Second Chances

Second Chances….

We nearly had a tragedy in our city this week, but it was a near miss too close for comfort…

Parents got another chance to say I love you, to hug their son or daughter. Some of these same parents may have fought with their teenager before they sent them or dropped them off at school that almost fateful morning.

Another school shooting almost.  This one was way too close to home for me.  I did not know the children involved directly they do attend church with me and were being taught by the youth leaders in our church, I am related to one of these leaders.  He knew this child, (young adult); he knew of his family issues and problems, but no-one saw this coming. I am sure there were clues but no-one picked up on them. No-one connected truly connected with him. I am not pointing the finger at anyone I am just trying to send a message to everyone who has a child who needs our leadership our guidance. We are so very busy as a society with our noses stuck in our phone or on social media pretending to be something we are not that we do not connect with other human beings the way we used to, the way we should. So many parents hope that their children will learn what they need to know in school. However learning begins at home with the people who love them, the ones who are supposed to care about them. Our young people need for us to be present in their lives they need our focus and attention our love, caring and understanding. These children are our future leaders, our Teachers, Police Officers, Doctors, Nurses, Bankers, future Politicians they are also the ones who we hope one day when we are unable to care for ourselves will be there to care for us.  What are we teaching them what are we leading them towards.

We send our children to school thinking they will be safe; however, the way we have taught them at home to interact with others helps to protect them, helps them to know who they should be associated with. But are we teaching them to interact with others or are we too busy.

Think about a typical Saturday with your child let’s start from preschool do we sit down with our children anymore and play games with them? Interact with them on their level play with building blocks show them how to line up dominoes so they learn simple cause and effect. Or do we sit them in front of a TV to watch cartoons and educational shows while we sit at our computers and chat with people we barely know. Do we read bedtime stories to them so they will develop a love for reading, an imagination, a longing for what will happen next in the story? I can still remember my mother reading to us my brother and me when we were very young. The story I remember most was Bambi, no not the movie I remember the actual book which was written long before Walt Disney made it into a movie. I am reminded of this because my son currently reads a big book to my granddaughter at night, he is reading The Wizard of OZ yes there is a book and he is discovering that the movie he knew and loved as a child is very different in the book. Did you know that in the book Dorothy’s shoes were not red? The book came out in 1900 written by Frank Baum 2 years before the Broadway musical and 39 years before the movie. When was the last time you read a book to your children? You have a second chance start to foster their imagination.

What does your elementary child spend their time doing on a Saturday? Do you take them to the park or playground spend time throwing a ball or Frisbee teach them to fly a kite and send messages up the string? Or are they parked in front of a video game possibly depicting violence such as GTA which by the way is rated M for mature but what is the age of maturity? Society says a person becomes an adult at the age of 18 they can pick up a gun and serve our country. Think about your typical 18 year old today one who has spent the last 5 to 10 years parked in front of a violent video game, do you want to hand them a gun?

What is your teenager doing this weekend will you know where they are, who their friends are, what they are doing. When is the last time you made a personal connection with your teenager? What time do they have to be home? Have you met their friends, their friend’s parents? Do you have a set of house rules which everyone including their friends have to follow? Do you know how to reach them where to find them at a moment’s notice? Do you sit down with your teenagers and ask them how their day was? Have family time?

We as the initial leaders the first human connection with our children have to step up to the plate be involved in our children’s lives be in their business. If we are not guiding, molding shaping our children’s lives and minds then I can assure you someone else will. You might not like the shape they become.

Take your second chance before it’s too late, connect with your child. Tell your child you love them and you are there for them. Tell them you are proud of them even with little accomplishments. Give them the desire to succeed! Little accomplishments become big ones.

Take the second chance to fix what may not be right, avert the danger!

Give them a hug!

Pray For Our Future Leaders!