Kids Matter

Father’s Matter

Addendum to Martin and Zimmerman’s Case…

Apparently, no one is really trying to allow the Trayvon Martin’s death rest; therefore, I believe the media as well as the President is overlooking a critical factor that connects this catastrophe … Parenting. While talking with a friend the other day regarding the mixed messages about the case, “he” made a significant point, being “My 16 year old son would not have been out that late in the first place.” Now when you look at the situation from the perspective of parenting, how are parents and families being held accountable to protect their youngsters?

For the record, I am in no way saying, “Hey, let’s turn the blame towards the parents because they were not monitoring their kid” instead of “continually blaming a man who was possibly insulted by a kid and wanted to strike back” nor am I saying,”Let’s continue to blame the deceased kid for being in a developmental stage looking for something to do to fulfill his identity outside of purchasing some skittles at night.”

What I am particularly adding to my initial post is the idea that there is something to learn and take from every ill-willed situation, which is, “How can I do better in providing safety for the kids in my care as a…” parent, a caregiver, a relative, a neighbor, a teacher, a school administrator, a bus driver, a janitor, a business owner, etc. Whoever you are, the emphasis in this addendum is,

“How are you adequately connecting with youngsters, monitoring their involvements within your presence, assisting in their education from your knowledge and experience, and reaching out to ensure that the youngsters surrounding you know that you care about their life?” As I stated in an earlier post, Culture is not the same anymore; however, it is our job to change her back to the familial traditions we once valued where in the absence of parents, two and three sets of eyes were always on children making sure that they made the right choices. If this value was present within our communities today, Trayvon might still be alive and Zimmerman would be viewed differently than how he is viewed by many today.

In today’s society, challenging some parents to ask themselves, “Am I being the best parent to my child that I can be, a parent who insists that my child knows that he/she is loved and is safe?”, can be a scary question to answer. But if at some point a parent’s response is “No, I’m not” or “I’m doing the best that I can with what I have” then my response might be as President Obama stated, “Your child can be the next Trayvon Martin.”

Yes, parenting demands critical resources. I salute all the parents who are indeed doing their best, even single handedly. As we know, a large portion of our nation’s urban/metro areas are single-female-headed households, which presents a major problem in our youth’s rearing, the lack of a stable male figure. I beg you, Father’s, please step up because YOU MATTER.

Check out this video on KIDS MATTER: EDUCATION FOR KIDS

If your child is young, start reading to him/her Ziggy Marley’s children book, “I Love You Too”. The book reminds me of how both boys and girls of all ages need to be told as well as showed that they are loved in the simplest ways. Take some time to listen to Ziggy’s lyrics encouraging “family time”. My hope is that you will take away small examples in which you can express love to another. I tell you reader, “I love you too.”