The Time is Now By Kell McKinney

I had grand aspirations for this month’s post, involving a poll, some original photography and maybe even a snappy headline and subhead. Yes indeed. Grand aspirations.

But then the events in Parkland, Florida happened.  I’m going to be real with you here.  I confess that over the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent less time writing. Instead I’ve journaled, prayed, cried, scrolled, prayed again and journaled some more, trying to process this tragedy. As we weep with those who are weeping, we empathize with those who lost loved ones.

My son is approaching high school age. He went through his first lockdown drill three days after Sandy Hook. He experienced an actual lockdown a year later, thanks to an armed robbery a quarter mile from his elementary school.

At the end of that lockdown, teachers released the kids to their parents one at a time, under the supervision of police officers.  We weren’t allowed to get out of our cars, so I white-knuckled the steering wheel and waited for my charge to appear in the doorway. When he did, he had the expression of a determined warrior, not the goofy child I’d dropped off that morning. He sprinted to the car, climbed in, hugged me and announced, “I had my first real lockdown today.” I pray that it remains his only real lockdown ever.

This is the world our kids are growing up in.

My intention isn’t to get political or overly personal.  The point I’m trying to make is this: Kids need to be equipped to deal with the realities of life and stories – the ones we tell – can help them do that.

As writers, we have an enormous responsibility to the children for whom we write. We owe them not just a feel-good snapshot of the world, but a truthful one – one that isn’t necessarily easy, because we aren’t promised a life without trouble, and we must learn how to cope with that.  One way kids learn how to cope with challenges is through identification with characters in stories.

My prayer for all of us writing for middle grade readers (as well as younger kids and young adults) is that we use our voices stories to reach minds and hearts and point them toward grace, truth, and hope. I pray that our gifts of imagination and creativity speak into our young readers and lead them toward the One who created them. There’s no better time than now to plant seeds of peace and understanding.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.