Suicide and Your Kids. . .

Several years ago a friend of my hubby's son committed suicide.  He was an honor student, top athlete, and an all around great kid.  My hubby went to the funeral and when he came home he cried to me about how the video they showed of his youth looked just like our kids.  He played little league baseball and football, was involved with his friends.   When you read the paper or Facebook about a teen that has died either by suicide, alcohol poisoning, drug overdose, or even a car wreck you may say that could not happen to my child.  It is happening all over and yes, it can happen to anyone, to any child. 

The only way to battle these things is to keep an open dialogue with your kids and pray for them.   Make sure that they know they can come to you for any thing, that no matter how bad they think something is that they can still tell you about it.  You may sit there and say, my child knows they can come to me but have you told them so.  Have you told them those very words, that it is ok to tell you anything that you will not fuss or judge them?   My hubby and I had an in depth conversation about these things right after his friends' son killed himself.  Our kids were young but, they still needed to know that they can come to their dad or I for anything.   We talk about this often in our house.  I want my kids to know that there is nothing so bad that they cannot tell their dad or I.  Kids need to know that you will love them no matter what, they need to hear those words.  Often, I think we assume that our kids know things and in reality they need to be reassured.  We also told them if they did not want to talk with us to find someone that they could talk with, whether at Church or school.  I would prefer they talk with us but if they feel they cannot I want them talking with someone.  There is so much going on with kids today, they are bombarded by sex and drugs on TV, music and the Internet.   They are bullied at school by other kids that are probably dealing with worse things than we could ever imagine.   

Talk with your kids, know who their friends are, and pray with them and for them.  

One of my favorite books, I know I have mentioned it numerous times but here it is again.  "The Power of a Praying Parent" by Stormie Omartin.