When I was a kid things were just as bad is a line I use to
hear often. Then when I was a parent, I am certain I said it myself. Well,
times they are a changing, as I heard on old reruns many times growing up. In
this day and age, it is true. I am not 100% sure history completely repeats
itself. We did not initially inhabit
this country we live in now called the United States so we should not take our
freedom and civil rights liberties for granted.
Children these days face many challenges none of us have
ever had to deal with. The reality of violence in schools is more real than
ever. We may have had our share of bullying.
We may have been talked about at a party, or over the phone. This day, due to the advent of the internet,
being picked on and ridiculed happens 24/7. It has become the new norm. It is inescapable to its victims.
Studies have shown time and time again that words are very
harmful, mentally and verbally. The
abuse these young people suffer can lead to feelings of anger, depression, lack
of confidence, withdrawal of feelings, even mental illness in extreme
cases. In some instances, it can lead to
drug abuse, shootings, runaways, rebellion, and delinquent behavior that parents
can’t control. We did not have to deal
with having our classmates ruin our entire lives 24/7.
The violence that is happening all over our country in
schools is nothing less than unacceptable. Having teachers concerned when
hateful students that are full of animosity threaten them is making it harder
to recruit good teachers and students to be concentrating on what they are
there for, to learn. Worse yet, the
elusive student who is aloof and seems disturbed and is being picked on can be
the child that can turn on his classmates on a dime. How do you safeguard your child from the
possibility of this happening in school?
You can’t obviously so then what is the best way to instruct them what
to do if it what seems utterly insane to me occurs, a mass shooting in their
school, a place that should be safe?
Being a grandparent, I simply shake my head in shock that such a
conversation would have to occur at all ever happen in America.
Watching my grandchildren this past weekend, I was even more
so affected by hearing the news in Paris than I would have been sitting in my
own home. Something about this
particular situation really hit a nerve in me. Here I was, in my son’s home,
with darling innocent 5, 6 and 7 year old children that could be representative
of children anywhere in the country.
They thrive on living, playing and learning. They love smiling, laughing and living each
and every day.
They had gone in the other room to play in their rooms abit
and their grandpa turns on CNN to get the world news. What we are met with is shocking images of
Paris violence. This is in sharp
contract to the beautiful mantel below the tv screen all decked out for the
holiday season, complete with angels in gold.
We are both spellbound watching the news and reading the tickertape line
at the bottom of the screen. Then we snap into reality and flip the channel and
within minutes the youngest grandson walks in the room with his armful of
boxcars for his beloved train. While are
worrying about the safety of the world, he is gathering his train pieces so he
can put his train together in the family room and begin his long journey around
the countryside.
Literally a minute later, in walks my grandson with an
armload of trains in his hand, lining them up on the floor in front of the
fireplace by his hand-made Santa to pretend he is the conductor. His innocence of his face, his smile and his
simple play in sharp contrast to the horror of the images that had just played
out on the large screen television over his head just minutes before. I had an urge to pick him up and wrap him in
my arms to protect him from anyone evil out there hurting him. I wanted to pick up the phone and call my
son, his daddy, and say I love you quickly lest anything happen to him.
I can only imagine how his parents must feel inside with all
this violence in the world, balancing the need to protect your child with the
knowledge that there is only so much you can do. And so you pray, you vote and you stand up
and make your voice count. And you live, live without living in fear for we all
deserve that.
One thing for certain there is to learn from all this chaos
going on in the world that is truly inhumane and crossing borders of all
countries, take time to love on those worth loving. Recognize our world can be harsh and don’t be
so quick to say we had it just as bad; we did not have some of these things
hanging over our heads children have to deal with. Older children have a sense of the world’s
conditions too. How unfair to be raised in this environment for them.
These images being
shown of violence domestically and internationally are atrocious. We never know, when we turn on television
sets to local channels, what images we will be confronted with next and where
it will be taking place. But we know we can’t live our lives in fear,
nor can or should our children. They
must and deserve a future, one full of hope, promise and not flooded with
nothing but evil images of mankind.
My grandsons love trains like all little boys. My granddaughter loves dressing up like most
little girl. All children deserve adults
fighting for a safer world for them to play in, learn and grow up so they can
take over and be the parents and grandparents one day.
This holiday season, let’s make a point of changing channels
in our home and not feed the propaganda wagon.
Why create additional PR for bad
news bandits. I still believe in good over evil. I know everyone enjoys hearing
happy-ever-after stories as it instills faith.
And yes, I still believe my grandchildren, and yours, will prevail and make
a more peaceful beautiful future for our world. Click Here