Reply #19: Uncomfortable, but a good sign [View All]

[RevolutionStartsNow]

that you are raising a sensitive kid. My daughter is also this way, when she was 9 I took her on a trip to San Francisco and she wept when she saw people sleeping in the streets. This empathy is one of her greatest qualities, and while I hate to see her sad, I do not try to sugarcoat it for her.

As many have suggested here already, this is a good opportunity to talk to him about some of the great people who sacrifice to help others. Teach him to idolize these people rather than Tony Hawk. Also, teach him that not all wealthy people are uncaring. There are many multi-millionaires who do give money to charity, they just don't get as much publicity as they should.

Also there are many things you can do together to make a difference. We adopt a family every year at the holidays, and participate in charity throughout the rest of the year also.

It's a good opportunity to try to teach him that some problems (like homelessness, and hunger) seem immense, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't take small steps to make a difference.

I hate having to teach my kids that sometimes the world sucks. It's one of the worst things about being a parent.

But kids like yours and mine are bound to make a difference.