What is something that your child said that you'll never forget?

"Yes" with tears running down his face.

For his private life, I decided to answer anonymously.

It was nearly 1 am when someone knocked on the door. We are all night owls and it was the summer break for the kids, so we were all still awake. Nevertheless, it is alarming and shocking to have someone at your door at this time of night. I turned on the porch light and there were several policemen on my porch.

I went out and joined them by closing the door behind me. The one in front asked, "Does [my daughter] live here?
"Yes." They got a call from someone she was talking to online ... I thought she may have been mean to someone and they were here to talk to her about bullying online . At this point, my husband is also out.

Then their questions changed, they seemed a little more urgent, more concerned. Do I know where she is? When is the last time I checked it? Do we have reason to believe that she would hurt herself? Do you have Listerine in the house?

At this point, my answer is that I will monitor her now. As soon as I open the door, I hear her crying, I ask her to go out and show the officers that she is well. I still deny that this is really serious. I think she said these things like a joke (a very bad, stupid, tasteless joke, she's 12) to her friend or something and her friend took it more seriously than she did. was.

The agent asks her if she is fine, does she know why they are there, if she drank listerine? She does it and not she did not. Did she tell her friends that she intended to do it? Yes, she said that.

I still think it's something she said drama during an argument with her friends, I ask her ... Did you really want to say that when you said that to your friends?

"Yes," she said, tears running down her face ... And then it's still flowing out of her, she's been feeling so sad for two years, but she did not know why, or how to stop it (we moved at 12 o'clock just friends and the only life she ever knew, two years ago), she did not tell us because if she did not even know why, how could she tell us 'explain. thought we could not believe it. And if we really believed her, she did not want us to think otherwise ... tonight she and her new friends quarreled and it made things worse. She had gone to our bathroom get the bottle of mouthwash, pick it up, she said. But then she was afraid and could not drink it (I thank God for that).

It was a very long and difficult night that we will never forget.

The agents gave us instructions on how to get through the night well (eyes always on her, drop everything with alcohol, mouthwash, perfume, etc.) and where to go early in the morning for help.

She started counseling and it helped a lot. Currently, she is not in consultation, she and her therapist agree that she is well placed. She manages her emotions better. We watch her closely and watch for the signs we missed the first time. And we must be certain that she will come to see us next time, if these thoughts come back.

I consider that we are lucky and lucky that I can say these last two sentences.

I am also extremely grateful to the friend who took this seriously enough to call him.