The Heroes that Emerge from the Darkness On Tour With the Kid

When my now-teenage kid has argued with someone, I always let her vent to me. She knows I am her biggest defender. Once she calms down, I try to present the other side of the story, if I see there might be one. She doesn’t always appreciate this. When someone you believe should be on your side presents a viewpoint that differs from yours, it can feel

like an attack. However, as parents, it’s our job to help shape an ethical and empathetic generation.

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You might feel frustrated that similar conversations aren’t happening with other kids, but that doesn’t change your role. It’s crucial to convey to them that kindness and understanding from another point of view isn’t a weakness. When kids are younger, it’s much simpler; the issues might be as trivial as someone not sharing their crayons or another kid biting them at preschool. You feel like you can fix all those problems. But as they approach adulthood, everything becomes much more complex. You are asking them to use critical thinking skills, to show empathy towards someone who is openly hostile to them, and to ensure they aren’t overly harsh on someone they dislike for behaviour they would overlook in their friends. You want them to be consistent in their judgments.

It’s challenging to have these conversations when they see not only adults but also those deemed honourable enough to represent our interests, ignoring these principles.

We have more information at our fingertips now than ever before. We benefit if we choose to learn from history’s triumphs and mistakes. Watching the news lately has been tough. Death, cruelty, and destruction seem to dominate, making it easy to feel that the world is becoming a very dark place, filled with people out to get you and organisations too

powerful to fight against.

However, one thing I’ve realised is that when we look back at the arc of the moral universe, the human spirit can endure the worst of humanity.

I always cling to the belief that the real heroes are those who step forward in moments of darkness and still act with

humanity. These include doctors and humanitarian workers caring for innocent children in active war zones, parents who

suffer unbearable loss yet fight through their pain for justice and to make things better for others.

People like Tabitha Acret, whose daughter Mackenzie Anderson was murdered by a former partner, and Audrey Nash, who spent decades advocating for her son and shining a light on clerical abuse survivors in the Newcastle-Maitland diocese.

Mrs. Nash passed away last month at the age of 99, but will forever remain a hero to many. The embodiment of the idea that true bravery is not loud, but relentless. These are the kinds of people I want my child to look up to.