
Yiddish Proverb:
What will become of the sheep if the wolf is the judge? Vos vet vern fun di sheps aoyb di volf iz di rikhter?
My kinder (children), they truly feel the anxiety in our home. They soak it in as they happily leap from the yellow school bus and cross the entryway into our home. They see it when I return from work each night. I am literally wearing the news on my punim (face) – and it is not a good look.
Big and Little, they know about deadly gun violence because they see me put on my orange cloak of activism and fight for gun sense laws (no guns makes the most sense to me) with Moms Demand Action. They hear my spiel (talk, like “please, don’t hang up… on… me!) pleading with complete strangers about conceal carry reciprocity and bump stocks, week after week.
But now, tragedy, it strikes daily. How can their naive and tender, trusting souls take in all of the madness when I have trouble simply not crying at the office or pumping the car with gas? Smart people who study such things, scholars, they say we need to tell our kinder in real-time, as the bad things occur. They say that when they hear hard/tragic news from us, the people they love and trust most, they can best take in the inconceivable and somehow still feel safe.
Feeling safe. Aside from my day job, isn’t that what I am here to do? How can I promise protection for my maideleh’s (sweet girls) in a world that can kill you while learning, praying, playing, watching a movie, doing yoga? I have read that we only tell them what is absolutely true. Live in the moment. “You, my sweet bubbelah’s (babies), are safe here, now.” No promises that you cannot absolutely keep. Truth.
Yiddish Proverb:
Who owes her the hole in the bagel? Ver ouz ir di lokh in di bagel?
My father, he used to explain things to me and then say, “Capiche? (Understand?) I did (well mostly), but he wasn’t hurling around huge concepts like anti-Semitism, racism, nationalism, white-supremacy. At eight and ten, hatred, violence, and grief are ‘tough to swallow’ dinner table topics. Allow them time to think, ask questions. As many questions as they need to ask. Always answer with honesty and reassure them of the many people around them, in addition to us, who are also safe havens for them.
This past weekend, we even developed a ‘code word’ for our family after reading the news story about a little girl in Arizona who thwarted her would be captor in a potential kidnapping with, “What’s the code word? If you are picking me up, what’s the code word?” Be prepared.
And this, all of this is what I call a shondah (a shame, pity).
Tomorrow, Thanksgiving, people all over America will be getting together to celebrate, sup, break bread and nosh together. Many families have been as divided as those gonefs (thieves, dishonest people) on the hill in DC. Many topics are now more taboo than ever before. Politics and sports are out. Perhaps sex is a safe, go-to conversation? Wishing you all, a safe, loving and enjoyable time. And, may we all find a way to unite. Capiche?
L’Chiam! To life!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and family.
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Thank you! Same to you 💜❤️💕
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Agree Lisa, such a sorry state of affairs. Having to talk to our little innocent children about ‘bad’ strangers who could possibly take them away or hurt them; of guns and violence and worldly terror. It is not ok. They need to be trusting the world and learning about all the good that there is. But we have to be realistic. A difficult world to be growing up in for sure… Thanks for joining us on the #itsok linky again. Hope to see you next week too!
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I hope to be there, and I swear, I will have some positivity too! 😇💕
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I cannot understand why guns are still on the streets. We are bringing our kids up in such a scary world and I’m frightened I don’t have the answers or more to the point, that I don’t like the answers that we have to give to their questions. Thanks for sharing with #TriumphantTales. PS> Happy Thanksgiving!! 🙂
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Thank you so much, Jaki! I’m thankful for blogger friends like you to share thoughts, fears and ideas with. 💕❤️
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Such a sad and poignant post. My 18 year old son rants about such issues day in and day out and that gives me hope, We need such kind souls in the world and things can change as history has shown us. If ever things needed to change it is now #ABloggingGoodTime
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Kate, I’m so glad to hear that your young Son is riled too! Vote!!! I have hope now too 🥰😉
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Such a thought-provoking post. There’s such a fine line between wanting to hide your children away and protect them, and teaching them about the real world and what terrible things happen. Thanks for linking up #ItsOK
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Thank you! There is a fine line, you are so right May we all get a break and enjoy some good news. 😘❤️
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Heartbreaking times. Hope you and yours were able to carve out a little bit of time and positivity today Lisa. Its the day for it
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We did, and it was needed and soaked in. I hope you and yours enjoyed as well.
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I’m not sure if its the weather or just the overall mood, but we’ve all been a bit melancholy around here lately. It was good to have a house full of kids running around. back from #KCACOLS
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So true! Ty!
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Happy Thanksgiving for yesterday lovely Lisa.
It’s such a scary world but there is also much light and happiness from the swishing of the trees to the sun on our backs. This is what I want for our children; seeing the beauty in the world. They do have to know that this comes with an opposite; a ying to the yang -not such nice people.
Much love. #thatfridaylinky
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This is true. Very wise momma! I do know that and I try to keep a balance. We all have each other and that is the best. They are playing now and just hearing their hearty laughter is priceless! #thatfridaylinky 🍁😘❤️
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A great post. I’m always torn between the need between protecting my kids and discussing the issues of the world with them! Happy Thanksgiving x #ThatFridayLinky
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We all balance the fine line, while still enjoying and living in the present. Ty, #thatfridaylinky xoxo 😘
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I admire you Lisa for the brave attitude you take towards such worrying situations, situations that you have to potentially encounter every day. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to live with such a worry. I often think living here in Ireland is incredibly quiet (sometimes too quiet) but I’m always thankful that I don’t have to worry about my children and the prospect of gun violence. Of course we have many other things to worry about and protect them from. All we can do for sure is live well, keep them safe and teach them. And hope for change #triumphant tales
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You got that right Tracey! Thank you for you kind words, always. It means a lot. 💕😘
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Great post! I hope you all had a happy holiday #itsok
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We did, and thank you! 🤗🥰 #itsok
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I’m not really sure where I sit on this. I used to turn the news off when there were images of bombings and children suffering. Now I leave it on, but obviously I monitor it – pg and all that. Something to think about.
#itsok
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Our girls don’t see the news since we only stream. We do share the news so they hear it from us and not their friends. It’s no easy conversation starter. 😬💕💜
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Amazing post! I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving. It really is such a balance. You want your kids to be prepared and aware of the dangers of the world, but you don’t want to take away their joy and innocence. #KCACOLS
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We did Lana? I hope you did too. Ty so much for your comments 😘🥰 #kcacols
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I think we all need to come back to the middle and start talking again. Not yelling, not drowning the other side out in conversation – but real talking. I’ve seen friends of decades stop speaking because the other side ‘is totally crazy.’ But it’s crazy to stop talking through problems as we’ll only see those problems become worse. #DreamTeam
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We need to do a lot of listening too. Great point Heather. 😘
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I’m coming back through with the #BlogCrush linky!
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Feeling the 💕 love
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I was told not to show my kids the news and to live in a bubble of happiness blissfully unaware of what atrocities go on in this world.I spent Thanksgiving at the funeral of my grandmother. We don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK but we gave thanks for having experienced her in our lives. #thesatsesh
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My sympathies to you and your family over the loss of your grandmother. We are slowly experiencing the demise of PopPop, and that adds to the stress. We are being honest, despite the fact that I would love to surround the in a bubble of freedom and idealism. 😘💕 #thesatsesh
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#thesatsesh hmmm bubble wrap?
I agree the world is complex and at times scary. Listening, talking and exploring alternatives is always a solution (or move to the UK)
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Believe me, we ponder moving if he wins in 2020. I’m ready! 😘💕
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Hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving. I totally agree that it is so difficult to speak to little ones about the awful things that are happening in the world. I just want to shelter and protect my boys forever from this hatred, it makes me so sad. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time.
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Thank you, Laura! 🤗🥰 #kcacols
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You are a wonderful role model to your daughters and to so many others, it is terrifying what is going on in our world, it is easy to get swept up in anxiety. I send you love and I will continue to share your posts and support you in anyway I can! Thanks so much for linking up with #ABloggingGoodTime
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Thank you, Mac. You always say and do just the right thing. I am so grateful to know you through blogging. 🥰🤗😘 #ablogginggoodtime xoxo
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Happy thanksgiving lovely lady. I think all we can do is fill their heads with light and dreams to help counter balance whats wrong with the world
Thanks for linking to #Ablogginggoodtime
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What a magnificent idea 💡! I’m in! #ablogginggoodtime xoxo
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Oh my heart feels so heavy reading this post. I feel so desperately sad to be passing this messed-up world on to my little ones. I wish I could reassure them that they are safe and that these things are not happening… but it’s simply not true. Keep fighting #blogcrush
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I will, Lucy. You can count on that. 🥰❤️ #blogcrush xoxo
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Pingback: BlogCrush Week 94 - 30th November 2018 — Lucy At Home
Pingback: #BlogCrush week 94 – November 30th 2018 | daydreams of a mum
Heartbreaking. Big 💙 #blogcrush
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I was very moved by this post. I live in England but watch American politics closely. It gives me a heavy heart, but then I come across someone like you and my heart lifts again. When there are good and intelligent people in the world, there is always hope xx Maria
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Maria, your words inspire me to have hope too. Plus, I think they are getting closer to getting our bad guy. So sad about Brexit too. We are the change. Xo
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Lisa, great post and great reminder about the family code word idea! As much as I’d like to wrap the children in cotton wool (as they say in England) or, more likely, in bubble wrap, they need a certain amount of knowledge of all the badness. I just don’t want to expose them to *all* of it *every* day. Today we don’t have to wait until a newspaper comes out or until the evening news comes on, it is constant. I like to shield them from that.
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I’m with you Jean, and thank you for stopping by 💕🥰
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I am so pleased that I get to read your blog regularly Lisa as you restore my faith in humanity on the other side of the pond (though it is pretty crazy times here too with bloody Brexit). You remind me that there are good people campaigning for the right things to happen in the world. I am so sorry that this is the world we live in at the moment and that American (and British to an extent too) politics is soooo messed up. Much love and I hope you had a good Thanksgiving. xx #thesatsesh
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Hayley, you are so very kind! Your making me blush! There are good people out there-we need to harness their goodness on both sides of the pond so we don’t go loco. Mwah xoxo #thesatsesh
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Too right Lisa xx
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Keep being the fabulous and truthful person you are Lisa. Your girls are very fortunate to have you. I’m not going to get into a rant on the gun culture but I’m fully with you from over here in the UK. It breaks my heart that you have to worry about such things when you pack your girlies off to school each day😢 💋 #BlogCrush
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Thank you, thank you, thank you! 🤗🥰 #blogcrush xoxo
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I can’t imagine what it must be like to live in a place where gun laws are so relaxed. Sending love to you and your family X #ablogginggoodtime
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Thank you, Sam. Right back at you and yours 🥰🤗 #ablogginggoodtime
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This must be such a scary time , I’m not surprised you’re feeling anxious and worried . I hope calmer times are to come for you #blogcrush
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Me too! Thank you, Kelly! Happiest of holidays to you and yours #blogcrush 😘 xoxo
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There is a lot of evil, ignorance and misery out there, in different forms and from many different types of people. I tend to avoid the news and focus on our immediate little world at home, that’s all I have the strength for now, and it helps keep me (mostly) sane xx
Thanks so much for linking up with KCACOLS, hope you come back again next time!
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Keep on, dear Malin! #kcacols
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