Everything... affects everything.

I just finished the book, "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher. Amazing book.

Parents and teens should be reading this book. Teens especially should pick it up, because I bet many of the stories contained within it sound very much like what is or could be happening in their lives.

Here is my favorite selection:

You don't know what went on in the rest of my life. At home. Even at school. You don't know what goes on in anyone's life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person's life, you're not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can't be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person's life, you're messing with their entire life.  Everything... affects everything.

It is so important for all of us to discuss with our children, regardless of their ages, the importance of how we treat others.

We shouldn't be shrugging off the mistreatment of others, especially children... teens... just because we don't think it is severe enough to "deal with". I find it interesting that we, parents, validate other's feelings based on our own opinions. Hardly fair, especially when dealing with children.

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