Monday was
the Lockdown Drill* at my son’s school.
Lockdown
drill a concept that I have never heard of till very recently. As a father I
understand the need for preparedness for the safety of my child and all the
children. I respect the schools for thinking and doing such drills. However I can
never understand how a human being can become so vile that phenomenon like lock
down drill become a necessity.
My son came
back from school and asked me a question, “Papa is it true that someone can
come to my school and kill children?” I was shocked to hear that, “No son, your
school has safety programs and such a thing cannot happen.” I replied; not
knowing what else to say. No parent can be rightly prepared for such a
conversation. How can one tell one’s own children that the world is a horrid
place these days? It is not the same beautiful and wonderful place that our generation
inherited from our parents. Somewhere over the years it has been tainted at all
levels.
Sorry; I diverted from where I was; anyhow I wanted that difficult
conversation to end but my son further asked, “the school in Connecticut was not safe
where someone killed so many children?” My immediate reaction, “who told you
about that school?” “My new friend from 4th grade did.” “I don’t know
about other places but I know your school is safe my son, don’t be scared.” I
wanted to end the conversation. I know he always thinks about things deep and
always have questions, and he remembers; I hope he forgets this. I don’t know
if that makes me a bad parent; but honestly I am much unprepared to have a
conversation like that with my children.
I am an old
fashioned father who would rather talk about studies, sports, movies,
books, any mischiefs he has done in school, any new game he has learnt and all
that stuff. I can make plans like going to the mall, to the beach, to the zoo,
visiting museums, libraries, fly kites, read story books and text books. I may run
around playing with my children, Laughing, giggling, getting angry at them
not having finished their food or homework or not having put their toys in the bin
before going to bed. I want to tell them stories about giants and fairies and
dwarfs and sailors and players and animals’ even wizards and witches living in
strange places and kings and queens living in big palaces. I do not want to talk
about someone crazy out there with a weapon trying to kill people or someone
losing a friend or family to a war or a terrorist attack.
I want him to
prepare for his homework and the school tests and even learn how to cook for himself.
I want him to learn how to swim, how to make fire when camping, how to hold the
cricket bat to play the right shots. I am talking to him about planting trees (we
also have a small mango plant in a big clay pot that hopefully will become a
tree in a year or two), about getting close to nature, about our role in
improving the global warming situation. Good, easy talk and I think it is very
useful. I don’t know how we can be back in a world where teaching these things should be enough and lock down drills are not needed.
My reaction
that day was to divert his attention from that conversation by asking him to choose
between a soccer game (him Vs. me) in the park or a trip to the mall where he
and his younger brother can play in the play area. And I was praying that no
one in his school tells him about the park in Chicago* or the Mall in Kenya*
I hope soon
we are back in a world where lockdown drills are not needed. I hope for a
world where kids can ride their bikes to the parks and country side and play games
without their parents acting guards in the same way that I have done when I was
a kid. I hope for a world where safety comes naturally and no preparedness is
needed. I hope for a world where children can retain their innocence without
the fear of them becoming vulnerable. I hope……
References:
*Lock Down
Drill
About.com Lockdown drill Article
Chicago Park
Kenya Mall
Yahoo- Kenya Mall Seige
http://news.yahoo.com/chicago-police-search-suspects-shooting-hurt-13-024559048.html
