What Happened Today - 18 July 2025
What Happened Today – 18 July 2025
Fun Friday… but honestly, it’s more like a “reminder Friday.”
My cousin and his family—his wife and their two boys—stayed with us last weekend. It really drove home how overwhelming and confusing things must be for kids right now. I keep thinking about what it’s like for them. This story is a fictional glimpse into the lives of a brother and sister navigating all this chaos, but it’s not that far from what kids are actually going through.
Growing up under Reagan or Bush and overhearing adults argue about whether they were doing a good job as president or not was VERY different than what’s happening now. The stakes and the intensity feel so much higher.
Imagine being a kid today…Some of their classmates are probably terrified because they’re American citizens, but their parents—who have spent years trying to get citizenship—still face the risk of being taken away. They have friends on both the far left and far right, repeating wild and extreme stories they don’t really understand. And they’re always hearing how we talk about these issues amongst ourselves. Their minds are so vulnerable and impressionable—and it’s on us, the adults, to guide them, answer their questions, and help them make sense of all this.
So as we head into another summer weekend—when kids are within earshot of adult talk, or drifting deep into their phones and online rabbit holes—let’s make a real effort to be open and honest with them, and to explain not just what’s happening, but why it matters. In ten or twenty years, they’ll look back on this time, and whether they feel reassured or let down will depend a lot on how we chose to show up—or didn’t. Let’s give them clarity, comfort, and the tools they need to understand the world, not just cope with it.
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The Week Through Kids’ Eyes: July 12–18, 2025
Big News, Big Questions
This week has been like watching a super confusing show that never ends. Thirteen-year-old Jake and his eleven-year-old sister, Ava, spent their days bouncing between summer soccer practice, sleepovers, and family barbecues—hearing all sorts of things that left them scratching their heads.
What the Adults Are Saying
- At home
Jake and Ava hear their parents talking about “more Trump drama”—how he bragged about making Coca-Cola use real cane sugar but the company never actually said it was true. Then there was talk about “lies” and “fantasy” on TV, and Dad saying, “You can’t believe everything you hear, not from any side.”
- From friends
At soccer, some kids joked, “Did your family get that $5,000 DOGE check?” (They didn’t. Nobody did.) Others whispered about Epstein files and “secret lists,” repeating things they’d heard on TikTok, but nobody could actually explain what any of it meant.
- Adults at the neighborhood barbecue
The grown-ups didn’t agree on much. Some argued over the new law cutting billions from public broadcasting and foreign aid, someone groaned, “There goes Sesame Street,” while others cheered, “Finally, real savings!”
Jake overheard “rigging elections,” “gerrymandering Texas,” and “not counting people in the census.” Everyone seemed frustrated, blaming politicians for making rules that only help “their friends.”
At one point, Ava heard, “Why doesn’t anyone just tell the truth about Epstein?” and someone else replied, “Because nobody wants to go first.” The conversation felt heavy and never really ended with clear answers.
Why Everything Feels So Mixed Up
Jake and Ava both feel lost:
- Everything’s a Fight: It seems like every adult is angry, choosing sides, and no one really listens to each other. Even friends repeat things that are probably not true just because everyone’s saying them.
- Who Can You Trust? So much stuff is called “fake news” or “lies.” Jake wants to trust teachers and adults, but even they seem confused.
- What’s Right or Wrong? Ava keeps asking, “Aren’t grown-ups supposed to follow rules?” This week, people talked a lot about laws being changed or ignored, which feels a bit scary.
- The Constitution? Their mom tried to explain the Constitution is the “big rulebook” that keeps things fair. But at the barbecue, people said it’s “slipping away” because those in charge keep changing rules to help themselves.
How They Are Feeling
- Confused and Frustrated: It’s hard to tell what matters and what’s just people arguing to be loud.
- Worried: Jake secretly wonders if things will get better, or if “adults mess things up forever.” Ava worries about what’s going to happen to the shows she likes, and whether her friends will ever stop arguing about stuff they don’t really get.
- Wanting Honesty: They both agree that someone just telling the truth would make everything easier.
Why Right and Wrong (and the Constitution) Matter
Jake and Ava learned that knowing right from wrong is extra important when adults around them seem to forget. The Constitution might sound old, but it’s meant to keep things fair even when people in charge want to cheat.
They hope the grown-ups remember what’s really important—being honest, sticking to the rules, and listening to everyone, not just the loudest voices. Kids are watching. And if the people in charge keep twisting things, it’s easy for everyone—especially kids—to start losing trust in what’s true or fair. And kids RIGHT now…are our future.
If this has helped, please like and share—cause good trouble.
Go Cause Good Trouble, with Your Elbows Up!
**These are facts that I researched and verified – AI helped put together some sentence structure, but the words and tone are mine. These are my views based upon facts, research and thoughtful consideration using logic. I own the copyright to any images used. I’m comfortable to stand alone to uphold truth. Feel free to check me, but do not attack me. I am only causing good trouble.**