As I stared at the message on my cell phone, I was overwhelmed with grief for the tragic loss of yet another young person with so much promise. And, I was struck by the realization that even though it is my responsibility to keep her safe, I cannot shield my daughter from the random acts of violence that have profoundly touched my life and now hers.
At the same time, it was one of those moments that reminds us how important it is to be there for our children: to comfort them when they’re hurt or frightened, to celebrate their accomplishments, to help them cope with disappointment, and to teach them right from wrong.
In fact, in a speech last summer, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel acknowledged parenting as one of the “four P’s” of violence prevention. However, of the solutions being most widely discussed among policymakers here and across the nation, moms and dads seem to be getting the least attention. When we are mentioned, it’s often to scold us for not doing a good enough job such as when a local radio host remarked:
“Start raising your kids. There’s got to be some better parenting out here.”