Doing Something Right

Yesterday, Jack and I took three of our kids to the YMCA for a little family workout and swim.  On the way in we noticed a half dozen police cars parked all around.  Jack and I finally realized it was because our city commission was meeting next door and there were people picketing out front.  We told the kids the police were there to keep the peace and went inside to sweat and swim.  Or sweat and walk behind a toddler in water.  One of those things.

On the way out, the kids (and Jack) wanted to drive by the picketers and they had lots of questions about this very exciting event, having never seen anything like it.  Jack explained that he has been in events like this many times, being a union bricklayer.  He explained to them that it is one of our rights to make our voices heard in a peaceful way.  And then they wanted to know what these particular people were protesting, which was the housing of illegal children in our town.  I have already posted my view on this here :

http://chroniclesoflarive.blogspot.com/2014/07/what-was-it-jesus-said-about-children.html

This is a hard thing to explain to a 12 year old and a nine year old.  How much do you tell them?  What is enough information to widen their world just a bit but not overwhelm them?  Is this hot button issue just too complicated and too adult for them to be exposed to right now?  We want them to be kids as long as possible but we also want them to be responsible adults someday.  This is a fine line to walk.

Here is what we said.

There are two groups protesting, each side has points.  Each side also has people that take things too far and create chaos.  Half of those people do not want kids from other countries staying in our city while their legal troubles get sorted out.  The other half wants those kids to stay here.  These kids they are talking about came here from Mexico and other countries because they live in places where they are very poor or in danger so their parents think they will be safer here.  But they didn't send them here the right way, the didn't follow the law.  So now we have thousands of kids here without parents or homes or meals - and they need to be taken care of. 

I will admit that I am biased because to me it is a pretty black and white issue.  We take care of children.  All children.  No matter the cost.  Period.  But to try and teach our kids to look at both sides of a situation and think it through, I did try and present the facts evenly - although I am sure my opinion crept in there.  Which I think is just fine, since we are also trying to teach our children to be compassionate, kind, loving Christians.

After hearing everything we had to say and seeing these seventy some people screaming at each other through a line of policemen, our daughter sat and thought in her seat in the van and then looked up at me and then matter-of-factly said the wisest thing ever.

"Jesus would want us to take care of them."

Yes, my darling girl, he would.