Treat the Next Child Like She is Yours... You Never Know if Your Daughter Could Be in This Situatioon

Just as my son's bus was turning the corner in our apartment complex, I hustled to the bus stop to get him. We then went to check the mail and began walking across the street to our building when I noticed that one of the little girls from Sir Isaac's school was standing in front of an apartment by herself. I asked Christina where was her brother as he usually was here by now. She didn't know. I didn't just want to take her with me and Sir Isaac to get Lady Clara from school (though it was just behind the complex) because Christina's brother might come when we were gone and get nervous. Instead, I told her to wait inside the building for us to get back.

When we returned, Christina was still standing where we left here -- alone. I asked if she had her brother's number, but she didn't. I was really getting concerned, too. While she was mature beyond her eight years of living, Christina was still a child. So that she wouldn't continue to be by herself, I had the kids to play with her in the complex's playground. In the meantime, I gave her a snack and a Capri Sun juice. And, when Lady Clara had to go to the bathroom, I had Christina to go as well.

I figured that since it has been close to an hour, they all might as well got started on their homework. So, I had them get set up at the dining room table and I had planned to sit on the patio and look out for Christina's brother. Just when I was about to put my chair outside, I saw a teenage boy walk into the same building as where Christina had been standing. I couldn't remember what her brother looked like, but my gut told me it was him. When he came back out of the building, I called Christina over and she identified that it was in fact her brother. I yelled from the patio (a practice I NEVER do!) and told him she was with us. I explained who I was just to put his mind at ease (FYI: Christina and Sir Isaac attend the same school) and gave him my number for him to call should he ever get stuck and can't get to her in time.

As a concerned mom and community activist, I never want to see any child out on the streets (or at a bus stop) by himself or herself. I thank God that I could be there for Christina. I pray that if there is ever a time where I'm in a bind and can't make it on time to get my children, that someone will do what I did. We must be a village for our children. It should never be, "Well, it's not my child so it's not my problem." They are ALL of our children -- whether biological or not. And, we must be there for them and for each other as a community.

If you don't have the telephone numbers of the parents in your area and your children go to school together, I implore you to exchange numbers with each other. Be in communication. Help each other out. We're in this together. At the end of the day, it's about our children.