The world today is so different from when we were children. I always tell people I don’t know if my mom sheltered us or things have changed so drastically.
I remember growing up playing outside with my siblings every day. We were children and we were kept in a child’s place. In elementary school, I remember losing three classmates to death. And even then I didn’t realize what was going on. I didn’t really know what death was until middle school when we lost my great grandmother, the late Ora Bell Parker Sweatman. I remember how hurt my siblings and I were because we were so close to her.
Fast forward to today. I’ve had to explain to my children often about the dangers of the world, and death. And although I’m not exposing it to them in their daily lives, I still have to make them aware of what’s going on in the world to protect them. I never thought this would be our world today. It’s definitely not a world I want my children to grow up in, but I have no choice.
Recently I started watching the news with them. It’s not something we always did together but it’s something we now do because I want them to ask me questions. I want them to be aware of all that goes on. Especially my daughters because one day they will leave the nest and begin their own lives. And I don’t want them to go into the world clueless as to what goes on.
I wish I could protect my children forever. I wish I could keep them here with me always, but I also don’t want them to not experience the world and the good things it has to offer them.
