What Do You Teach Your Children?

I raise my children to believe that they are not defined by what they possess but by the kindness and consideration they share with others.

“How?” Rosa asked, staring at the hate and anger in the eyes of most of the people inside the courtroom. “How did I contribute to the death of my only child?”

Justice Lawerance cleared his throat and explained, “listening to all of the testimony of your daughter’s victims, her classmates, guidance counselors, the principal and some teachers, along with several people in the community, I came to the conclusion that both parents didn’t do a good job in raising her.”

“We are great parents!” Rosa and Jon Sparks declared unity.

“Your daughter was cruel, hateful, and thoughtless towards almost everyone she came in contact with,” Justice Lawrance said.

“Our daughter was just being a child,” was her parent’s defense.

With raised brows, the judge continued, “She was allowed to be as bad as she wanted to be. You knew because the school has proven to the court how many times both parents were called in. And steps and measures suggested and taken that weren’t supported by both parents.”

“We raised her good,” they protested.

“Why didn’t you instead teach her how to be kind, loving, and considerate towards others?” the judge asked.

“Blair was just having fun?” her father said.

“To her victims, her cruelty wasn’t funny,” The judge stated. “Both of you might not have been aware of your actions, but your only child was watching. To her, you were examples she should follow. And she followed both parents to the wrong place!”

“Oh, Peter,” Rosa moaned. “What have we done? Why didn’t we try and stop her?”

“It’s not our fault, honey,” he consoles his wife. “They resented our angel because she was better than all of them.”

Justice Clive Lawerance bit unto his lips to send the truth back, then refocused his attention on what he learned in law school and from his life experiences.

A voice shouted, “you are right, she is better off dead!”

“So that’s why she behaved that way. She thought she was better than all of the children in her class,” another voice said.

“And that thinking helps send her to an early death,” someone said.

Silence swept throughout the courtroom as the clerk of court entered with the verdict in his hand. He handed the paper to the judge, who read it without emotion, then handed it back to him and advised, “I am sorry for your loss. But it’s dangerous to raise children to believe that they are better off than others for any reason, wealthy or otherwise.”

The courtroom erupted in joy after a ‘not guilty verdict was given.

Blair Sparks was the only child of Jon and Rosa Sparks. They put their house up for sale and left Hillview days later.

I raise my children to believe that they are not defined by what they possess but by the kindness and consideration they share with others. We teach our children what they will use to survive in their world. The lessons learned will permit them to live a long, happy life or die a sad early death. Be mindful of what you teach your children.

This is a non-fiction story that happens more often than many of us know.

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