What Do I Say????

What do I say when my daughter comes home from school and tells me she was shaking and other kids were crying during the surprise Red Code drill at school? Can I assure my children they are safe at school and that it can't happen to them when less than a year ago their friends were hiding in a closet at Stoneman Douglas High School?

What do I say when my kids go to temple and ask if they are safe? Do I say a shooter can't get into their temple?

What do I say when my kids ask if it is safe for us to go to a concert, a club, a yoga class, church, an open baseball game, a rally, a grocery store, etc? Don't worry, shooters don't go to those places??

What do I say when my children ask why people shoot others? Is my answer mental illness, hate, terrorism, all of the above? Are any of those answers soothing?

How does anyone explain 309 shootings in 311 days?

I want to tell my children that I didn't sleep last night and I woke up crying over the fear and anxiety I feel. I want to tell my children that I am so angry that they have to practice hiding in bathrooms for fear of a shooter, when all I did was hide under a desk during a hurricane drill. I want to tell my children that I am disheartened in humanity and disgusted by ALL of our elected officials. I want to tell my children how money and politics are being put ahead of their well being. However, I WILL NOT tell my children those things.

What will I say? I will tell them that there is no room in their hearts for hate. I will continue to teach them that there are more good people than bad people. I will encourage them to like or dislike others based on how they treat others, not how they pray, how they look, who they choose to love, or even who they support politically. I will emphasize that racial slurs of any kind are unacceptable. I will teach them the importance of forgiveness and acceptance. I will do my best to lead by example and continue to travel, experience and live, even if I feel scared.

Most importantly, I will hug and kiss them every day and pray for their safety and the safety of those around them. Let's make the next generation better than the ones before them.