As we all know, today is the 5th anniversery of the terrorist attacks on the United State. There are of course plenty of broadcasts on TV some are tame some, not so tame. I am not looking for advise here, I just want to know how all the other moms are dealing with it and/or explaining this to their children. I have heard many people saying that due to the graphic nature of these programs, they aren't going to let their children watch or listen to them. So moms speak up, what is your opinion on this?
At dinner last night, my 6yr old brought 9/11 up. She wanted to know where I was and what I was doing when the planes hit the towers and killed "21" people. Then my 8 yr old spoke up and told his sister that it was more like "41" people. Because we are very rarely at home and we don't watch much TV. I did not have to worry about what they saw on TV regarding 9/11. I am not sure what exactly their teachers told them about it. But my mom ( a marine), my grandmother ( an army wife, and I all sat down and told my oldest two about what happened on 9/11. We talked about events leading up to 9/11 and we taked about what is going on. We answered all of their questions. Some serious some not so. My two youngest were off running around and they really didn't care anyway...try sitting a 3 & 4 yr old down for a history lesson.... doesn't work. My children and my family have a very open relationship meaning that they know they can ask us anything and we will answer them as well as we can, w/o hurting them and w/o slanting the truth. We would rather them hear things from us then hear the opinions of "professionals". We use expamples to explain to them. When my oldest asked why anyone would want to kill that many people. We asked him about how he feels when he is angry and mom is ignoring him. He told me that he gets really mad. Then I asked him what he does, he said that sometimes he throws a fit and sometimes he gets mad a his brothers and hits them. I asked well are you supposed to hit your brothers. He said no... SO then my mom told him that sometimes adults do the same thing. Although it DOES NOT excuse what is done and the people MUST be punished. These people arn't getting their own way, so they lashed out on the United States, and because of their actions they WILL be punished. This is something he understood. We didn't go into terrorist or anything like that. We just used situations that they would be able to relate to.
I was 6 1/2 mo pg with my first child this day 5 years ago. I had family in gov't work in the Pentagon, and it was a while before we learned that they were safe. I am personally not ready to relive that day, and my children will not be watching yet either.
I did dress them in patriotic outfits today, tho, in honor and remembrance.
J.
I am definitly not for sheltering my children. I like them to know the truth about all things provided they are ready. I will however not lie at all. If asked, I answer truthfully in a way I know they will understand. I am not ready to share this one with them. My oldest will be 5 next month and I have a 3yr old and a 20 month old. My kids are intelligent and mature, but not ready to understand the concept of terrorists coming and possibly killing them or thier mom and dad. We are still trying to feel it out. If their is much talk about this topic at school (though I doubt it would happen in kindergarden or in preschool) or if anyone else talks about it then I would probably present it to them as there are just some bad strangers that hurt people since my kids are aware that there are bad strangers and they are not to talk to strangers without mommy and daddy. THat answer would likely satistify my kids for now. My kids had a hard enough time dealing with Steve Irwins death. It wasn't too bad of a reaction, but they wanted to know why and if anyone went and killed the fish responsible. We explained just that accidents sometimes happen and even though stingrays don't typically attack, it was scared thinking it could get hurt by the camera man and Steve, and thus reacted. The news is usually quite graphic and most always negative. I think it is best to find a documentary type show if you intend to find footage. Not only that but the news also tends to be slanted making it not entirely true.
Good luck!
B. :)
After my experience last night, I'm turning off the tube this week. I was watching a 9/11 show on Sunday evening with my four year old son. He liked it because it showed lots of emergency vehicles. It was only 7pm, and I was appalled that there was major profanity. It was on CBS, and they were saying words that I did not think were allowed on public television. The show was shown with a disclaimer that some of the scenes would be graphic, but I did not think that included the language too.
Well, some of these programs are graphic. So you just have to be careful. In my opinion, this is reality and we shouldn't shelter our children from it - depending on their age and maturity that is. My daughter knows all about it, she's 6. They do need to understand that the world is not a perfect place and that things like this happen but that you don't want to fear every day. Just to live life to the fullest and have a great time doing it! Hope this helps you... Thanks :)
Hi My name is J.
I am a single mother of 3. I know mothers are worried about what there kids see or hear but its a part of History and they are going to hear about it or see it one of these days. I think every child needs to know what is going on. The will not be afraid if you explain to them and let them know as parents you are there to keep them sasfe and away from harm. But don't keep them shut out of what is happening in the world. I am very open and honest with my kids and we have a great relationship. If you keep things from them it will become a habit of yours and that is not healty for any relationship. You grow closer by honesty. thanks for listening.
Our daughter is two, so watching anything to graphic or violent is out. She gets upset when Shrek yells at the little dog in Shrek Two and that is a kids movie. However, she was perseptive enough to understand that watching the ceremony at Ground Zero on the news this morning made me sad. She asked why mommy was so sad this morning and I told her that something bad had happened before she was born. I also told her that a lot of people had been badly hurt and that we were remembering them today. She gave me a hug and told me she wanted me to feel better. Then she went back to playing with her train set.
My husband and I are waiting until she is older to start trying to explain issues like terrorism. For now we will have to keep answers to her questions simple. I think each parent will have to decide if their children will be able to understand what they are watching. The worst part of this is that there are no simple answers.
WEll my son is 17 months old and he doesn't understand but at least people are responding your 9/11 post. I can't get any feedback on my self feeding!
T.,
Hello, the only thing I can say about this is that what happend on this day was a part of our history. Bad things happen just like the good things and if you dont teach your children how to deal with the good and the bad then your really sheltering them. They have lifes just like we do and they deserve to know who done this awful thing and why they did it and what the concequence was as well. Depending on the age of the children would be the reasoning on how I explained this day in history. There is a special way to explain to each child. For those moms who chose not to tell thier children anything and just ignore what has happend then thats what being american is all about and thats your freedom. For me and my family we are proud to be AMERICANS and I will never hide my wrongs or rights from my children because one day they will fill my shoes.
GOD BLESS
