Where are the adults?

Every day there's a new article or story about children who are killed or die as a result of the adults consigned to care for them. The stories range from gang shootings where a stray bullet finds it's way into a house where a small child is sleeping to foster parents who commit murder through neglect or abuse. While I realize that the percentages of these events are small when compared to the number of kids in foster care or living in less than safe neighborhoods, I wonder what kind of people do these things? Evil does exist. When I read these stories I can't help to want to rush home from work and just hold my kids. How can parents do these things to children? How are we to set examples for the children when we as adults are unable to control our own behavior? Parenting is a job that makes your hair go gray, put wrinkles under your eyes, and caused paranoia. It's not a job for the weak. Making sure your kids are safe is job one, two and three. We live in a world rich in adventure and just as rich in risk. Taking the time to hold your kids is time well spent. I remember that every time I get home exhausted from work and my 3 and 5 year olds run to me wanting to play a game or show me something they made. Somehow my tiredness is relegated to the back of my head and I muster any amount of energy to spend that time making sure they know that Daddy wants to see their latest masterpiece. Sometimes I luck out and they just want to fall asleep in my bed as I watch TV and snuggle with them. Last night I came home to find them in bed with my wife. Sara was asleep but Connor was awake. I lay down next to him and he put his arm around me and snuggled close. He missed me. Soon he was fast asleep and I carried both kids to their beds. It's a nightly routine for us. Soon enough they'll want to fall asleep in their own beds, but last night we snuggled knowing that love fills our lives. It's not hard to know what's important, but sometimes it is hard to remember it. Thankfully, I've got 2 kids and a wife who help me remember.