And yet there's nothing you can do

ASmallWonder

Tragedies like this are so horrible because here we are - a group of people whose hearts are ripping open for these poor parents and children and there's not a good god damn thing we can do.  I'm struggling with that.  You can give coats and food and money to people struggling.  You can go help rebuild a house destroyed by a storm.  You can't help a parent living through a nightmare.  It just seems unacceptable to me that all this emotion can't do any damn good.

nikip6454

I have spent the morning trying to think of something, but you are right, nothing can be done.

MJHershey

I feel powerless because no matter how many time this happens, I can't see it making an impact on where it needs to.

I am just in tears.

Jillibean85

What you CAN do (and all of us..) is be better parents and be present parents. Young, sad, neglected children grow up to do terrible things, like shoot little kids. It starts with us.. 

Jillibean85

Ryan Lanza is the shooter, and apparently his Mom was a teacher at the school... He shot students of hers, according to CBS. 

ABColeslaw

My son is starting preschool in a few months in a program located at the local k-4 school.  I'm shaking.  Those poor parents, I wish so much there was something I could do aside from talk about it

JHough578

Jillibean85:

What you CAN do (and all of us..) is be better parents and be present parents. Young, sad, neglected children grow up to do terrible things, like shoot little kids. It starts with us.. 

I agree! I looked at my son this morning and can't imagine that man's mother and how she felt, before he killed her.  At one point, he was a sweet baby boy in his momma's arms.   

J&A2008

The best I can think to do is pray for the community and hug my babes.  Being loving, caring parents to our children is the best tribute I can think of.

AquaFlowers

I feel the same way. I wish there was something we could do to help.

shannonmur

LoveLossHopeRepeat:

It feels less direct, because nothing we do can help alleviate these families' grief, but here are some suggestions I've seen:American Red Cross, who provided blood for transfusions, supplies to first responders, and will providing counseling Newtown Parent Connection, who hold bereavement counseling sessions monthly and are planning to bring in additional counselors to help the Sandy Hook victimsNewtown Youth amp; Family Services, also providing counseling to those affectedAnd if one is religious, I'm sure the places of worship in Newtown will be doing as much as they can to help residents who will be suffering in the wake of the tragedy. nbsp;

Thank you for this. I am checking these out right now.

Kitiara5512

Its been one of those helpless feeling days. I barely touched my work most of the day cause I was glued to the updates and fb about it. Part of me inside just wants to die thinking about their families. Fcuk that, part of me is dying thinking about those kids never going back home.

mammersoh

As my third grader sat in school today while I was out shopping I felt like I was going to get sick or have a heart attack. I waited for him with tears in my eyes, anxiety in my stomach and ache in my heart. We had an argument this morning over him not studying for a science test. We departed angry. I've cried since I've heard the news. I don't know how to make it right. I've Asked if he had a "bad person" drill and he said no only fire drills. I will now be going to the school to implement this. I don't know what to do. My heart aches and my head hurts. I know I cant keep him in a bubble but I don't want him to feel like he's in a modern war fare video game. How can tell them it's ok when the entire front office is killed and I can't promise to protect him? It's horrible.

RondackHiker

Does anyone else not think that metal detectors and alarms will work? I mean, this school had a security system. He clearly got past it. And if they had a metal detector, what would have stopped him from opening fire on the person operating it? These are measures to prevent little events and deter little events, like little Johnny bringing in a BB gun to scare off bullies.

Unless you had armed guards at the detector, and a set up that'd allow them to react and take out a shooter who suddenly attacks, then I don't think locked doors and detectors will do more than slow someone down a bit. That can help, but it doesn't prevent this crap.