June 28, 2011

bbc

Guthrie and I were driving back from her annual school physical and the BBC was on in the background. We weren't talking and I thought she was falling asleep when she pipes up:

You know what that man said?

No, what?

He said a police killed someone.

. . . Oh really?

Yeah.

What do you think about that?

Not good.

Yeah, it doesn't sound good.

I mean, the police are the ones who put people in jail. If a police kills someone then who puts the police in jail?

I think we're all still trying to figure that one out Guthrie.

*****

i struggle with shielding my kids from, well, the world. how much is too much information? if we filter too much are we just setting them up for a sheltered existence? one where they're so sheltered they'll never make the choice to uhh, give a shit? if we don't protect well enough will she be the only preschooler in her class talking about police brutality?

*****

Last night Guthrie requested a 'girls only' walk. And so walk we did. For probably an hour or so. The fireflies were out, we picked black eyed susans, there was a breeze to keep many of the mosquitoes at bay, we welcomed a friend who just moved in down the street. It was downright magical. Guthrie danced about in her white dress and flip flops declaring that the fireflies must really love her because they would stay on her hands for an extra long time before flying away.

*****

it's probably as much about balance as anything else isn't it?

1 comment:

sierra said...

it is hard... i don't want to lie but also don't want her to be terrified. emma has overheard things about caylee anthony. that was difficult. the fact that kids can die and some moms are bad was the worst conversation. i did my best to tell her very little-- "yes, she did die because her mom was a bad person." ugh. it's so sad that stories like this exist at all.

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