I've Been Living in Fear

By Jen from Cheaper Than Therapy

Confession: I banned my kids from my parent's house.

For 2 weeks. The longest 2 weeks I've experienced, because I, in fact, banned myself too.

My parent's have lived in the same house for more than 35 years. It was the house I grew up in. The house I've known as 'home' all my life. The house is about a mile from mine, we're there a lot, my kids are there a lot.

My childhood home was robbed 2 weeks ago. Ransacked to be exact. Thieves took jewelry, cameras, the computer, and amongst other things, the piggy bank that belonged to my kids. Sick bastards, it only had about 20 dollars in quarters. Nothing much, but to my children, everything.

It was later discovered that the next-door neighbors robbed their home. Next. Door. Neighbors. They had been there a short time, they had past records, on parole even. One person was arrested. Then another. But, all the while people came and went from the home. My parent's neighborhood was still unsafe. Tainted.

It all scared me. I had fear that I never knew before. I begged my parents to stay somewhere else, they refused. It was out of my control. But, what I could control was my family staying clear of the uncertainty. Paranoia set in over those two weeks until I got word that the remainder of the tenants were evicted. The main thieves were caught, some of the property returned. But, what they can't give back to us is the security we feel in our own homes. The peace of mind we have when we leave our house, or go to bed at night, that all will be right when we return or wake up. That has been taken from us. From me. And it hurts.