Protecting Childhood Innocence in a World Full of Violence
It’s an evil world out there. Most of us come to social media to escape it. After all, the news is always on TV for those who want to watch it.
It’s Good vs. Evil — that’s it!
Unfortunately, it feels like bad news is everywhere online now. Not just from independent outlets or major media agencies, but from everyday people. Regular citizens, just like me, sharing things we were never supposed to see.
Bad news comes — and nothing can be done about that. But there’s still no need for the average person to watch these events unfold in real time, over and over again.
I’ve seen death come in a lot of different ways. Accidental, intentional on one’s self, and intentional on another person. Ninety-nine percent of people should never have a memory of what it’s like to see someone’s life end in such a traumatic way. Especially not in front of their family — and definitely not replayed across the internet for the whole world to watch.
It is not normal. So don’t let it become normal.
Protecting Kids From Violence Online
Here’s why I’m writing this: kids don’t need to see it. They don’t need a head start in life by being exposed to adult trauma before they’re ready. The world is not so different today that children must be robbed of their childhood.
Sure, I talk openly with my son about things like why we can’t make it to a Rangers game this year, or the fact that eating nothing but sweets and Easy Mac will make running on the soccer field harder and his clothes not fit so great. He can handle that — those are just everyday facts of life.
But violence doesn’t have to be part of his life yet. And it shouldn’t be.
So for crying out loud — because I already have today, not over any specific event but over the weight of it all — try to protect your kids from seeing the evil things they don’t need to see. At least try.
The worst thing we can do is let younger, impressionable generations become calloused to these events.
Let Kids Be Kids
At the end of the day, we all want to raise kids who can handle the world — not kids who are forced to carry the weight of it too soon. There’s a difference. Maturity comes naturally with age and experience, but once innocence is stolen, it doesn’t come back.
We can’t control every tragedy, and we can’t always shield ourselves from the brokenness of the world. But we can control how much of that burden we put on our children — and on ourselves.
Maybe the real challenge today isn’t to be more informed, or more outraged, or more entertained by the worst moments of people’s lives. Maybe the challenge is to hold on to the good, to guard what’s worth protecting, and to make sure tomorrow’s generation still has a chance to know what a real childhood feels like.
Because I miss mine.
And I don’t want my son to miss his.
