dobermansrule

something I clipped from an article online on "The Independent":

"He is said to have been a fan of computer games featuring warfare and killing. Did he cross some line from the fiction of these games into some twisted, self-realised reality last Friday?

But finally, we are back to guns. Ms Lanza also had a significant gun collection. Why? Tragically, it was from there that her son took his weapons."

1st point is a good one.

2nd point - if we have guns at home, lock them up.

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sandy2233

I so agree with your comment about some parents of children with mental illness being in denial and wanting to mainstream their children in public schools. A friend of mine that is a teacher (in a very small rural Nebraska school) has a young man in her class that is total disruptive. The other children pick up their papers and go to the gym while this boy goes into one of his tirades. One child runs to get the principal as the group is ushered to the gym. The mother of this child has caller id and never answers her phone if it is from the school. So she doesn't deal with it at all. While he is at school, he is the school's responsibility. I'm sorry. I don't understand why one child can be allowed to turn a classroom upside down. I wonder if this tradegy will change this particular situation that I am aware of. Or will it end up another disaster?

dobermansrule

tell the school they can *67 or something like that to block the caller id - she won't know it's them calling.

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Jonnyess

Won't solve the prevailing problem...that being those legally responsible for the boy RIGHT NOW in total denial. Namely - mom. She will either hang up the phone, or have some excuse for refusing any culpability at that time.

sad truth - UNTIL HE COMMIT A CRIME, he likely will not get the much needed help and/or redaction from society.

Okie-dobie

RIP little angels.

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dobermansrule

just saw internet email floating around with possible motive.... mother was about to commit her son to institution, kid was really pissed off... on the internet, not sure if truth or not

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achiever

I have not been on here for some time but since the shootings I haven't been sleeping so well. I live in Newtown and have kids in the elementary school here. We were supposed to start school again today but it was canceled because of a bomb threat. Needless to say I am not doing so well.
My heart is broken for these families. They are amazing people that don't deserve to have their babies ripped out of their lives.
Moving forward is difficult right now. My town has been taken over by lovely people that want to help, many many therapy dogs, therapists, crisis recovery specialists, cops from other towns, FBI, SWAT... but with all of that there is also so much media. I can't drive to my grocery store without a microphone in my face, I can't take my kids to their activities bc there are no parking spaces, I can't drive anywhere without the SWAT/cops/fire trucks rushing with lights and sirens going. We are being told to get our kids back on schedule but how are we supposed to do that?
I have this horrible feeling that my kids are going to go to school tomorrow and try to have a normal day only to have some jerk call in another bomb threat. My kids know that the last lockdown ended in kids being shot so how are they supposed to be able to not be affected by another lockdown?
I want my town back, I want my kids to know that they are safe in school, I want all of those little babies to be back in their beds sleeping. How do we move forward after this? When will the tears stop?

Sam1491

Achiever, I am so sorry you are being hit so hard by this, huge hugs and warm thoughts to you and your kids. It's a horrible thing to have to be so closely involved in.

Hug your kids, loved ones, and your dogs and do what you can to get through this. We as our own community are here for you if you need us.

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"The Red Devil Diva" & Her Shamelessly Obedient Human

Fitzmar Dobermans

The media attention will die down, but getting your kids and community back to a "normal" state will take more time.

I feel so bad for your whole community, and as a part time tutor in one of my local elementary schools I can honestly say that this has affected all schools - because we know that could happen anywhere.

My prayers and thoughts are with your community....

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mfkelly66

My wife is a school administrator here on Long Island, and this has been all that has been on her mind. How to make the kids and their families and the Teachers a s well, feel secure and safe. God Bless all that lost their lives on Friday.
Mike Kelly

Sherryh

My heart broke when I heard this as a former First Grade teacher I just broke down....God wrap His arms around the families involved and the community.

SpecialK

I haven't been able to even read this thread until now. I have only even read a few articles, just so I could control the amount of info I let in, and the rate at which I did that. It all just hits a little too close to home for me.

I am a counselor in a school for kids with emotional and behavioral difficulties. My soon-to-be husband is a first responder. Like some of you, I was raised in a time when there was such a thing as innocence and a feeling of safety. I feel like that is just not a reality for future generations, and that breaks my heart.

There is nothing I have ever wanted more in life than to be a mom, but for the first time ever, I find myself so relieved not to have any children yet. My heart goes out to everyone who has children, as this tragedy has affected us all. But I can't even pretend to imagine I could grasp what parents are going through, especially those who were personally involved.

As a counselor, to be good at my job I need to have an ability to empathize, to really try to understand what other people are going through and be able to put myself in their shoes. But at the same time I need to maintain a level of composure and rationality. In this case, that line really starts to blur. There just really are no words that are good enough.

RIP you sweet little angels, I am so sorry you were taken so soon.

My deepest, most sincere condolences go out to their families and all of the grieving people of Newtown.

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achiever

I have already seen too many funerals happen and it is just the beginning. The thing that gets me through the days are their hugs and seeing them as resilient as ever. Even through this horrible tragedy the kids are still getting together at activities and having a blast. We are jumping in bouncy houses, playing basketball, getting our faces painted and they are the ones that are keeping us all strong. I know without them in my life I would be focusing on the sad far too much. As a mom I don't have that luxury and I am pulled in a thousand directions. Their joy of life, even in the face of death, is healing and I would not change anything because they make the world a better place.
I have been really irritated by the media and traffic in town and my son said "Look at the plus side mom, all of these people are seeing how wonderful our town is, how pretty our parks are, the people are really nice and we have great schools. Maybe they will want to come visit us more". How is he still so innocent with all that he has learned over the past 5 days? I love my kids. They have the greatest hearts.

Don't let this one evil man hold you back from what will probably be your greatest achievement!

Sam1491

The beauty of children is their ability to see life in the simplest yet most profound way...

Hopefully the day your quiet little town becomes quiet again and returns to a semblance of normal isn't too far away.

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"The Red Devil Diva" & Her Shamelessly Obedient Human

SpecialK

Bless you and your children for having the strength to see the positives, even at such a gut wrenchingly difficult time. You are so right about kids being resilient...we can always learn from them if we open our minds and hearts. That's one of the things I love the most about them!!

I hope things settle down there for you guys soon, so life can try to get back to "normal". I'm sure things will never be the same, but maybe different is what we all need.

I just hope this moves people to act, to improve the lives of their children and to cherish the times they have. I hope we as a society can focus more on prevention instead of who to blame and what political agenda to push. Obviously I believe in mental health support services, but I think it all needs to begin with parenting. Let's get back to the basics!

You guys are really a true inspiration. Thank you for coming here and sharing your experiences with us!

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Bruda Pure Seduction, S.T.A.R. Puppy "Monroe"

adhahn

I don’t know how old you are, but I cannot ever recall a time of “innocence and a feeling of safety”.

During my life I’ve seen kids grow up under the shadow of the cold war and possible nuclear annihilation. School children were drilled in bomb/missile attacks by hiding under desks, in storage rooms or latrines. People dug bomb shelters and stocked up on survival supplies. Communities had ‘Civil Defense’ plans and stockpiled survival goods.

Kids watched the Vietnam War play out on TV with regular body counts; pretty much all of us either knew some guy or knew of some guy; sometimes not a whole lot older than ourselves; who had been killed or wounded over there. Almost 60,000 American boys killed and over 300,000 wounded. If the Vietnam war was before your time, take a moment to absorb those numbers- sixty thousand.... three hundred thousand..... TV and magazines contained images of dead and wounded children. Granted they were not American kids, but it still impressed on us that the world in general was neither innocent nor safe.

The president was assassinated. There were Race Riots. Kids worried about the ‘Commies’ taking over Central America or launching attacks from Cuba and worried over Soviet Submarines armed with nuclear missiles patrolling our coastlines.

In the USA airplanes were hijacked. In Israel school children were murdered. Hundreds of people were killed or injured by IRA bombs. Back in the US there was violence or threats of violence from one end of the racial spectrum to the other- from the Black Panthers to the KKK.

The Unibomber could strike at anytime and serial killers made headlines. Children became random victims of Gangs and Drug crime.

There were disturbing events like Kent State and Waco.

Before my time kids were frightened that the Japanese were invading. The USA lost over 400,000 husbands, fathers and brothers. Many others returned home mentally and physically wounded. The USA got off easy compared to the rest of the world where there were millions of casualties including civilian woman and children. Before that there was the first Drug War (prohibition). Before that people were scared of the Mexicans or the Indians. Women, children nor schools were safe.

Schools have been attacked in North America going back to the Seven Years War (French and Indian War). Throughout the world, not including wartime, schools have been attacked by people with bombs, knives, guns and even a homemade flame thrower.

Please don’t misunderstand- none of this is intended to minimize the horrible travesty of Sandy Hook.

The point is simply that the world; including the USA; is NOT an innocent safe place. It never has been and never will be. Car accidents, bombings, gang violence, plane crashes, wars, serial killers and mass murders are a fact of life. It is what it is.

You’ve an important role to fill as a counselor by helping people, including children, understand this.

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River

Very well said. I think hindsight, looking back on your childhood, and to some extent, wishful thinking for how you would like things to be, can give you the illusion that it was a safer place.

It's not. It never was. And what happened at Sandy Hook was a tragedy even more so because kids shouldn't have to find out that truth when they are that young. That's one of the things that gets me the most about it. That they couldn't enjoy their childhood longer because of what happened.

RedFawnRising

I'm so sorry, and am sending healing vibes to you all.

I cannot imagine the level of bravery you will now have to muster, to ever let your kids out of your sight again.

Thank you to everyone there, who will go on, and not let evil win.

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