ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING?

WHAT IS GOING ON?

My heart is heavy this morning.  I just can't stop thinking about the shooting at the elementary school in Connecticut. Every time I see the picture of the children being led away in line and see the look of fear on their faces, my heart hurts for them. When I think of the parents who don't have their babies to hold this morning, I can't help but shed tears. 

 

Children are such a gift from God. What could possess anyone to go to a school and kill innocent children going about their daily routine? I'll never understand it! As a parent myself, I can only imagine the pain and heartache these parents are going through. As a teacher, I can't imagine the horror of this happening at my school. Why does this keep happening and what can we do about it?

At times like this, anger takes the front seat and gun control, school safety measures, and mental health care come to the forefront. Those are very important to discuss in the hope that some of these senseless tragedies can be prevented in the future. 

   But I think there are other things to consider as well. Guns have been around for a long time. In the 60's and 70's when I grew up, my dad's guns were easily accessible on the gun rack in my parent's room. Out of my reach, of course, but I could have gotten to them with a chair if I'd really wanted.  My preteen brother had a BB gun and a 22 rifle of his own in his room and it was the same way at most of my family and friend's houses. Driving around town, you were likely to see pick-up trucks with a gun racks and rifles clearly visible in the window. Guns were everywhere. Yet we never saw the rampages that are happening now. It has to be something more. Honestly, I think the real issue is not a gun control problem, but a heart control problem. 

Consider the changes made in the last few decades. We have taken God out of the schools and almost every aspect of society. We've become more permissive parents, focused on the happiness and self-esteem of our kids above discipline. We've overindulged them and given them more things and less time. We spend little time teaching our children godly morals and instead allow them to learn from violent television shows/ movies and even more violent video games. Did you know that the average child leaving elementary school has already witnessed 8,000 murders and over 100,000 other acts of violence on TV? By the time that child is 18, he/she will have witnessed 40,000 murders and 200,000 other acts of violence. (Huston, A.C. et al. Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1992.) 

These figures were from a study done in 1992 and do not even include all of the violent video games which are much worse. 

To be sure, not all children who are exposed to violence become violent themselves, but it certainly increases the risk of aggressive behavior.  All of the above are things we as parents; teachers; adults in general; need to be thinking about when raising our children.

There is definitely something going on in our society and a lot of sadness and questions to go along with it. I don't pretend to have the answers. However, right now many people are thinking about these things and I just wanted to write down some of my own thoughts and maybe give others something to think about. I'm a christian so my beliefs are based on God's word, but they also come from experience and the studies/research that I've seen in my schooling. Children are a passion of mine and I've spent a lot of time around them as a parent, grandma, teacher, scout leader, and volunteer in many organizations for kids. I love doing this. Unfortunately, it has also made me realize that while there are many good parents, many others aren't doing a good job and our children, our society, and our country are suffering because of it. So here are some things I think parents need to can do to help.

1. Be aware and responsible for the things you expose your child to.  If you feed a child a lot of junk food, there is no doubt that he or she will become physically unhealthy. If you feed a child's mind a steady diet of violence, vulgar language, and video games that focus on killing/ hurting others in order to win... you can be sure that they will begin to develop an unhealthy mind. Music is also something that parents need to be monitoring. Much of the popular music today is shocking to me. Check your child's Ipod and phone. Look up the lyrics, and be picky about what they listen to.

2. Teach your child consideration and empathy for others. Many kids today have become so desensitized to the feelings and pain of others. They have heard and seen so much, they become dull to things that should shock them or produce a feeling of compassion. The media plays an important part in this. Shows like America's Funniest Videos are funny. But shows like World's Dumbest Videos, Scarred, and others project the idea that seeing others badly hurt is entertaining, hysterically funny, or cool. YouTube is full of stupid stunts, people fighting, and inappropriate pranks that are put on view for all to see. Children are young and impressionable and this can really affect how they view things. Limit their exposure to these kinds of things and be sure to talk with your kids about how others feel. Ask them questions to make them consider someone else's perspective. It should go without saying to teach them to show kindness to others and to reach out and include those who feel left out. The golden rule never gets outdated. Explain and most importantly, live it for them to see. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. 

3. Teach your child responsibility and accountability. Give your child chores and responsibilities so they understand that life is not a free ride and it doesn't revolve around them. Everyone needs to contribute to the world around them. Guide and discipline them even if it takes a lot of effort and you're exhausted from work. When they mess up, don't shield them from the consequences. Easier said than done... I know.... but true none-the-less.

4. Spend time with them. Turn off the TV. Close the laptop. Put away the smartphone. Do something together that doesn't involve electronics....find something that really involves interaction. Be there and in the moment together. It will build closeness, happy memories, and help them learn how to connect to you and others. It is amazing how much they (and you) can enjoy a game of cards, Monopoly, or a walk together. It's also a great time to listen. How are they feeling about things? Do they have friends at school? Children have a tendency to open up and talk when they are doing fun and relaxing things. 

5. Teach them about God. To do this, you have to know about Him yourself. I know. ..This is where some of you may stop reading, but a belief system that answers to a higher power and promotes loving others IS a benefit to society. When lines are blurred and there is no real sense of right and wrong, but only subjective opinion, there is bound to be a breakdown in society. A belief in God promotes the value of human life. Our creator knows what is best for us. When we recognize that and live by his guidelines, our lives will be better.

I am praying for the children of Sandy Hook Elementary School, the parents who are suffering, and for all of us. May God hold them in His arms and give them peace and comfort... protect our children... and guide all of us in raising them up right.

GRANDMA'S APRON

As I looked through my kitchen drawers the other day, I ran across this apron.

It was made for me by my Grandma King and I have a blue one similiar to it that my Grandma Bray made. They both laughed when I requested them several years ago, but seemed happy to make them for me. Now both of them are gone, but I smile whenever I see those aprons and think of my childhood and how often my grandmas and mother had one on. I don't wear my aprons often.... in fact, not in years, but they are so special to me and bring a flood of memories whenever I see them.

Not long ago, I saw this poem on a friend's site and found it very touching as it reminded me of seeing my grandmas do many of the same things. Hope you like it:

Grandma's Apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.
The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears…
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.
After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men-folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that'old-time apron that served so many purposes.

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.
Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.
People now would go crazy trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.
I never caught anything from an apron…
except Love.

~Unknown


I also remember how my grandmas used the pockets to hold their clothespins while taking clothes off the line and how flour always seemed to be on the apron from frying chicken, making biscuits, or rolling out pie crust. On Sunday dinners at Grandma's house, my sister, my cousin, and I would have one tied around us while we helped with dishes. Funny, the memories that an object can bring back.....


Saw this at the dollar store today and couldn't help but buy it for it Christmas. Not very functional, but I think they'd like it. :)