Friday, October 4, 2013

"I want to die..."

I got up this morning just like every other school morning.  Got my coffee(thank you sweetie), watched the news, read the paper online and finally hopped out of bed and started my day.  After doing my morning routine and making sure Lukas started his, on the computer I went.  Just the normal stuff online like any other day.  The government shutdown, who Miley Cyrus is fighting with now and the win by the Browns.

Then I saw it...on Facebook.

"I want to die"

We all know how that Facebook stuff goes.  We have pages we display ourselves on and there are pages we run that are used for passing information and to celebrate our achievements so some of us come into contact on FB with lots of people.  It was one of those "lots of people" who posted it.

Many times we say stuff we really don't mean.  We say stuff we mean sometimes and wished we hadn't and sometimes we say stuff we have no business saying at all(of which I'm unfortunately an expert).

I did what I believe was the right thing.  I contacted someone who I knew would care enough to make sure this person was OK and the appropriate steps were taken.  Hopefully they are OK, I don't know.

I've thought about that person all day.  I can't shake it.  I can't wrap my head around what goes through the mind of someone suffering in life to the extent that they say "I want to die".

Did anyone else see it?  Did anyone else say something?  Did anyone see it coming?

As adults responsible for the teaching, nurturing and raising of children we must pay very close attention to those we love and even to the children we don't.  There are children out there, even at a young age that are suffering to the point that they feel they have no way out, no other option.  We have to let those kids know we see them, that we hear their cries for help and that we care.  We also have to let them know in no uncertain terms that there is no problem that we can't somehow work out...together.

On the way to school this morning, I had a candid talk with my 10 yr. old...

I let him know that there will never be a problem or issue in his life that his Mom and Dad won't move heaven and earth to solve and that there will never be a time that we can't talk about anything.

Do that with your kids.  Look them in the eye and CONVINCE them that they can come to you for anything.  Then be there for them.