What Are We Teaching Children?

Some readers of my Sunday blog know usually it is a re-post (or close to it) of what I write for the West Plains Daily Quill's religion page on Friday. What appeared on the religion page on December 14 was written before the events at Sandy Hook Elementary School. In the midst of everything else going on Friday, I did not think to try to update or change what I had written. It ran as written before 9 a.m. I read it now with a different perspective than when I wrote it, but I'm glad I didn't try to change it. I will not be part of stealing a bright future from my grandchildren. I am still hopeful. I will not allow the actions of a mad man to steal my faith. We cannot let him, and others like him, win.

 

On Thursday I had occasion to interact briefly with pre-schoolers who were getting ready for "Miss Pam" Coffman's annual Little Red Firehouse Christmas program. Every December Pam teaches the kids at her daycare center a few holiday songs which they perform for their parents and grandparents at the Avenue Theatre. I had to smile as they talked to me, speaking excitedly about the imminent arrival of Santa Claus. (Somehow, Pam always makes arrangements to have him stop by the show.) The tiny girls twirled in their new dresses, touching the pretty bows in their hair. Some of the boys proudly showed off their new boots or sweaters.

A little later in the evening, I attended Glenwood School's Christmas program to listen to the students sing songs of the season. My grandson's class sang about hot chocolate, and then they threw marshmallows out to the audience. Great fun. It was difficult not to get teary-eyed about another song of the evening,  "Welcome Christmas," when the kids clasped hands and sang, "While we stand heart to heart and hand in hand." I always tend to be hopeful about the future when I'm privileged to spend time with kids.

But it doesn't take long to get snapped back to a different reality: the non-stop chatter amongst adults about the "fiscal cliff," talk of ancient calendars or a headline for an Internet news story "4 in 10 Americans Believe Severe Weather Evidence of End Times." I don't know when the world or anything else is going to end, but I'm sad and angry for how society -- that's us, you know, all of us -- is stealing hope from our children every day. It's one thing when we want to get ourselves all worked up talking about the horrible state of things, but I think we forget sometimes that little kids and young people hear everything we say. They take it in and think about it. They get upset and worried about what might happen. They would probably like to look to adults for answers to hard questions, but how could they get a word in when we're complaining so much?

If I could have just one Christmas wish, it would be for all of us to keep a close watch on our words. Let's not steal hope for the future. Let's not make young people doubt their faith. Let's allow our children to be happy and blessed. Remember Jesus as an infant and the great love and care his mother bestowed upon him. Let's protect our children now in the same way. Doesn't that seem like the real reason for the season?