I always wanted to be a mom. In 7th grade we had a finance project where we had to purchase our dream car and figure out the payments and such and I picked a mini van. It was just in my blood, and I could not wait for the day to be blessed with little ones. Fast forward to being a mommy of three boys today, and the reality is that it is the hardest job ever.
Legit – the patience, the love, the heartache, the fear … it can all swirl around you in just a 24 hour period.
Today, I picked up Owen from school. He was giddy and ran his classic sprint-jump into my arms. He buckled himself up, and of course I asked how school was and what did he learn today.
Owen :”We did lockdown drill again, Mom”
Me: “Oh, what do you do for that?” (playing dumb)
Owen: “The kids have to hide under the bean bags, not the table or chairs where you see us, under a bag. And some kids didn’t listen this time.”
Me: “Well, good job listening!”
I had to switch subjects quickly….
My gut was spiraled together. I know I cannot be naive, that this is a necessary practice in every single school across the U.S. I guess it was that this was the 6x I heard about this drill so far this school year. To roll back a few decades, gosh, I think we practiced a fire drill and tornado drill. Heads were not accounted for when you walked out the school doors the second the bell rang. Parents didn’t worry when their little ones walked to school and didn’t get a “text” to say they got there safe. And here we are, in a day where kindergarteners are practicing lockdown drills on a regular basis.
Does he understand the extreme meaning behind it all? I don’t think so. But it got me so choked up as we drove home, picturing my little boy having to practice scenarios such as that.
That this is the day we live in.
How do we keep our kids innocent, yet well-informed? To help them understand the good and evil that exists in this world. And even in a place (school) where they should feel 110% safe, that unfortunately in today’s world bad things can happen.
To understand their limits these days and yet feel free enough to be a kid without a worry in the world – it is a privilege that has been stripped from our kids.
For goodness sake it pisses me off –
But we must not live in hate, or fear, or stop doing things we love to do in fear of the worse.
For now, let them be little – that is what we owe them. A chance at the childhood we all had. A chance to be so sweetly innocent with their heads in the clouds –
Let them run into your arms when you pick them up for school. Wrap them up tight and let them know how much you love them so.
After all is said it done, it is OUR job as parents to raise them up right. To teach our children to be packed full of compassion. This is our shot folks to create a better day in years to come.
Let’s take that job seriously.
xoxo, abby