The last few weeks I have been focusing on safety with my students. With the little people we talked about being healthy and saying no to people and things that can be unsafe. But, with the soon-to-be junior high students, we get to talk about bigger and scarier issues.
As a parent, I pride myself on being open and honest with my kids about dangers in the world we live in. I always follow up these dangers with the many things we have in place to keep us safe. I feel confident talking about these issues; knowing that I have nine years of graduate and post-graduate work in dealing with little people (I sometimes forget that most parents don't have the educational and counseling background that I do).
I asked my students to go home and play a game with their parents or guardians. I reminded them that the better prepared they are prior to facing tough situations, the easier the situations will be to handle should they ever encounter them. The game was, "What should I do if..."
What should I do if I'm home alone and someone comes to the door?
What should I do if I'm somewhere and my ride doesn't come?
What should I do if I get lost in a mall?
What should I do if I get asked to meet someone in person that I meet on the internet?
What should I do if smell smoke or find a gun?
What should I do if a stranger approaches me?
These questions didn't even address the other topics we've been covering- drugs and alcohol, bullying, peer pressure, etc.
A young lady raised her hand and asked so sincerely, "You want us to talk to our parents about ALL those things? Won't that overwhelm them? How will they know what to say?"
Stumped. I was plain stumped.
My hat suddenly switched from professional educator/counselor to mom. Crap. It is overwhelming. Those things are scary. Holy cow. What kind of a world do we live in?
Lock-down drills, stranger-danger, drugs, guns, suicide, violent crimes, graffiti, gangs!
Hold on. What happened to the ride-your-bike-outside-all-day world I used to live in? What kind of a place am I raising my kids? What kind of people are around my children every day?
I started to get overwhelmed just thinking about her question. I'm pretty sure I got it together in time to save face. I'm semi-positive that I handled the situation with ease and grace. But, on the inside, I was terrified for my children and all the children that sat before me just waiting for my quick-fix answer.
These things are scary. Surely we can't tackle them all in one conversation. The world's problems aren't going to be solved in one sit-down. But, we must still address the issues that are very real in the lives of children today.
So, my advice to her and to myself ... take life one step at a time. Tackle challenges one by one. Talk real and talk often, so it's not so overwhelming. Equip yourself and your loved ones with the skills and knowledge needed to be successful.
Most people in the world are good. Assume good intentions. But, be realistic about the dangers surrounding us and bad choices being made daily.
Try not to let yourself get stumped. If you do, though, remember 'it's okay'. It's okay to be honest about not knowing the best answer. It's okay to have to think about the best laid plan. It's okay that not everything is going to happen as you expect it to.
Share your love often. Remember that most people are good. Be honest. Be real. AND ... take time to talk.
Enjoy the journey you have been blessed with, love the people in your life, smile :) and remember, 'It's Okay'.
Visit www.itsokaybooks.com to learn more!
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