Week of October 18, 2009

This week's radio show centers on two books dealing with tough subjects: guns and how we feel when someone we know dies.

Last week, my five year grand-daughter was brought face to face with an experience I rather she would never have had. A young man living one house away was the unintended victim of a drive-by shooting as he returned home from the corner store. Lonnie Anderson died in the street just steps away from home. He was walking with the man who was the drive-by target and simply got in the way. This terrible tragedy is my grand-daughter's first personal experience with both guns and having someone she knew die. Lonnie was a great kid, had no trouble in his life whatever, regularly attended church, and we will all remember him happily walking his dog Sheba up and down the block in a neighborhood which seemed an unlikely place for such a senseless, violent act.

How do we guide children through such difficult emotional territory? How do we have a responsible conversation with them about guns? Our children need to be able to negotiate the moment when a gun might become a plaything when they happen to be in the room or nearby.

This week I'll be reading "How Do I Feel About: When People Die?" and "Guns: What You Should Know." I recommend both books.

On a lighter note, we'll also hear "Hannah and the Whistling Teakettle" a delightful story about a quirky grandmother who doesn't appreciate receiving gifts.

Halloween is around the corner! The October 25th program will be positively spooky!