Tuesday 9 August 2011

I feel that I have to say something...


For the first few days of this violence I am ashamed to say that I just buried my head in the sand and thought 'It's in London, It's far away and doesn't affect myself and my family'. I know this a selfish attitude but when you're a parent your family comes first and sometimes their safety is all that matters.

It was last night when people I know (some I know personally some I only know online) started posting pictures and videos of the destruction around where their families lived and shopped that made me wake up and think, 'This is real, It may not be in my City, but it's in my society' After watching some videos and reading what people were saying about their local areas on facebook and twitter yesterday all I could think about was the poor Mummies down in London whose children were sleeping in their bed surrounded by violence outside. One parent on facebook linked to a video of a sports shop being destroyed, and commented, 'This is where I took my children to buy their trainers last week' This brought a tear to my eye. This is not what we want our children to see. I asked myself how I would explain this destruction to my almost four year old son and I couldn't answer...

How can I tell a young child that some people are just bad, they don't care about how their actions effect others in society. They actually enjoy destroying things and hurting people?

It now scares and upsets me even more to hear that the terrible and mindless violence is spreading closer to my family and there have now been incidents in Manchester, Salford and Liverpool. The incidents in Manchester city centre are close to the office I work in, the shops that are on fire and smashed up are where I took my son to buy his school uniform a few weeks ago. The images of Salford I have just seen on the television are where I lived as a student five years ago. It's only Ten minutes away from where I am now, from where my children are tucked up in bed upstairs.

It saddens me that this is the society I am bringing my children up in.

I have written this as I was sitting here trying to write a product review and all I could hear was the television in the background telling me about the violence spreading through the country.

What I do want to say to all you penny pinching Mummies is don't unknowingly support this mindless violence in any way. Be aware that what may be offered to you as a 'bargain' in the next few weeks may have been violently looted during these terrible nights and may have contributed to someone losing their livelihood. Do not let these criminals profit from this disgusting behaviour in any way.

I hope everyone stays safe tonight, my thoughts are with all the innocent people and businesses who have been affected by these thugs so far.

And I feel for every mummy whose families are close to this destruction, this is not what we want our children to see.


I hope the brave men and women in our police forces are able to take control again very soon.

2 comments:

  1. Well said hun. I hope you stay safe! I can't even imagine what it is like. I really hope this ends soon! xxxx

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  2. I have been disgusted by the behaviour of our nations next generation.In my opinion there can not be any excuses made for this type of behaviour.I am extremely fortunate not to live in an area that has been touched by the riots. That said I hope the violence ends soon and that the perpetrators will be punished appropriately not just given a slap on the wrists.I have 5 children and just hope that I do my job as a parent well enough and my children will know better.In the meantime lets hope this awful time ends soon.

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