First, my thoughts and prayers are with those in Paris and the families of the victims of today's attacks.
Sometimes, one of my single friends will ask me, "How can you have kids today?"
I know what it is they're referring to. See the above statements about the incidents today in Paris, for example. Then, you have to account for all the conspiracy beliefs that fall in with the current government here in America - which is scary if even a tenth of it is true.
The gun violence in major cities. The child molesters. Human trafficking. How could I have two little girls in a world with so much drug addiction, hate, racism, cruelty, etc...
I read where a kid in Tampa is possibly looking at sexual harassment charges because he wrote a few love letters to a girl in his class - none of them sexual, all of them just saying why he liked her.
The kid is 9.
It's rough wanting to parent some days, even without the pressures from around society. Some days, you just don't want to get out of bed and make yourself breakfast, much less feed your five year old. Then, you add in all of the external forces that seem to be working hard to make you afraid you and cringe.
But then you get your butt out of bed and fix the kid a bowl of cereal. Or you mix up the pancake batter. Or you toast some waffles. You fry the bacon and beat the eggs.
You get on with your life and you parent, because that's what you do.
How can I parent in this day and age? How dare I bring kids into this world?
I don't believe in having a "spirit of fear."
Because I'm not a coward, and I'm not raising cowards. That's the short answer.
It boils down to the belief that things will get better and your kids may be the ones who make it better. It boils down to faith. Things may get worse but eventually, it'll all pass away.
My 5 year old is in love with Jesus. She prays, she uses a little Bible devotional app every night, and she sings about her relationship with God. She's 5. When she and I have some pretty serious talks, she takes it back to what God wants, what Jesus wants for her life. And, her life won't always be easy for her, but when the going gets tough, she's a firm believer in an even tougher God.
How could I parent kids in today's scary society?
Because we need more kids with faith to move mountains. We need more people in our world like my kids. Maybe that's arrogant of me to think, but I'm a dad, so get over it.
