This is not a post about my opinion on gun control or mental health. It’s not about the NRA or bad parenting either. This post is about them. The girls I have worked my butt off to raise so far. These little people who I taught to write their name and tie their shoe. It’s about these beautiful girls who will grow up to be something because they worked hard and made the right choices. And when they become that something they will say "Thank you mom for believing in me and keeping me safe." This post is about getting there. How will we get there through 18 years of school where my precious girls will walk side by side with other children who won’t make the right choices? The fear is overwhelming.
I remember when Maizy was very little she wandered away from me at one of Kenna's basketball games. For about 3 minutes I couldn’t find her. In that moment I felt like I was paralyzed. I couldn’t hear anything, I couldn’t comprehend anything and for those 3 minutes life stopped for me. When I found her playing under the bleachers I was so furious with her! I don’t think I’ve ever been so mad in my entire life. But she didn’t understand the weight of that moment. She didn’t understand that I thought for 3 minutes that I might never see her again. Looking back I know I wasn’t mad at her but mad at myself. I let that happen. I let her wander off and I hadn’t taught her the importance of staying with me at all times. My point is, I know that I alone cannot change the fact that children are getting murdered in schools. I know that I can’t protect my children at all times. But I do know something I CAN do. I can speak up. I can make sure that my kids know what to do in dangerous situations and that they have the know how to protect themselves should there come a time they would need to. I can give them the courage to speak up if they ever feel unsafe or threatened. I can have real conversations with them about scary things that they need to be aware of no matter how bad it breaks my heart to have to do it. I can speak up often, not just after an unspeakably devastating day but on a regular day, when it’s happy and normal. I can’t let them forget that even though there is so much good in this world, there is bad too.
This is serious. This is a problem. This is my family. Thoughts and prayers aren’t easing my fears. It’s time to do something and if I can’t do anything else, the least I can do is educate my kids. Don’t assume they know what to do in a scary situation. I can’t sit back anymore and hope for the best. I’ve got to do better. We all do. Because we all have worked too hard raising our little people to just hope for the best. They deserve the best.
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