Mom? It's an emergency.

When you get a call from your kids’ school, you know there’s an emergency on the other end. Any mom will tell you the kids’ school showing up on caller ID will make your heart stop.

Unless you’re kid is a 13 years-old and named Madeline.

I work in radio and I’m on the air from 5a to 10a. Our studio is a 30-minute commute from home. But that doesn’t stop my daughter from making calls like this:

Madeline: Mom?

(As if when she dialed my cell number she wasn’t sure I was actually going to be the one who answered it.)

Me: Yes, Madeline.

Madeline: Um, yeah, so, I don’t know how it happened, but I got a comb stuck in my hair.

(silence)

Madeline: So, I was wondering, um, could you bring me some detangler?

(Silence. My face was frozen with my mouth gaping open.)

Madeline: Mom?

Me: No, Madeline, I cannot bring you detangler. I can, however, bring you some scissors.