In the wake of the Connecticut tragedy I have vacillated between deep sorrow and sadness, confusion, anger, and despair. Friday morning I dropped the kids off at school in the carpool lane and realized Kitty forgot her coat, so I pulled along the side of her and tossed her coat out the window. I said good-bye and as I pulled away I thought, "I can't believe I just drive away without watching her go into the building, I must really trust the school." I am not kidding, I had that thought. I remembered that thought all that day as I watched the news and wished that I had stopped and at least watched her go in.
As much as I need the break that school provides, I often stop throughout my day and miss my kids. It makes me a little sad to think that I can't observe or see what they are doing at any given moment in the day. I think that is what's most painful, those poor parents weren't there to protect or comfort their children.
We haven't discussed the news with our kids. Jared and I decided to keep the news off and let the first few days of media overload pass without our participation. I am sure they will hear about it through the grapevine and I plan to bring it up when it dies down a bit.
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| Portrait of a boy, 11/2012 by John |
Here's the thing though, I just read
this and realized that I am also coming to grips with my perspective from the other side of the issue. As the parent of a child with mental illness (there, I said it) I don't know what needs to change. While my experience is not as serious as the author's, when you live with it everyday the line between normal and abnormal becomes fuzzy. One thing I know, parents love their children.
3 comments:
I just read that article yesterday and it was a powerful perspective. Clearly there are so many things at play and remembering that is hard sometimes, so thanks. I went into the school this morning to drop off the teacher gift sawyer forgot and this little kindergartener was in the office getting the mail from the teacher box and i just started to cry. I wonder when that will stop? And while I have never been a proponent of home schooling, it does make me think about the calculated choice of sending my children off everyday. Classroom cams? (Kidding, mostly)
Ok, so I know I already commented, but I think it is crazy how people are totally lashing out at this woman?!
Thanks for your thoughts Alyssa. I too have been avoiding the media over load. I watched it all day on Friday. Then I decided that nothing good was going to come out of watching it over and over. I can only pray for the people affected and that it doesn't happen again.
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