Raise your hand if you believe the children really are our future; then raise a fuss when they’re left to themselves.  Recent stories are showing the importance of adult supervision at all times.

Recent reports came flooding in as drive-by shootings caused the death of young victims caught in the crossfire.  Other reports have come in regarding accidental deaths from children playing with actual firearms.  One report that was sickening was where a father drove a car into a river with his wife and children inside, committing suicide and killing his family.  Why?Here’s the full story  Another one talked of a New York mother accused of tossing her baby out of a 7th story window. More details here In Detroit, an 11-year-old shoots a 3-year-old with his father’s gun. Click here for the full story

One recent report caught my attention and had me shaking my head.  A mother in Birmingham, Alabama goes to a club with a friend of hers, leaving their children alone in the home with no adults to help them, probably thought with them being so young, nothing could go wrong.  Five kids, oldest is 8 and the youngest is 1, by themselves at 11:00 at night with no adult supervision, assuming the kids would be alright locked up in a home.  They should be ok, right?  After the 1-year-old was found dead after the 8-year-old beat her up because she couldn’t stop crying, it was worse than imagined.  The mother of the daughter was charged and so was the 8-year-old boy. Read the whole story here.

This is a serious wake-up call in parenting.  No longer can we believe that children – regardless of how young they are – couldn’t possibly be capable of doing serious harm if left to themselves.  Our kids need us; even when they get older and feel they can take care of themselves, and even though they show determination to do things on their own, until they can live for themselves – working, paying bills, caring for themselves and others – they need us.  We should call for an adult friend or family member to stay with the little ones, because somebody has to make sure they don’t hurt themselves or each other, make sure they’re fed and cared for, and that they get to bed for much needed sleep.  They cannot be expected to know as well when they are under age 12.  If it comes to deciding between spending time at the club and spending time with the child, time is best spent with the child; but if we can’t be there every waking moment – and sometimes we need a break from the crying and stuff – still we should make sure that someone is there who can be there and make sure all is well for them.

I had a time when I was out of work, and my daughter was 2 years old.  My days encompassed feedings and changing diapers, getting her to nap, and keeping an eye on her while she played.  We spent quality time with PBS Kids and Blue’s Clues, and when Mom came home, she got to spend time with our daughter after a busy day at work.  We worked together in making sure one of us was around, and in helping her grow and learn, she now can do things on her own as a teenager, and she does very well.  Even so, we make sure she’s picked up from school and that she isn’t home alone.  So what if it seems we’re smothering; we do it out of love.  Could that be what these households may be missing today?  God help us to save our children with love.