I read yesterday of a tragic occurrence. A nineteen year old girl that survived the Parkland school shootings committed suicide. It was speculated that she suffered from PTSD. That's post traumatic stress disorder to be perfectly clear about it. There are so many anagrams in use today that I believe we should start spelling things out once again. I was saddened to hear of this, as I am anytime I hear of someone taking their lives. I can't imagine being in that place, where you think death is an answer. It does seem to be a choice made a lot more frequently these days. It seems especially true among our youth. The experts study and debate about the causes for this. I'm certainly no phycologist or mental health professional of any description but I have my own ideas about this.
I believe it is related to way we are raising our children today. Children are being told all the time about how tragic everything is. And I mean everything. They are also being taught to react in extreme fashion.
Just look at it. Today kids, middle school children and in some cases earlier, are encouraged to protest! Yes, instead of being encouraged to talk about an issue, they are told to protest. How many walk-outs did you hear about in schools just a few years back? You didn't. How many times did you hear about parents appealing to the school board, demanding their child not be punished for bad behaviors, or being allowed to behave in ways that disrupt the class. My child doesn't have to say the Pledge or remain silent while others pray. And when something bad happens a flood of counselors are summoned to the school. Vigils are held and memorials erected. All of these action contribute to extreme reactions, in my opinion! No different than when Mom would swoop in when you got a scratch! In years past it was, here's a kiss to make it all better, some iodine , and you're fine. Today we have to summon an entire medical team, hand sanitizer, gloves and masks, anti-biotics, bed rest. The kids are more traumatized by the reaction than the event itself! And it is that that they are learning, to over react and act in extreme fashion. Everything being life and death these days. Little Johnny has a peanut butter sandwich! Lock the school down, peanut allergy alert! Protest and ban peanut butter and any peanut products from the entire school grounds. Little Bobby pulled little Rachels' ponytail. It's a sexual assault! And God help us all if everyone doesn't get an award at the awards assembly!
It's so sad to hear about these kids taking their lives. But we hold some responsibilty for that. We are teaching them to react in such extreme manners. Never mind the video games, never mind the " bullying " and never mind social media. If we don't teach our children how to respond in a calm and reasonable fashion to things this trend will only increase. We need to quit telling the children that everything is fair! It's not, it never will be, learn to deal with it. We are teaching our children to be mental weaklings. Now we have young adults offended by statues! Think about that. I'm so offended by a statue that I have to find a " safe space " and be isolated from the world! And then we wonder why so many attempt to escape by killing themselves.
In the case of that young lady that survived the Parkland school shooting it was reported she suffered from PTSD. After WW2 it was called shell shock, the reaction to a traumatic event. Certainly you can understand where that would affect a person. But I also think if you tell people that is what you will get, every time, that is what will happen. It's a self fulfilling prophesy. Teach the children that after every traumatic event you will need mental help and that's exactly what you will get. Teach them that they are victims, helpless and now entitled to compensation! The reaction will be extreme. Teach children that everything should be modified to suit you. Children being taught that animals are like our children? Animals certainly shouldn't be abused, we can certainly form an attachment to an animal, but animals are not our children! Extreme reactions to everything. Our highways are being lined with crosses now, the scene of the accident, because we need to memorialize the spot. We even have bumper stickers , In Memoriam " these days. Extreme? I think so. What is the message being sent? If you are not making a big fuss of some type, you are not serious. That's why we see the protests, the name calling, hollering , screaming and extreme acts that we see today.
Well that's my opinion anyway. We are giving our children PTSD by the reactions we take in response to everything and anything. The kids are being stressed out by the adults. Instead of the adults giving the kids reassurance, comfort and self confidence they are being told, it's tragic, call a grief counselor, hold a vigil, protest and demand change. We are teaching them to be victims! Oh the line is, I'm a survivor but the underlining message is clear enough, I was a victim first! Can't be a survivor without first being the victim. We had better quit teaching our children to be victims!
I believe it is related to way we are raising our children today. Children are being told all the time about how tragic everything is. And I mean everything. They are also being taught to react in extreme fashion.
Just look at it. Today kids, middle school children and in some cases earlier, are encouraged to protest! Yes, instead of being encouraged to talk about an issue, they are told to protest. How many walk-outs did you hear about in schools just a few years back? You didn't. How many times did you hear about parents appealing to the school board, demanding their child not be punished for bad behaviors, or being allowed to behave in ways that disrupt the class. My child doesn't have to say the Pledge or remain silent while others pray. And when something bad happens a flood of counselors are summoned to the school. Vigils are held and memorials erected. All of these action contribute to extreme reactions, in my opinion! No different than when Mom would swoop in when you got a scratch! In years past it was, here's a kiss to make it all better, some iodine , and you're fine. Today we have to summon an entire medical team, hand sanitizer, gloves and masks, anti-biotics, bed rest. The kids are more traumatized by the reaction than the event itself! And it is that that they are learning, to over react and act in extreme fashion. Everything being life and death these days. Little Johnny has a peanut butter sandwich! Lock the school down, peanut allergy alert! Protest and ban peanut butter and any peanut products from the entire school grounds. Little Bobby pulled little Rachels' ponytail. It's a sexual assault! And God help us all if everyone doesn't get an award at the awards assembly!
It's so sad to hear about these kids taking their lives. But we hold some responsibilty for that. We are teaching them to react in such extreme manners. Never mind the video games, never mind the " bullying " and never mind social media. If we don't teach our children how to respond in a calm and reasonable fashion to things this trend will only increase. We need to quit telling the children that everything is fair! It's not, it never will be, learn to deal with it. We are teaching our children to be mental weaklings. Now we have young adults offended by statues! Think about that. I'm so offended by a statue that I have to find a " safe space " and be isolated from the world! And then we wonder why so many attempt to escape by killing themselves.
In the case of that young lady that survived the Parkland school shooting it was reported she suffered from PTSD. After WW2 it was called shell shock, the reaction to a traumatic event. Certainly you can understand where that would affect a person. But I also think if you tell people that is what you will get, every time, that is what will happen. It's a self fulfilling prophesy. Teach the children that after every traumatic event you will need mental help and that's exactly what you will get. Teach them that they are victims, helpless and now entitled to compensation! The reaction will be extreme. Teach children that everything should be modified to suit you. Children being taught that animals are like our children? Animals certainly shouldn't be abused, we can certainly form an attachment to an animal, but animals are not our children! Extreme reactions to everything. Our highways are being lined with crosses now, the scene of the accident, because we need to memorialize the spot. We even have bumper stickers , In Memoriam " these days. Extreme? I think so. What is the message being sent? If you are not making a big fuss of some type, you are not serious. That's why we see the protests, the name calling, hollering , screaming and extreme acts that we see today.
Well that's my opinion anyway. We are giving our children PTSD by the reactions we take in response to everything and anything. The kids are being stressed out by the adults. Instead of the adults giving the kids reassurance, comfort and self confidence they are being told, it's tragic, call a grief counselor, hold a vigil, protest and demand change. We are teaching them to be victims! Oh the line is, I'm a survivor but the underlining message is clear enough, I was a victim first! Can't be a survivor without first being the victim. We had better quit teaching our children to be victims!
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