Insider theft at Rice University

jym626
Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:39:53 +0000

OP-
While we do not know, and do not need to know, the specifics of your s’s disability, it is very, VERY unlikely that stress causes fever, as you have suggested several times. With all due respect, you might want to take a deep breath and relax a bit. As others have said, there is a dramatic flair to your posts, and the intensity of your response may be feeding his emotional reaction.

Stuff happens. My s set down his backpack momentarily when we were on vacation, with his brand new TI-89 and other stuff in it, and it was stolen. He has had bikes stolen at school, and he was the victim of a burglary (not while in school) a few years back. Lost a lot of valuable stuff/electronics. It stinks, but its not the end of the world. No one was injured/attacked/assaulted etc. It taught him life lessons and to be more careful with things, but he is not “paranoid” or feeling unsafe. The more you dwell on this and/or make melodramatic statements about being a failure, the worse you will make him feel. Your job as a parent is to be supportive and reassuring. He feels bad enough that his stuff is gone. Best not to harp on it and keep opening the wound.

If you want to continue to try to locate this stuff, that is your choice, buit don’t keep badgering him about it.

As for housing, he should be able to get on campus housing as a senior. If not, there is plenty within walking distance, and unless things have changed, Rice students got a free light rail pass which goes right down Main Street.