This post could also be titled, “What the F#$% Do I Tell My Kid.”
What do I tell my kid when the only news on tv is about suicide bombings in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East? (We don’t usually watch news on tv. Recently we were on vacation and the breakfast buffet at the hotel only had this type of news on.)
What do I tell my kid about terrorism–both domestic and international?
What do I tell my kid when world leaders may desire to hurt entire nations of people?
What do I tell my kid when presidential candidates and other politicians are lying, overtly racist, sexist, bullies?
What do I tell my kid when the newspaper headlines are about murders, heroin, and domestic abuse?
What do I tell my kid who knows that our home was forcefully entered and our possessions stolen when he was a baby and that someone tried to steel our money through credit card theft?
What do I tell my kid when people do hurtful, sexist, racist, or violent acts in the name of religion?
What do I tell my kid when the media reports famine, hunger, malnutrition both in the local, national, and international community?
What do I tell my kid when the government takes away food subsidies and health care from people who have fewer resources than most others?
What do I tell my kid when governments, police, schools, and others treat people with skin colors not similar to my fair-skinned son much differently than they treat him/others who may look like him?
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I hold him tight.
I tell him I love him.
I help him feel safe in our family and home.
I talk to him and read to him about history.
I talk about how I expect him to treat others and try to do so myself.
I talk about how the actions–both positive and negative–of one can affect many.
I talk about how people hurting others, taking things away, and denying things to others due to skin color or religious beliefs is not ok.
I talk about men and women being equal and give and show examples of this.
I talk about my experiences growing up and how his experiences are much different than mine.
I help him learn about the world.
I help him understand that all humans are deserving of respect.
I help him think of ways our family can help other families and then come up with a way to act on those ideas.
I choose to believe that there is at least some good in the world and try to help him see this and believe this, too.
I choose to believe my son and the youth of the world have a bright future.
I choose to be the good.  (I don’t do this is a naive way… Some days, I’m very skeptical that others are rational, good people. Sometimes I face the challenge of trying to be a rational, good person for my own and my son’s sake.)
Thank you for sharing, Laura, and for voicing the beauty that is often overshadowed by humanity’s worst. I strive to do the same for my family. There are so many wonderful people and countless acts of kindness that exist in our communities and nations around the world. We are all connected in remarkable ways that shrink the distance between us. I imagine we share frustration about the needless cruel acts that harm others. It is comforting to be reminded that we are out there spreading love, compassion, empathy, and openmindedness despite the media messages that focus on the contrary. We are not alone.
Thank you for your response. This post was brewing in my head for a very long time. Keeping voicing that beauty. I hope beauty can win and that children all over the globe are taught to see the beauty amidst the worst of humanity that often has a louder (not necessarily stronger and definitely not more valid) voice amplified by the media.