Bombs away...

I will start this post letting you know that I love my children, both of them, equally. Just in case after reading this post you question whether or not I do.

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So, as most of you already know, Rebekah's school experienced a bomb threat today. Well, someone called the school and left a message that a bomb would go off at the school at 3:00 p.m. Amazingly, nothing happened, no big boom (yes a hint of sarcasm).

I received a phone message (on both home and cell phones just as all the parents did, I'm not THAT special), telling me that there had been a bomb threat, the kids were removed from the classrooms, the school searched, nothing found, kids returned to class to be removed again at 2:45, then to be released at 3:00. Message sent and delivered.

To be honest, not at one point did I think, "oh snap, I better run pick up Rebekah". From what I understand, I did NOT share the majority of the parents' attitudes. The school was inundated with parents picking up their children.

So here now starts my thinkin'...

Why?

-IF someone really wanted to cause harm and set off a bomb... would they really call and warn them? ESPECIALLY giving them an 8 hour window to 'save everyone'.

I think NO. Which is why, I think, my blood pressure didn't rise when I listened to the message.

So what now has been deemed as a prank by authorities (especially since the school is still standing), what did this actually accomplish? I'm sure that the prankster, who I believe turned out to be a student, thought this would be funny, maybe trying to get a day off... not realizing or thinking what this one little phone call could cause. . .

FEAR and PANIC

Parents rushing to the school and checking out their kids... causing I'm sure chaos, traffic, and worse... more worry in the students. If the adults in their lives are 'overly concerned, then something MUST be wrong'... right? I do think it will be interesting to see how many students don't show up tomorrow either... I know Rebekah has already asked many, many times to stay home. "What if the bomb goes off?" "What if they were just saying it was today so they make everyone think it's safe, then set it off Friday?" What if, what if, what if....

As I told Rebekah, had the threat been viable, they would not have allowed the students back on campus, and the teachers and staff wouldn't have stuck around either. Maybe I just have too much confidence in the police and school staff, but I don't want my daughter to cower every time someone cries wolf, I don't think that's healthy. We can't stop living our lives because of a what if...

what if the plane crashes, what if a car hits me, what if I fail the test, what if I don't get the job, what if I slip and fall, what if the sun doesn't come up tomorrow.... we all must go on with our lives or be immobilized by all the what if's.

I love Rebekah, but will I rush to check her out of school after another phone call like this? Probably not... now when the phone call comes that says, there's been a threat and your child has been removed from campus and you can pick her up at this safety place... then I'll drop everything and run... put for all the Boys crying wolf out there... I ignore... I will not let my life (or my childrens') be controlled by the words, "the sky is falling"!