Hello everyone. I’m hoping that this week is one filled with joy and peace, as it was so difficult to learn about those who perished in the terrible shootings this weekend.
I don’t pretend to know or have all the answers on how to heal all the brokenness we see in our society today, but I do know that one thing we need to start addressing is the emotional issues of kids before they grow up to become such broken adults who have the potential to do so much harm. While the topics I address in my stories, lessons and blogs are meant to be a help in this effort, they in no way take the place of good parenting or great support systems that are needed to help raise emotionally healthy children. We need to try and reach the children while they are young and expose them to better coping skills to deal with their anger, loneliness, fear, frustrations and anxiety. It’s up to us as adults to take the lead, not only for the children in our own families, but others as well. Now I know that many of us don’t have the time to volunteer to coach children on a team or be a “big brother” or “big sister” to a child. But all of us can look for small ways to make a difference. Have you noticed any changes in the behavior of a child in your circle? Does the child seem a little withdrawn or depressed lately? Maybe it’s your neighbor’s child or one of your child’s friends or classmates who seems to be upset or struggling lately. Perhaps you can just go over and ask the child if something seems to be troubling them. You never know the effect even the simplest conversation can have on a child’s mood. They need to know that they matter, and just by acknowledging them and their feelings, they learn that somebody cares about them. Bottom line, that’s what we all need - to be validated and know that we matter. If we could all take this simple step, collectively, I believe we can make a difference.
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