https://denverparent.net/2012/07/personal-thoughts-the-day-after-the-aurora-shooting/ Wed, 12 Feb 2020 18:11:38 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.4 https://denverparent.net/2012/07/personal-thoughts-the-day-after-the-aurora-shooting/#comment-2137 Sat, 21 Jul 2012 14:28:13 +0000 https://denverparent.net/?p=2095#comment-2137 Nicely done. I think it is very important to not overly shelter our children, but we can’t give them information / responsibilities that they cannot handle. Being able to share the information and then give them time to talk is so important, because you can be there to understand, sympathize, and support them as they work through just what it means. Things like this are difficult because at the bottom they are just senseless: There is no purpose, no reason, and probably no action that could have prevented it.
In an interesting coincidence: A friend of our son’s had invited him to spend the day at Elitches – but when we found out that it would just be the two 11-yr-olds without any adult supervision we decided that was too young and too small – however I was a little guilt-torn about denying him the experience. When we heard the news this morning, despite its complete non-relationship, somehow my decision seemed better. We can’t protect them forever, but I can protect him today!
Both actions get at the heart of what is difficult about being a parent: Deciding when to let the rope out, and when to pull it in and envelope them in our well intentioned (but sometimes suffocating) love. Your handling of this with your children strikes a nice balance, I think, and the support of your both being there to help as they grow up a little will give them strength.

]]>