Parent Discussion Series: Do Something!

A Letter to Parents
by Co-founders Joann Suen & Sapna Satagopan

Kids ask the darnedest things and sometimes as parents we’re caught off guard even if we ourselves have been thinking about these things for quite some time. While it’s often already hard to discuss difficult topics among our peers and colleagues, it’s perhaps even more difficult to discuss certain topics with our children. After all, what’s the “right” answer for a question that may not have one? As Xyza co-founders and parents ourselves, we too often struggle with how to share difficult news with our children and readers.

How do you explain why a person would open fire on innocent people?

The recent spate of shootings that happened across the United States have given rise to discussions among our leaders and families too. Although we’re no Mr. Rogers, we do think open, honest, and thoughtful discussions, no matter the topic, is a solid first step in understanding what’s happening. For this reason, we’ve created a three-part discussion series about gun control, beginning with the context of what happened earlier this month, followed by possible solutions that are being considered in the United States, and lastly what’s happening around the world to curb gun violence.

Today, we’re sharing the first of this series: Do Something. Why this title? Because these are the two simple, yet powerful words that people began chanting at a gathering in Dayton, Ohio, where the Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine expressed his condolences to the crowd just days after a shooting killed at least nine people. This would soon be a chant echoed across the country.

We hope that you take the time to read and share our series with other parents. If you choose to talk about this topic with your kids, we hope that our series helps set the context. We’re also collecting questions from our young readers to share with leaders around the world who are actively discussing issues around gun control and gun violence. If your child has questions, please feel free to email them to editor@xyzanews.com.

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If you are an interested parent, please click here to receive parts 2 and 3 of this series.