How Much Should Your Kids Know?

With the terror act in Boston during the Boston Marathon, I have been thinking mostly about my kids and loved ones. I think about how many of the children in today’s society have to ask difficult questions during a difficult time, more so than in years past. I suffer that children feel compelled to ask these questions about why, who and where? Acts of terror have removed what little bit of happiness and innocence kids had the luxury and comfort to live their life by. Sure many experts will tell you to live your life and not worry about what you cannot control, but still to see a 10-year-old son of yours have to engage in conversations about terror is tough to watch and hear. To see kids have to run weekly or monthly drills on how to survive a school related shooting equally sad.

Boston Strong

What happened in Boston during the running of the marathon scarred people both in Boston and the U.S. abroad, as well as parts of the world. The main reason is because now we know that these people who submit themselves to the ways of terror, and to punishing innocent people walk amongst us and act just like one of us. The camouflage gets more and more transparent, more and more convoluted we become more and more easy to prey. The enemy gets harder and harder to pull out of the pack of common citizens and people of all nationalities that flee to this country to share a piece of our dreams. So we are almost forced to engage in conversations about safety and terror with our children of all ages, all of the time. It makes me sad that out of the blue my son will ask me a question about terror and terrorist acts that occur in the world in which we live. It scares me that the borders of the U.S. can no longer be a safe haven for its citizens.

Terrorist acts have become second nature to us, like a routine information report is to a police officer. We have to live with the thought ever so present in our heads, and watch every person that leaves just as closely as the one who approaches. Yes, there is not doubt that because of this act our nation will heal and be stronger just like the “Boston Strong” symbol, but the process of healing takes longer once the same or similar injury takes place over and over again, sometimes never to recover at all.

Our hearts aches, our bones break, and our soul endures darkness and pain like you could not imagine. Boston is on the road to recovery, and soon Boston Strong will be an after thought to everyone but those directly affected and remembered only by the anniversary of this hideous act. As for raising our families, I will never get used to my son’s asking questions about tragedies, and acts of terror, and this is probably something that will not go away anytime soon. As an American I love this country and serve this country as well. Raising a family gets harder to do when the ones we are raising are no longer innocent and have had to be exposed to an element that is trying to change the way we live our life each and everyday. Our heart goes out to Boston, stay strong!