The world is beginning to feel increasingly more dangerous. Today In a Conneticut Elementary School 26 were murdered, twenty of them children. Two months ago entire communities were wiped out by a natural disaster, Hurricane Sandy.
I want to collect my teenage daughters and never let them walk out the door again. I know that is not possible so I’m going to have a cup of tea and for a few moments pull the covers over my head. I’m going to think about how to respond to the inhumanity in this world with humanity, because I know this is the answer.
Speaking as a children’s advocate we need to be smart on gun laws, we need to take care of our mentally ill, and we need to wrap all children in a loving, protective embrace because that is the only way that we can heal what ails us and stand against what frightens us.
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If you have young children, shield them from the horrors of the world. Turn off your televisions, radios, and internet, and close the newspaper. They are simply too young to understand.
If you have older children, cry, talk, listen, draw pictures, scream, sing songs, bake cookies, take walks, dance, play music, write, run and hug your way through today’s tragedy.