Heartbreak

We heard the terrible news this week

of a sixth young person in the past few

years that had some connection to our

family who left this world far too early.

The first five were due to accidents or

illness but this last one was a suicide.

A suicide, the family says that happened

because their loved one was bullied at a

new school. 

For middle school and high school, our

family had the priviledge of being part

of a very unique school.  It was a small

K-12 public school, where if your kids

went there you all were a part of the 

Burris family.  So this week has hit us

hard, it is about family.

Sadly, through all my years of parenting,

I think bullying starts by what kids hear

at home.  I have heard parents say awful

things in front of their kids and then the

kids think this is the way to behave.

Every time a parent makes a racist comment,

or a homophobic comment or says, "That

chick has a fat *ss" ~ yeah, you are teaching

a kid to be a bully. 

STOP IT - NOW!

Because bullying can bring an unimaginable

consequence.  And sadness.  And unending

pain for those left behind.

Some people gage their success in life by the

size of their house or the cars they drive but

I look at this photo and know I was successful.

It is a pile if shoes that were kicked off at the

front door and it means a ton of kids were hanging

out at our house.  They were with friends, they were

being goofy and they were having fun.  For us, it

meant staying home on weekend nights and having

to buy a few bags of snacks and making a pan of

brownies and it was all worth it.  I loved those days.

And for all those kids that have passed through our

door and our lives through the years, for that matter

any adults as well.  If you need advice, if you need a

good meal, if you need help, if you just need to talk or

if you just want to get away for awhile and sit in the

garden with a cute dog.  Come here...

The door is open and you are not alone.