But her attackers didn't stop there. They kicked and punched her, even as she tried to protect her baby. Then one actually wrestled the infant from the mother's arms.
Well, the mother managed to get the baby back. Wounded, traumatized, she called 911. Her phone had been in her pocket.
The attackers were caught within 5 minutes. They were a boy, 14 years old, and a girl, 12 years old. Can you imagine? What would cause this? Unfortunately, increasing violence seems to be becoming more and more evident in society.
The practical way of trying to discover what has altered seems to be giving a long hard look at what has changed within the last three generations. Certainly, children would not have dreamed of talking back to their parents, or, heaven help us, hitting them, attacking them when I was growing up.
A new norm has arrived. this brave new world of technology that has enriched all kinds of daily living, made life easier, and knowledge greater than we could ever have imagined even a decade ago. Technology, computers, and all their derivatives have caused a smugness in those who adapt to them with ease, and a doting, misplaced pride on the part of parents whose young progeny excel at using them.
Research seems to indicate a growing dependence on social media to teach young children values in life. It's a complex situation, because not all that long ago parents accepted this responsibility. Now families are so fragmented, and parents so engaged with the struggle to survive that often communication between children and parents is disrupted. More and more, school teachers are being challenged to find new ways of teaching values to their students, because it's not happening within a traditional family nest.
It's 4.00 am, and my contemplation and writing time. I'm thinking about children who grow up with violence, anger and disrespect in their lives. Could it be that the the sheer disengagement from children is the most dangerous predictor for an unhappy future? I mean, it's sort of hard to be violent or self destructive if you've received love, listening and caring from early childhood. These things are beyond priceless, and that's why they can't be bought. Millionaires have come to this realization - often too late.
Just hold back on buying every known device to man, and permitting violence in your home. Instead, know that you are building trust and mutual respect in the way it was done for centuries before the computer came along. Make it a goal to practice gentleness and kindness with your child every day, just as you would or should with your partner. Make time for your children, no matter how hard it may be.
That way you'll not have to agonize that you’re growing a violent monster with murderous thoughts under your roof,
There are all kinds of experts who hold forth on the psychological and environmental reasons why children are rapidly becoming more violent at much younger ages. I don't know the many reasons of course - but maybe, just maybe it doesn't have to be a rocket science subject.
Perhaps parents need to parent by making special time for their children and each other every day. Saying there isn't time is not an option. Children need that reassurance and understanding. It's your job. It's your job to say "no," short and sweet when the need arises. But you can only do that successfully when you've spent time building trust and respect.
I like to think each of us as individuals can continue to hand our special wisdom from what we've learned to any child that crosses our path. As members of a society that appears to need a lot more love to be spread around than is generally happening for children, it becomes a moral opportunity for us to offer and demonstrate support and caring.
Have you found a way to help parents or a child today?