As Monday approaches and we ready our children for school, I would suspect most of us have a little bit of dread in our hearts. I do. There is unease as we return our children to school. This post covers information for supporting your children but also information on supporting yourself during these upcoming days, too.
The past few days have been bewildering. Making sense of the tragedy in Connecticut is a huge challenge, particularly as the details of the shooting simultaneously unfold along side the details of the beautiful lost children and teachers and protectors. There’s little to say more than this is tragic and head-shaking. There is just no sense to what unfolded here in America last Friday. And although there are stories of incredible heroism we are left mourning and aching.
In my 4 years using social media, no single topic has over-run my channels like this shooting. We are all aghast and terrified, sad and stunned. As President Obama said, “We’re heartbroken.” When I opened the Sunday New York Times this morning, I gulped and teared-up again—I simply couldn’t wrap my head around the number of 6 and 7 year-olds that we’ve lost. Especially as one sat next to me at the breakfast table.
The randomness of this event allows us all to relate to the details of the horror and loss with uncomfortable familiarity.
We can and will work towards a safer future for our children. Don’t ease up on yourself or those in your community for action–improved communication, access to mental health, examining gun control–as months unfold. The future comes quickly. Today and tomorrow are about the ongoing effort to bolster yourself and your child in feeling great about the days ahead, in and out of school at the mall, wherever you find yourselves.
Tips For Parents With Children Going Back To School
- Your child’s school is safe. The fact remains that this random, horrific shooting is an anomaly. Your child’s school is a very safe place to be. Remind yourself, and your children if they ask, that this tragedy was an exception.
- Get the information you need to feel safe this week. Send an email to the principal, your children’s teacher, and/or fellow parents–perhaps commit to participating in ensuring you have good safety measures in place at your school. Leaving a VM message, sending an email, and/or joining the community of families wanting to ensure safety as the days unfold will likely ease your fears. Get involved. Write a letter to The President (The White House/1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW/Washington, D.C. 20500) or your congressman. Action is an antidote to anxiety. Read full post »
My phone wasn’t working well today so I stood in line at the “genius” bar this afternoon to resolve the problem. To be clear, that was 2 1/2 hours ago and I’m home with the promise from a very nice genius that it would be activated by the time I reached my home. It didn’t happen and I’m phoneless (a new thing for me) so it’s quiet around here. In lieu of being able to communicate by phone, I’ll share something I learned while waiting for help. It turns out to have shaped my thoughts for the afternoon.