One more time...

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that is an exaggeration.

'Every parent's worst nightmare' is just one hyperbole that is out of control in the media.

A quick check of Google finds the phrase in 24,600 entries with 'every parent's worst nightmare' ranging from the death or abduction of a child to leaving the hospital with the wrong baby, a child with colic or learning your teenage daughter is posing in front of her webcam in return for gifts from strangers.

The former two have to be up there (although they can't both be every parent's worst nightmare) but the latter applications are just thoughtless, paint by numbers writing.

We've said it before - avoid stock phrases, verbal or written. At best you'll sound glib; at worst you'll sound cliched. In either case, you won't inspire trust or credibility.