I don't have a title today.

This will be somewhat depressing post, as I feel depressed.

Currently a local radio station is holding their annual Roofsit for Kids fundraising event. They sit on a roof for 48 hours and raise money to stop child abuse in West Michigan. People call in from all over and tell their stories. They break my heart, and I wish that I could donate as much as it would take to stop these monsters.

I can't even describe the article that I just read about a 15 week little girl. I'm not going to try. It is too heinous, and I truly hope that I forget it happened because it's so unbelieveable. I'm hoping that someday my children will read this blog and I don't want to taint their brains or put images in their heads.

All my children need to know is that parents have one main job and a neverending amount of other jobs. The main job of a parent is to protect their children. It's not a hard concept. You make sure they are fed, and changed, and warm in their jammies at bedtime. You make sure the doors to the steps are closed, and that there are plugs in the electrical outlets. Do accidents happen? Yes. Of course they do. Just last night Nathan left his razor by the side of the sink and Declan almost put it in his mouth. Once I put a hot dish too close to Cash and he burned his fingers when he touched it. I felt terrible. Things happen.

But to voluntarily abuse your children. To hit them because of problems in YOUR life. To tell them they are worthless and will never succeed. To violate their tiny bodies and take away their innocence. I do n.o.t. understand.  These are the people that can just go to hell. Not someday, when they are 90 years old. But now.  God can just take them away. Or the government can put them in an electric chair. I'm ok with that too. Just put these children somewhere safe. They need to be protected.

If you decide to have children, love them.  Or, even if you don't love them - maybe they were an unwelcome surprise - protect them by putting them with a family who WILL love them. There are thousands of parents out there who just need a child to love.

Scariest part of parenting for me is not being able to protect my children as they get older. I'll do the best I can. But I will never hit them. I will never tell them they are worthless. I will never beat or tear them down to make me feel better. The end.

Oh, and if you don't buckle your children into their carseat or make them wear a belt, shame on you. Even if you are a great parent, that is a fail. You aren't protecting them.