While I was having my coffee this morning, I got an Amber Alert on my cell phone. There has been a child abduction. How awful for those parents! How tragic for the child …
I thought about how differently my friends and I grew up compared with how my children and now my grandchildren are growing up. There are several important differences, but then I suppose every older generation looks back and sees things that were very different from the current one.
Granted, I grew up in a small town and I was probably more insulated there than I would have been in a larger city. However, when I look back, mine was a much more carefree childhood. I can honestly say, I never felt afraid of my environment or anyone in it.
I didn’t feel any need to be aware of whether someone could be secretly watching us playing from behind a tree, or a car, or whether a van going by was making a fourth pass down our street looking for a new victim.
There were no drug dealers in the court square downtown that we had to steer clear of. We didn’t have computers, so we didn’t have Internet dangers to worry about.
I don’t remember worrying about our school being invaded by a shooter who might kill my friends, or the teacher. I wasn’t aware I had to be aware like children of today have to be —and rightfully so.
It was a hopeful time, years ago. We trusted that our parents and our president had our backs and would keep us safe. We had no knowledge of terrorists, homegrown, or otherwise and we certainly didn’t worry that our government would fracture and be something to fear.
It’s more difficult for children to grow up these days. No matter how badly parents want to protect and insulate them, it would be a grave disservice not to prepare them for protecting themselves, as well.
Maybe something like KRAV MAGA WORLDWIDE if it’s available, but any kind of self-defense would give them confidence and at least a fighting chance to get away, if they had to.
Sadly, our children and grandchildren must be made aware … to be aware.
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