How many of your children really don't know about 9/11?

[NanceXToo]

I don't understand how being open with your children will traumatize them. We always approached difficult topics in a calm, non-emotional matter with our dc. Children watch how adults react for clues to how they should react. We do not want our children to live in fear of any natural or man-made disasters, so we have always discussed issues as they happen so that our dc can see that there is nothing to fear. The 2nd big EQ in Christchurch (the Feb 22 EQ) was terrifying, but we discussed openly how we are prepared, how where we live is in a low risk area (for EQs), what we would do if we were not at home when a disater struck, etc. Dd's boyfriend & many of her close friends attend uni in CHCH. She just txted to see if they were alright & said a few prayers. Dh went down to CHCH to help in the recovery & dd just returned from a week's visit to CHCH. The earth is still moving. While dh was there I did check the web for recent EQs, but not out of fear.

 

9/11 was a tragedy. It was a horrific act of war. It was the first attack on American soil in over half a century. It has changed how people of the world view each other & deal with each other. It was a huge blow to the feeling of Americans being safe in America. How can people choose not to teach about 9/11?

 

There's a difference between choosing not to teach and choosing the appropriate time for YOUR children to do said teaching. *I* don't understand how people can choose to be all amazed or dismayed if some of us don't feel like we have to discuss terrorism with our 8 or 9 year olds.

 

That doesn't mean we aren't 'open' with our kids in ways we see fit. That doesn't mean we will 'neglect' to teach about these things.

 

It simply means that there are issues throughout history that are graphic, horrific, and disturbing and while one child may be ready to process something like that at age 8 or 9, another may not be ready to until they are 12 or 13. That's up to their parents to decide. Only I know what my child is emotionally ready to process and when, and for someone to make a blanket statement about how every 8-10 year old should know this stuff is just odd to me. Those are still pretty young children and not all of them would want or need to know something like that yet.