Jay Simpson | The best thing you can do is be your child's safe space

Oct. 4—I read an article last week that really blew my mind.

An 11-year-old kid caught with a book bag full of guns and ammunition is just absurd.

I'm just wondering, at what point do we stop blaming the children and start holding these parents accountable as well? I just don't understand how we have all of this gun violence going on, and parents are not checking their child's bookbag and cellphone.

To me, that's a problem. A huge one.

I understand some situations are different, and sometimes children will be rebellious and do what they want, but that doesn't mean the parent should just give up.

In society today, we give our children a little too much freedom. I'm guilty of it, too, but I still make sure to know everything that's going on with them. I check phones, iPads and bookbags daily, and it's not to be a pest but to make sure they are safe and staying in a child's place.

I'm young, but I'm old-school at heart. I don't believe in being friends with your children. I'm a parent first, and I'll be cool after that, but we are not friends, and I make sure my children understand the difference. We can still have fun and joke around, but at the end of the day, I'm Dad, and my job is to protect them.

I really wish there was something we could do in the community to stop the gun violence, but, to be honest, I think it might be too late. I know a lot of people think that but won't say it, so I'll say it.

The best advice I can give is to love on your child as much as possible and try to create a safe space for them to be comfortable enough to talk to you about anything. When a child feels like they can trust you, you're in; they will tell you everything without you having to go fishing for it. And, as a parent, that's the relationship with your child you should want.

God bless the youth!