Sunday, September 9th
Seven Days of Refection for
National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week
Thoughts on Losing a Child to Suicide
Day ONE: Never take your children for granted. Sometimes I watch parents who are chastising their children for the littlest things. I know we get tired as parents, and I would never criticize anyone for his/her parenting skills. We all make mistakes as parents. I look back on my memories of parenting Kenny, and how I wish I was able to find more inner strength to find patience. I was a full-time working mom, and I remember coming home from a long, stressful day at work, not having a drop of energy, and knowing I had to start my “quality time” with my children. How I wish that I knew, from an early age, that he had an illness. How many times did I scold him for his behavior resulting from his illness, unfairly, not understanding? So, please parents, the next time you are at the end of your rope, and your children are being silly or disruptive, instead of saying harsh words, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, and try to smile. There is no guarantee that our children will outlive us. If we think this each and every day, we would choose our words more carefully. Kenny taught me so much. I believe Kenny was my gift that I received for 19 years. I am forever grateful for that gift.
