Though this blog has come to a grinding halt since I had my son and lost regular internet access, my writing attempts continue. This year, I participated in Nanowrimo for the 2nd year in a row. I found that it was easier than last year and I felt that my overall work was much improved. My short story challenge last year (I wrote one short story every day for a month) and my poetry challenge (same thing, but with poetry) helped me improve on plot development and the places where poetry or rhyme was necessary in my story. This year I hope to improve on revision, as I often find it much easier to create something new than to fix the problems of my past work. I ended up with a 50,000 word novel entitled, "The Selkie Prince," which is a work of children's fiction involving identical twins from California who study abroad at Oxford and get transported to a magical world quite a bit like the Orkney islands North of the Scottish coast. There are selkies, hogboons, trows, t...
My thoughts go to the young one.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear it, Sandra.
ReplyDeleteThere are probably a lot of factors at play: the time of year/holidays (families are often in a financial bind which can create a turbulent home life), it's the mid-point of the school year (often the most hopeless time as it seems like there will be no end), less sunlight this time of year which can screw with people's moods, and maybe even copycat behavior from the teens who are need of help, but aren't sure of how to get it (or maybe even what they need).
All you can do as a teacher is talk to the students openly and honestly about suicide and the repercussions, and try to encourage them to share with an adult if things are getting bad. Isolation is the enemy.
I'll be thinking about you and your school.
EJ
I do hope so. No more!
ReplyDeleteDear Sandra,
ReplyDeleteReading this saddens me to think of the turmoil and despair that could make a child take their own precious life.
In peace, Gary.
Our Pastors will add the Kern Valley to our weekly prayer requests. What you are describing is "spiritual warfare." We must pray that God would be glorified and that the forces of darkness be overcome.
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