Two small heads, one brown-haired, one baby-blond turning brown. Both buried in books, racking up minutes for their school’s Read-A-Thon. Two bodies, snuggled on the couch, not arguing or bouncing. A rare moment where they’re both still.
I blink.
Images of crying parents and classmates next to a brick wall. Outside of an elementary school. Police tape and sirens. News headlines.
My breath catches.
They don’t know. They don’t need to know. They already know so much – I don’t shy away from difficult, hard subjects with them. But I address issues as they ask questions – often from overhead conversations – and I don’t even want to whisper this. Don’t want to mention it. Not because I think it will go away, but I just can’t. Can’t.
It’s not the first time, of course. It would be different if it was the first time. Horrifying, but a sense that it wouldn’t happen again. But no, this has been happening since before I was an adult – since I was in school myself.
And not just in schools, but in city streets, in churches, in grocery stores, everywhere. The news hadn’t even cycled through the pictures of victims from Buffalo, the victims from California yet.
The worst part is the sense of inevitability. When I talk to my kids about bad things, I lead with action – with what others have done and what we can do about it. I help them envision a better future. You stave off despair with empowerment.
But what does empowerment even look like here? We shouldn’t need to envision a future where kids are safe from people with guns and hate in their hearts. But yet, we do.
Keeping them safe is not their job. It is ours. Let’s do our jobs as parents.
Donate to Sandy Hook Promise, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America or Community Justice Action Fund (focused on communities of color) to help. Take action with Moms Demand Action here: https://momsdemandaction.org/act/
Note: This post originally ran on Facebook on May 24, after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Sadly, it could have run at so many other times as well.