Learning a Lesson

Let me first state that I don't know the family of Michelle Yu, any reason why should would end up in Vancouver or what transpired. However, as a parent, it's been interesting to observe both the circumstances and the eventual outcome.

Last night, Michelle Yu spoke with media at 10 pm outside of her home. When it was first tweeted out that she would do so, my husband wondered aloud why they would put a kid in front of the media to answer questions and face scrutiny. My immediate answer was that I believed her parents were teaching her a lesson.

It seems reasonable now that she headed west of her own accord, not under duress. She worried her family, friends and community. At 18, she could be considered an adult, even if her actions seemed childish. I remember as a kid packing up a bag to move in with my dad (or run away) after a disagreement of some sort with my mom. But I knew better.

If in fact her parents believed she should publicly apologize to all those that she worried, as well as the police resources she took up with the search, I agree with them. There are consequences for each action and though Michelle may have been embarrassed, she needed to face up to the chaos that her actions caused.

I watched the clip of the press conference. As a professional communicator, I understood the prepared statement she read, but I also recognized the shame she felt. It was honest and real. It is a valuable lesson that I believe her parents chose to teach her and one she won't soon forget.