Single mom's, what do you use for protection? (weapon wise)?

I'm a single mom of two kids. I'm 24 and live on my own in a not so great part of town (I'm up at 4 in the morning because someone was creeping around my back yard and the cops just left). While I was on the phone with the dispatcher, he asked me if I had my weapon on. What weapon, I thought? Makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong. I'm not a fan of guns, as I have children, but are there alternatives? I know they have like stun guns and what not, but I feel like those are also dangerous around children. I just don't want to not be prepared in case something happens, but I don't know what I should do. So, do you single mom's (or dad's or married men and women, lol) use protection?