

If so, the Wordlock may be just what they need.

Cameron, a St. Louis area middle schooler, uses Wordlocks for both his bicycle and his locker at school.

Cameron, age 12, was able to set the lock up without help from Mom or Dad.

"It's cool that I get to pick the word combination and it's fun and easy to use," Cameron says. "Plus, I think it's easier to remember a word combination than a number one."

We spoke with a Wordlock company spokesperson to learn more about this unique product.

Examiner: Who developed Wordlock?

Wordlock: Wordlock was developed by Todd Basche, CEO.  Todd is a former VP of Applications for Apple, where he headed up the group responsible for developing among other innovations iTunes.

Examiner: What gave Mr. Basche the idea for such a product?

Wordlock: Todd’s “aha” moment came after repeated visits to his gated backyard pool whereby he would often forget the key to the padlock.  He considered a lock with a numerical combination but was concerned that his family would forget what the combination was.  It dawned upon him that a combination lock that used words would solve the problem, but he was surprised to learn no such product existed.

In conducting research, Todd discovered that combination locks based upon words or letters actually dated back to China in the 1100s and realized that the desire to use these much easier to remember combinations existed for centuries. He set about developing his own.  Utilizing his training as an engineer, Todd developed an algorithm that made it possible to have up to 100,000 word and letter combinations on a five position lock.”  

Examiner: Why is this lock better than standard locks?

Wordlock: Wordlock utilizes word and letter combinations that can be set and reset, rather than arbitrary numerical combinations, which can easily be forgotten.  Words and acronyms are intrinsically easier for children to remember as compared to numbers, and especially when they are word and letter combinations that the children themselves can choose.  The ability to easily remember a locker lock combination can play an important part in reducing back to school stress for children, especially those transitioning into middle school or high school.  ‘Locker anxiety’  - that is, the fear that a numerical combination will be forgotten and the child embarrassed in front of their peers for being unable to open their lockers – is a real phenomena. With all the stress and anxiety kids face in school, Wordlock is one way parents can help.