I fell in love with him hard and fast.
It’s difficult to tell right now if he will reciprocate my love, but I don’t care.
For the rest of my life, I will try to woo him over.
“Who is he?”, you may wonder.
His name is Jameson. He’s my beloved grandson; only a few days old.
Our relationship is new, but already I’m pondering how I can add value to his life. I long to see him flourish in every way.
If you’re a parent or grandparent, uncle, or aunt, you know how quickly a newborn can captivate your heart. Their precious innocence sparks your commitment to protect this little one from the sad, the bad, and ugly parts of life.
With all my heart, I believe it’s a privilege and a responsibility to nurture little ones with life skills based on a biblical worldview. It matters for eternity.
How unfair.
When Carey and I were raising our young children, it didn’t occur to us to teach them—age appropriately—about grief, death, and loss. I’m not sure why. It’s part of being human.
Maybe we expected our son and daughter could figure it out on their own. How unfair!
Everyone—even children—must face the inevitable reality of devastating losses.
Any attachment to a person or thing which is lost or torn away will affect a child adversely if they’re not taught to process grief well.
A few examples of childhood grief:
- A best friend moves away.
- Betrayal by someone trusted.
- Divorce & subsequent changes to the family.
- Forfeiting a sought-after role in a school play or sports team.
- Loss of a beloved family pet.
- A harsh teacher.
- Being bullied.
- Death of a grandparent or other family member.
Ways to help a child process their grief include:
- Healthy coping skills taught by loving, wise adults.
- Caring peers and adults who express empathy & compassion. (Hope Heroes)
What’s at stake if a child doesn’t have a Hope Hero?
Hurt people hurt people. A child may seek to mask their own pain by causing pain to someone else. Misery loves company.
Our world would feel less lonely and hurtful if every grieving child had a Hope Hero to help carry their loss. A burden shared feels lighter.
Show me a child who is coping with grief in healthy ways, and I’ll show you someone who feels seen, heard, and loved because they have a Hope Hero in their life.
Jameson the superhero.
There’s a growing list of life-giving skills I’m looking forward to teaching my grandson.
Yes, I want Jameson to grow to his full potential academically and athletically. School and sports are important.
But nothing is a higher priority than learning to love God by loving others.
I pray Jameson will become a boy who notices hurting people and kindly shows compassion.
Doesn’t every kid dream of being a superhero?
I did. But aspiring to be Wonder Woman didn’t benefit me or others.
I can’t wait to tell Jameson that he can be a superhero of the very best kind—a Hope Hero. It’s not only possible, but it’s an important and fulfilling mission. He’ll never outgrow it.
Will you teach your child or grandchild how to be a Hope Hero? Our broken world desperately needs them.
If you want some help, purchase the Hope Heroes course to give you every advantage.
Cheering you on!
Shirley
P.S The Hope Hero course is appropriate for ages 9 – 99. But it’s wise to review material before allowing children to see it. You can always review the course and teach the principles to kids in your own special way.
