Hug a Child

Today I am battling between sad and angry. I just don't understand all of these horrible news stories over the past few weeks of people injuring or killing little kids. How do you get to the point that you put your tiny baby into a microwave oven and turn it on? How do you get to the point that you hang your FOUR young babies in the closet! I somewhat (but not really) understand the people who leave their sleeping toddler at home alone while they run out for just a few minutes to take care of something, then return home to find their child dead and their house on fire. When did we as "adults" lose control of our common sense and reason? Are we so caught up and stressed out in our own lives that we have lost sense of how helpless a small child is? How they depend on us to care for them? How to keep our tempers in check enough to take a breath and calm down before picking them up and shaking them until they are permanently brain damaged?

Do people honestly think that since Andrea Yates got away with drowning all of her children that they can do the same? I am very happy I waited until later in life to have my son. I cannot imagine being in my early 20's, single, having no idea how to raise a child, but having to do it regardless. Yes I get mad and frustrated at the toddler temperament and stubbornness, but I have learned to separate myself -- give myself a "time out" -- until I calm down and realize that he is still learning, still exploring his boundaries, and learning to express himself.

And then he does express himself. He'll come up to me, put his hands on both sides of my face, lean in and kiss me, and say "I love you, Mommy", and giggle. Then I know that I'm doing okay.