Hug Your Kids Today – Teen Suicide Wrong Answer to Teen Problems

Gosh darn it, we lost another teen to suicide last Sunday. According to The Morning Call, based in Allentown, PA, Mahmoud Mahmoud, a 16 year old boy from Whitehall Township in PA, died by suicide by jumping off a local bridge into the Lehigh River.

Please notice I wrote “died by suicide,” not “committed suicide.” Death is death. It’s a loss for a family and a community no matter what the the cause of their death is, even teen suicide.

Yet one of the commenters, Kristy72, a mom to a 14 year old son, offers this advice:  Hug your kids and let them know the door is always open, and no matter the problem it’s only temporary, and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Folks, please help me spread this message of hug your kids today. Speaking about it after a death is too late for this young man, but it isn’t too late for the rest of us.

My sympathies to his family and friends. And kids, go hug your parents. They need hugs too! You don’t need to wait for Global Hug Your Kids Day on July 16. Start daily hugs today! www.hugyourkidsday.com

To read the story: http://discussions.mcall.com/20/allnews/mc-whitehall-boy-dead-lehigh-river-20120429/10

Kids, Hug Your Dads – When They’re Away on Valentine’s Day

Dr. Marc Tinsley, of Monroeville, PA, and the hand-made valentines from his kids

 

 I was at an NSA speaker’s conference in Nashville on Valentine’s Day morning recently and sat next to Dr. Marc Tinsley. As we opened our folders to take notes of ideas from the opening speaker, I noticed the 2 hand-made valentines in his folder. His kids had hidden them in his suitcase and just told him where they were earlier that morning.

I’m always reminding parents to hug their kids. This is a great example of kids giving their dad a long-distance hug.

Hugs for all!