April 20, 2007

VA Tech Shootings: Adding up the numbers

Almost EIGHT years ago to the date, a community in Columbine remember their tragic events that unfolded much like the recent Tech shootings. April 20th is the remembrance date for both school massacres.

Both sets of young men were social outcasts. Both mentioned feeling powerless, bullied. Here's a thought: STOP the bullying. It is an effort we can make to get a handle on these horrible, horrible situations that may in the end be inevitable regardless. But at least we can sleep at night with a clear conscious. Parents need to address and stress to their children that if they possibly can't be nice to others (surely we can do much better than that!), then at least TEACH them not to be mean or cruel. A professor at Tech described Cho Seung Hui as "mean" and I have to wonder how many people he felt were mean to him. This in no way justifies or excuses his actions but this was a deeply troubled juvenile who could not get out of his cycle of alienation which continued to feed it and others around him. Seung was caught up in a Catch 22 where his reclusive-ness led to a lack of connection despite efforts by some and derision by others.

The massacre at VA Tech is too overwhelming to comprehend for any parent, anybody. How do you begin to prepare yourself and your beloved children from random acts of violence? Is it even possible? As a parent, these questions can haunt you. Also, how do you help your children understand survival skills and to defend themselves without unneccesarily alarming them and causing paranoia as these are FREAK events that statistically are unlikely to affect them.

I don't know the answers to these questions. I'm grappling with them myself. In watching the coverage, I've been listening to the survival stories and the many ways in which the students reacted. In the moment, all anyone can do is the best they can. In any situation as I learned in my psychology classes, humans respond with either FLIGHT, FIGHT, or FREEZE. Here are some observations based on what the media covered in which these innate responses kicked in.

Make the never ending job of laundry a bit more fun! Fold-your-shirt.com makes folding interesting.

Call this number to hear a message from Santa! It changes daily.

Santa Claus
800-972-6242

Great Wolf Lodge Fall Coupon Codes

Wolf Pups Weeks at Great Wolf Lodge
Valid September 4 - October 12, 2006

Special Code PUPD for some of the lowest rates of the fall season.

Howl o Week Festival
Valid October 13 - October 31, 2006

Special code HOWLD

Links to info on corn mazes, haunted houses, train rides, hiking and apple picking on farms.

www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/ADVISOR/09/07/fall.with.kids.ap

Quote of the day:

Sharon Ellis, meanwhile, said she was still amazed at her husband's calm response: "I thought for sure he would have passed out in a situation like that."

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14490666/?GT1=8404

Ladies, we KNOW her husbands just gonna LUV that one!

	MediaGate MG-35 NDAS/NAS MPEG4 Videos/ MP3 Music/ JPG Photos Portable Media Player + USB 2.0 + Netwo ASIN: B000BPHWF0 List price: $154.99 USD

What a boy wants

This site came from my daughter's first grade teacher as an activity the children were begging to do more of. Super cute activity that teaches that all snowflakes are not alike. A virtual snowflake gallery awaits where you can "cut" and post your own creation. Go make your unique snowflake with your child or just you. Look for MomSoup's snowflake while you are there! http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com