Raising Kids in Uncertain Times

By: Leigha Pindroh, Director of Communications

If you’re a parent in the Seneca Valley School District, you know that on Monday we got an alert: all the schools were placed on secure status because there was a suspicious person biking near one of the schools.

When I received the message, I was picking up my youngest from preschool at the church. Immediately my phone started buzzing with texts and social media messages from other worried parents. Before the police even posted the photo of the person they were looking for, I had already gotten it from several friends.

I spent the rest of the afternoon toggling between picking up my other kids and wrestling with the question: are they safe in there? Driving by the school and seeing several police cars at the entrance helped a little — but didn’t erase the fear.

When my kids got home, they seemed okay. My oldest, a 4th grader, said his teacher had explained what was going on, and that it was okay there was more police presence than usual. My 2nd grader didn’t even realize something had happened.

We talked. I told them they were safe. I told myself I believed that. I reassured them the police were doing their job, that everyone at school would be okay.

But the next morning hit me hard. As I dropped my son off, he asked: “Did they catch the guy yet? And do you think I’ll still get to go outside for Drone Club… recess?”

What a tragedy that we live in a world where children going to school have to wonder if they’ll be allowed outside because the threat of violence looms daily.

As a mom, I’m tired. Overwhelmed. Worn down. In this week’s sermon, Pastor Tom addressed many of the tragic events we’ve had in recent weeks — school threats, shootings, and the fear that so many of us carry around. His message was simple but powerful: do good, be kind, don’t let the darkness make you weary.

And yet, even in the midst of fear, I have to believe we can do better. We can keep working, praying, showing up, and doing the hard, good things needed to protect our children. We can choose to fill our homes, schools, and communities with light rather than despair. My prayer is that my kids — and yours — will grow up in a world safer than the one they see now. I will keep hoping, keep pushing, and keep believing that by God’s grace, the world they inherit can be better than the one they’re experiencing today.