keeping history real, but not so brutal

[helena]

i have a 1st grader, and a 4th grader. we started the year with story of the world #3. we loved using this program last year,but something has changed either with my kids, or the way the 3rd book is written. my kids keep asking if they'll be reading about decapitations, and massacres all year. i think i've found a good way to work around the problem, and still use sotw,so all is good. i'm just wondering what would any of you say to your kids about why(these are my daughters words)"history is studying one war, double cross, or problem after another." i can see that i need to bring in accomplishments, and goodness of man to what i teach. as my mom said tonight, maybe they need hope, concepts in peace etc. your thoughts would really be appreciated.

thanks!

[Rosie_0801]

Perhaps it would be more digestible for them if you were to read biographies of the people mentioned in SOTW instead of the unpleasant entries?

Rosie

[Penny]

i have a 1st grader, and a 4th grader. we started the year with story of the world #3. we loved using this program last year,but something has changed either with my kids, or the way the 3rd book is written. my kids keep asking if they'll be reading about decapitations, and massacres all year. i think i've found a good way to work around the problem, and still use sotw,so all is good. i'm just wondering what would any of you say to your kids about why(these are my daughters words)"history is studying one war, double cross, or problem after another." i can see that i need to bring in accomplishments, and goodness of man to what i teach. as my mom said tonight, maybe they need hope, concepts in peace etc. your thoughts would really be appreciated.

thanks!

 

I can relate to you because I too am having a difficult time relating the evils of men to my children. I am considering not continuing with the four year cycle, breaking after completing SOTW Vol 3, until they get older. (My children are older than yours being 8, 10, and 11.) The one thing that is showed certain when studying history is that there is no hope if our hope is in people. People have a selfish nature which even the best of characters cannot completely overcome. This should not surprise us because it is spelled out so clearly in the Bible. We have been deceived by philosophers who have taught that 'man is inherently good'. If that is true, then history is a lie. The good in men is corrupted with an indisputable 'bad' that overcomes many and throws the world into devestation. In trying to overcome the ills placed upon themselves throughout the centuries, people have overcome governments only to find they have not changed their own hearts and to be faced with even greater ills.

 

When I teach my kids history, I constantly remind them that our hope is in Christ our Lord. All other hopes (such as science, education, politics, 'good' of mankind) will certainly fail.

 

Yes, history can be depressing. Yet it is just playing out as fortold in Genisis.

 

Blessings to you and yours.

 

Penny

[mims]

Somehow I felt Mystery of History seemed to bring out more hope and light. Just my personal feeling and I'm not sure everyone would agree.

[siloam]

i have a 1st grader, and a 4th grader. we started the year with story of the world #3. we loved using this program last year,but something has changed either with my kids, or the way the 3rd book is written. my kids keep asking if they'll be reading about decapitations, and massacres all year. i think i've found a good way to work around the problem, and still use sotw,so all is good. i'm just wondering what would any of you say to your kids about why(these are my daughters words)"history is studying one war, double cross, or problem after another." i can see that i need to bring in accomplishments, and goodness of man to what i teach. as my mom said tonight, maybe they need hope, concepts in peace etc. your thoughts would really be appreciated.

thanks!

 

Feel free to soften the language while reading. History is fine, it doesn't have to be brutal history, KWIM?

 

For instance if I will substitute hurt for kill, died for decapitation. Little things like that create a different picture in the brain and soften the overall effect.

 

Heather

 

p.s. My kids don't even ask anymore more when I pause during reading, because that is usually when I am quickly re-phrasing something. Often I try to hide it by grabbing my water and taking a sip, but they are aware that I reword things. :)

 

 

 

[helena]

what i have done is narrow this years history down to mostly american history.

i use sotw as a basic guide to follow, and will use the cd and maps as needed. we are checking out tons of books and just happily making our way through. i also added more geography of the u.s., with a puzzle, and blank maps to be colored and filled in. i'm also thinking of getting beautiful feet h.c. holling u.s. geography set. we have already read paddle to the sea, and loved it. mostly though my thoughts are on my daughters perceptions of the world,and the people who inhabit it. i don't want my kids to grow up to be complete ding dongs, crumbling under the pressures of life. it's tough out there. history has shown that, as well as todays headlines. and my kids have unfortunately experienced their fair share of "life is pain". my older daughter is the one who is mostly troubled by all this history and brutality. i think what she is trying to understand is does it all get fixed eventually? the answer i believe is no. it's just mans nature, but it's also all jumbled up with love, humor, sacrifice, hope, kindness, etc. and i think that i need to bring that into the classroom(and home). i'm by nature a cynical person, but that is a burden to my children. they are fresh, and full of light, and genuine happiness, i realized i should foster that more. i come from a montessori back round, and family. i've been rereading montessori concepts on peace, and the child. i think thats a good place to start.

thanks again for responding.