A parent panicked after receiving a campus alert about a possible threat while her daughter was 900 miles away. The parent did not know the daughter's location and imagined the worst, but consciously chose to project calm and confidence. The parent encouraged the daughter to contact a professor and classmates and sent a message: 'Do whatever you think is right, love.' The daughter shared short videos of heavily armed police in tactical gear moving through the RBD Library and exchanged cautious messages with friends. The group remained level-headed and avoided inciting panic. Authorities later issued an 'ALL CLEAR' after determining the report was false.
My inner mom voice was screaming, "Do not go! Nowhere in this world is safe, ever." While I was mentally panicking, I knew I needed to do what I've always done with my kids, and that was to portray an outward sense of calmness and confidence in her ability to make the decision. I encouraged her to reach out to her professor and classmates, and texted, "Do whatever you think is right, love."
Meanwhile, she sent a several-second-long screen recording of police, in full tactical gear, assault rifles drawn, moving through the RBD Library. I caught a glimpse of a kid walking down the stairs wearing a backpack and imagined what a surreal experience that must've been. While I knew my kid was safe, I worried about her friends and other people's kids.
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