motherscholar and MotherLeader: The Day That Changed Everything

Abstract

“I love you more than you know.” Those were the last words I read from my son, my only child, for an hour and a half, as I watched law enforcement equipped with bullet proof vests and armed with high-powered weapons enter my son's high school across the street from my office. I didn't know at the time that it was just a swatting prank call, and I couldn't get in touch with my son to find out if he was ok. If I had ever felt the typical academic mother work-family guilt, resulting from the struggle between work and family commitments (Borelli et al., 2017), I surely never have since. That day changed everything.