I've been noticeably absent at home this past week, and my children have taken note.
"Why have you been gone?"
"Where have you been?"
"Why aren't you coming home until the middle of the night?"
Now that they're 8-and 10 years old, I I feel the truth is mostly appropriate. Momma has been covering the executions.
"Executions?" They asked. "What does that mean?"
I sat them down and told them that this type of discussion was very upsetting, but I would explain it to them the best I could and answer any questions that they had.
My kids are familiar with crime. After all, we live in Little Rock, and crime seems to have affected us all. My car windows have been smashed in before, things stolen, and to say that it's upsetting to not only me but them too is an understatement.
But this is a different level of discussion about crime. I paused, because how can you explain murder to a child? They're innocent brains don't fully comprehend. I simply and solemnly explained there are people in the world who do bad things. And in these cases judges and juries found these men guilty of crimes that were really bad.
My sons first question: "why can't they just stay in prison for the rest of their lives?"
I explained that they can and sometimes do.
It wasn't enough. He then asked this: "what if someone was supposed to be executed but they apologized?"
I explained that had happened and he then said, "if they say sorry, they shouldn't die, momma."
I said I understood.
But he went on to say that in school they are taught that if someone does something bad to you, you don't do the same thing back to another child.
*sigh*
I clearly didn't have all of the answers. And obviously what they are learning in school contradicts capital punishment.
What I ended up telling both of my children was that I didn't have all the answers and that different people believe differently, and that's ok. I said I just wanted them in their lives to learn as much about everything as they can, so that they can make their own decisions one about how they feel about things.
*heavy stuff*
Sunday morning we were eating breakfast, and I was making my grocery list. I asked the children if there were any special things they wanted. My daughter said, "real food that you don't cook in the microwave, momma. Will you make us a meal?"
I realized how badly they, too, wanted and needed nurturing and comfort.
So that's what I did. I cooked, and we had a wonderful day,
And now the week starts again with two more executions scheduled today, which I will cover.
More questions will come...
I hope I can answer them or at least help them understand a little better a very complicated, dark issue. And understand why their momma has been gone.
"Why have you been gone?"
"Where have you been?"
"Why aren't you coming home until the middle of the night?"
Now that they're 8-and 10 years old, I I feel the truth is mostly appropriate. Momma has been covering the executions.
"Executions?" They asked. "What does that mean?"
I sat them down and told them that this type of discussion was very upsetting, but I would explain it to them the best I could and answer any questions that they had.
My kids are familiar with crime. After all, we live in Little Rock, and crime seems to have affected us all. My car windows have been smashed in before, things stolen, and to say that it's upsetting to not only me but them too is an understatement.
But this is a different level of discussion about crime. I paused, because how can you explain murder to a child? They're innocent brains don't fully comprehend. I simply and solemnly explained there are people in the world who do bad things. And in these cases judges and juries found these men guilty of crimes that were really bad.
My sons first question: "why can't they just stay in prison for the rest of their lives?"
I explained that they can and sometimes do.
It wasn't enough. He then asked this: "what if someone was supposed to be executed but they apologized?"
I explained that had happened and he then said, "if they say sorry, they shouldn't die, momma."
I said I understood.
But he went on to say that in school they are taught that if someone does something bad to you, you don't do the same thing back to another child.
*sigh*
I clearly didn't have all of the answers. And obviously what they are learning in school contradicts capital punishment.
What I ended up telling both of my children was that I didn't have all the answers and that different people believe differently, and that's ok. I said I just wanted them in their lives to learn as much about everything as they can, so that they can make their own decisions one about how they feel about things.
*heavy stuff*
Sunday morning we were eating breakfast, and I was making my grocery list. I asked the children if there were any special things they wanted. My daughter said, "real food that you don't cook in the microwave, momma. Will you make us a meal?"
I realized how badly they, too, wanted and needed nurturing and comfort.
So that's what I did. I cooked, and we had a wonderful day,
And now the week starts again with two more executions scheduled today, which I will cover.
More questions will come...
I hope I can answer them or at least help them understand a little better a very complicated, dark issue. And understand why their momma has been gone.
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