How am I supposed to parent my children through all of this?
How am I supposed to explain to my daughter that somebody might decide to do something terrible to her, but it’s not a big deal because it was only 20 minutes, and also he’s a white man so he’s more important than she is?
How am I supposed to explain that they should learn to be comfortable with themselves, but only if other people are okay with what makes them comfortable? When they’re deciding what to wear or what bathroom to pee in, they should always think first about how other people might feel, and act accordingly.
How am I supposed to explain that grown ups will keep kids safe, except that not really because we won’t do anything to control weapons that are more dangerous than a child can begin to comprehend?
How am I supposed to explain that they should find a network that they can connect with, but that it’s also possible that someone might harbor some type of hatred for their network, and hunt them down?
How am I supposed to explain that actions speak louder than words, except that the action of one will incite the most hate filled, ignorant words that seek to marginalize an entire group of people, and that those hate filled words are winning?
As I sit watching my children eat their breakfast and swing their legs with innocent, simple joy, I find myself at a loss for words and lessons. I will just hold them, and love them, and pray that they will have the chance to do better for their children than we are doing for ours.
