About every other month it seems there is another high profile personality who just can’t take life any longer and decides to end the battle raging within them by taking their own life. The reality is that almost everyone I know has been affected by it. It crosses demographic, socioeconomic, religious, and cultural divides. Old and young, rich and poor, atheist and Christian – suicide seems to be prevalent to all. That is why it is such an important issue to talk about…especially with our kids.
Just thinking about talking with my kids on the issue of suicide conjures up so many objections. “No one in our immediate family is struggling with it (that I know of), so I’ll wait until it presents itself”. “I don’t want to put the idea or thought in their head”. “If I just guard them against it, protect them from the fact that it is happening, or brush it off as inconsequential, it will not affect them”. These statements and many more like them I have heard, read and even thought to myself, yet all of them are unjustifiable.
But once I came to grips with the gravity of suicide and remembered my God-given responsibility to talk to my children about all things in life the question shifted from why to how. How can I talk to my kids about suicide? At what age? In what setting? While I have not embarked on this specific “talk” yet, I have bookmarked and saved Parent Cue’s article “The Suicide Talk“. It answers many of my objections, gives helpful tips on how to have the actual conversation and even touches on the heart attitude in addressing the situation.
When my wife and I determine it is the time to have “this talk”, I will refer back to this article, use it as a guide, and compassionately interact with my kids concerning the reality of suicide in our world.
I hope you find the article helpful and if so, please pass it along. As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s Day!
Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash
