hug your kids tonight

[thebody]

I know this isnt the section to put this on but its the only bit of mumsnet I use and you are the only nicknames I recognise. So just to say that my boys have just come in from school, both teens, shocked, to tell us that a mate hung himself in the local woods this morning. Lovely lad, lovely family, grade A student, happy, chatty.
What a bloody awful thing, what could have been so bad at 16. Hug your kids tonight..

and
hope your boys are okay

poor poor family
hope you and yours are okay

Thanks everyone, they are just so shocked and it obviously wasnt a cry for help that went wrong, he obviously meant to kill himself. I think its the not knowing why thats so upsetting. Its not often you see your 17 and 18 year old boys in tears. That poor poor family and parents.. It just doesnt bear thinking about what they will go through for the rest of their lives. so bloody sad.

Thanks for the reminder thebody.. How terrible for the family, and him. I am so sorry for your boys.

It must be the worst thing imaginable. You can only do your best with your children and keep lines of communication open, make sure they know that they are well loved and can talk to you about anything.

What an awful thing to happen to the boy. My heart goes out to his family and friends (the ones left behind to pick up the pieces).

I have 3 boys and hug and kiss them and tell them I love them countless times every day. I knew of 2 people who hung themselves and the devastation it brought to the families. How sad life can be sometimes.

Devastating, make sure you talk to your boys about their friend, and what he did. Just listen, and always let them talk when they want to.

3 people I knew killed themselves. One of them was a very good friend. I was not told until a great deal later, as I had moved out of town, and I did not really know her other friends. By the time I heard the news, the other friends had moved on, and no longer needed to talk. I felt so alone in not having anybody to talk about her to. I am still thinking about it.

A work colleague from years ago came home from holiday a while back to find her 17yr old son had done the same - they actually found him. No reason or explanation. Be there for your sons, I know you will anyway, they need to be able to talk about it. The school should provide counsellors also.

BTW, have given all of mine a huge hug tonight before bed - even the 18yr old.

thanks to all who posted. You know me and dh sat down last night and really thought about the quality time we spend with our teens is so little now.
I am full up with mindees and dh works in London, and comes home at the weekends.
.Also like all teens they come in, stay in their rooms and come down for food, lifts and money.. So last night we went out with them, left the 10 year old with grandad and just talked over dinner in our local pub.. it was lovely.. sometimes you need to touch base, life is so fast...thoughts with those parents and all who posted. will hug them every night now, under protest of course..

I'd read this thread on Wednesday and obviously found it very sad.

My son came home from school yesterday and 2 15 year olds from his school hung themselves on Tues/Weds. One has died and the other is in a critical condition. Being so much closer to home it has really shaken me. I spent much of last night thinking of the children who felt so desperate that they did what they did and thinking of the families and how they will probably never get over it. I shed quite a few tears.

My 15 year old son got an extra long hug last night.

good idea at spending time with them as a family.
my boys are nearly 12 and 13 and we go swimming with them every tuesday as its a fun family thing to do

but i do get caught up in work and my own time and leave the boys in there room

maybe i should organise more family stuff

God Nb thats so awful, and dmo, agree with you its very hard to make the time when they get older as they arnt so demanding, its the staying in room syndrome.
We are definatly going to spend more family time together, last night we all had a wii sports competition and I had forgotten how much fun my OWN kids are. The lads had a couple of beers with my dh as well and it was so nice. Will keep it up.