As parents, we enjoy snapping photos of funny childhood moments. Like many proud moms, Stacey Wehrman Feeley got her camera out to take a picture of her adorable 3-year-old standing on the toilet to show her husband. That was until she realized exactly why their preschooler was doing it.
The Michigan mom found out that she was practicing for a lockdown drill in the event of being stuck in the bathroom at her preschool during an attack. “At that moment all innocence of what I thought my three-year-old possessed was gone,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
The photo has since received over 25 thousand likes with more than 25 thousand shares on the social media site.
Now Feeley is calling for politicians to make a change regarding gun laws and questions why there isn’t a universal background or registration database. She also asks why “high capacity magazines are ever permitted to be sold to anyone other than direct to the military?”
The concerned mother later adds that this goes beyond our 2nd Amendment right, it’s about taking action to keep kids safe. Feeley also offers suggestions for stiffer gun control laws.
“Where is the $500 million that the Obama administration put into the budget for approval…did it go through? Is it being implemented or just sitting there? Where is the access to care for those struggling with mental illness? Politicians, I ask you…how can I help?” she wrote.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an easy fix. When it comes to kids and gun control, it’s important to educate families on possible dangers and how to stay safe. When I initially saw the photo of Feeley’s little girl standing on the toilet seat, I thought it was so adorable. This the kind of thing I can imagine my kids doing.
However, knowing the reason behind it makes me cringe and makes me proud at the same time. I like the fact that the school is educating the children on what to do in case of an emergency. Even though this could be heartbreaking to some parents, it could actually save a life. Who wouldn’t find solace knowing that?
In the wake of tragic school shootings like Sandy Hook Elementary School, it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’m all for lockdown drills as long as it’s not too extreme. There have been reports of Police officers firing blanks in the hallways of schools, which doesn’t bode well with me.
However, I do feel it’s important to take gun control a bit further, as Feeley suggests. It also essential to find out more about who your children are playing with. Are there guns at their friend’s’ house? If so, how accessible is it? These are just a couple of questions I’d discuss with parents.
I wish we didn’t live in the kind of world where we worry about gun violence. But, it’s a sad reality.
As Feeley states, we may not have all the answers, but we all need to do something. She’s asking for people to share her post along with the hashtags #dosomething #prayfororlando #wecandobetter and support Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
What do you think of Feeley’s photo? What other ways can we bring about change with regard to gun laws?
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Photos: Morguefile
Stacy-Ann Gooden (aka Weather Anchor Mama) can be seen delivering the weather forecast on the news in New York City. But her most important role is being a wife and mom. She writes about balancing career and motherhood in her blog, Weather Anchor Mama. You can also follow her on twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
