Kids in the Crosshairs

I already know I worry too much. But I’m certain I’m not alone when I say that I fret over my kids’ safety. It’s such a common theme just mentioning it makes some people, especially those without kids, roll their eyes and say, “Oh, no. Not another crabbing parent whining about precious Johnny or Susie.” On the other hand, I roll my eyes every time I hear people complain, “When I was a kid, I didn’t have safety pads when skateboarding or bike helmets, instead we had real steal-tipped arrows and explosive cherry bombs, yadda, yadda, yadda…” Well… so what? Does this mean that kids today live in a Plexiglas world where nothing can harm them and they never have to worry about ever getting hurt? Survey says…Errr! Wrong. How about armed kids in schools and vulnerability of your kid’s identity through the internet and creepy predators? It seems like for every safety harness added to protect kids there’s another bullet in the chamber waiting to knock them down.

It bothers me when folks are too far on one side of the fence or the other, either thinking that kids are far too protected or far too vulnerable. The fact is, there have always been dangers for kids. No matter what age you live in or were born in. The dangers have just shifted or changed from one generation to the next. I recall several summer days as a kid when I’d say bye to my mom and take off on my bike (no helmet) and I wouldn’t return for hours. Sometimes I was riding the whole time, and other times I’d make friends with some random kid and play until I got tired or bored. Was it safe then? No. Perhaps I wasn’t as susceptible to some things as others, but who’s to say I couldn’t have been hurt or killed?

Nevertheless, I worry about my kids. Every time they leave the house unattended, even if it’s just out in the front yard playing with some their friends who I know, I fear that something might happen and I might never see them again. I know it’s morbid, but that’s how fear works. Still, I let them go anyhow. Because if I don’t I also fear I’m not teaching them how to do things without Daddy hovering in their midst. Ugg, more fear.

No matter how you look at it, there’s always some sort of risk lingering out there. The best we can hope for, at least in my opinion, is to steer in a God-driven course and pray for that safety net should the wire get too shaky. And all the while, smile while you’re doing it. Smiling keeps at least some of the fears at bay, plus it makes others wonder what you’re up to.