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How Do You Talk To Your Children About The Attacks?
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T O P I C
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Discussion Started: 09-11-2001, 12:47 PM
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The attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon and the consequent loss of life were emotionally devastating. How do you talk to your children about it? How do you explain what happened, especially when we don't know exactly what went on? Share your concerns or ideas with other families in our forum.
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View Messages: [newest first] | [oldest first]
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Melissa987
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10-02-2001, 5:28 PM
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I think it is important to talk to your chiuldren about things like this...When they see mommy and dadddy in the tv room crying at what they are seeing on tv they may be confused. Explaining to your child is te right thing to do.
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Sam0794
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09-28-2001, 5:51 AM
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I told my 7 year old daughter the truth about the attacks. It was difficult and she was having a hard time trying to figure out why people hate the United States and why people would kill themselves because they didn't like us.
We then talked about who the heros in the United States are and tried to figure out ways to help our country. She decided to open a lemonade stand and send all the money she raised to the Red Cross and the NY Firefighters Fund. She raised $250.00. People were so great and generous. I really think it helped in the healing process to know that she COULD help.
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N&KShea
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09-20-2001, 10:18 PM
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I am twenty-nine years old, with a three month old son. I can't possibly convey the meaning of recent events to him. I just watched him figure out how to use both his arms to achieve one goal last Wednesday. I did recieve a good piece of writing that might help a child understand what has happened. What follows is the text of an e-mail I recieved Mon, Sept 17, 2001. It is attributed to "A retired colleague and friend", and it is outstanding. The Binch Every U down in Uville liked U.S. a lot, but the Binch, who lived Far East of Uville did not. Now don't ask me why, for nobody can say It could be his turban was screwed on to tight. Or the sun from the desert had beaten to bright. But I think that the most likely reason of all May have been that his heart was two sizes too small. But whatever the reason; his heart or his turban He stood having Uville, the part that was urban. "They're doing their business", he snarled from his perch, "They're raising their families! They're going to church!" "They're leading the world, their empire is thriving. I MUST keep the S's and U's from surviving!" Tomorrow, he knew, all the U's and the S's, Would put on their pants and their shirts and their dresses. They'd go to thie offices, playgrounds and schools, And abide by their U and S values and rules. And then they'd do something he liked least of all, Every U down in Uville, the tall and the small Would stand all united, each U and each S And they'd sing the Uville anthem "God bless us! God Bless!" All around their Twin Towers of Uville they'd stand, and their voices would drown every sound in the land "I must stop that singing," Binch said with a smirk And he had an idea- an idea that might work! The Binch stole some airplanes in the U morning hours, And crashed them right into the Uville twin towers. "They'll wake to disaster!" He snickered, so sour, "And how can they sing when they can't find a tower?" The Binch cocked his ear as they woke from their sleeping, All set to enjoy their U-wailing and weeping. Instead he heard something that started quite low. It built up quite slow, but it started to grow. And he couldn't believe it- they started to sing! He stared down at Uville, not trusting his eyes What he saw was a shocking, disgusting surprise! Every U down in Uville, the tall and the small, Was singing! without any towers at all! He HADN'T stopped Uville from singing! It sung! From deep in the hearts of the old and the young, Those Twin Towers were standing, called Hope and called Pride, And you can't smash the towers we hold deep inside, So we circle the sites where are heroes did fall, With a hand in each hand of the tall and the small, And we mourn for our losses while knowing we'll cope For we still have inside that U-Pride and U-Hope For America means a bit more than tall towers. It means more than wealth or political powers. It's more than our enemies ever could guess, So may God bless us, America! Bless us! God Bless!" I realize that it is very difficult to put huge, world-wide events into concepts that a kid can understand. I hope that we all do our best to try. We all want our kids to have a great childhood. Please keep in mind that we are the luckiest people on earth, and that we have many rights that many people do not have. I urge you to try to tell your children, the best way that you can, that they are very very lucky to have the oppertunity to live whatever life they could dream for themselves. Euphamise the news however you see fit; but please don't keep the truth of what has happened from them. You don't have to explain that the people of Afganistan are severly and horribly opressed. It is against the law in Afganistan to fly a kite. Get a copy of our Constitution, and talk to them about what princibles this country was founded on. God Bless Us! God Bless!
As always, KShea
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kriheatan
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09-16-2001, 7:42 PM
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Hi! I have three Children and we sat down and created this page to let them know they are safe...and America is strong!!! God Bless the U.S.A. http://www.geocities.com/kriheatan/america/godbless.html
United Parents, Kriheatan
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borninUS
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09-15-2001, 4:37 AM
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I have a friend that told her first grader son that the whole thing was an accident. That the pilot got up for a moment and the plane crashed.. I was very bothered by this. I have 3 children who are also pretty young. I sat them down after school, and explained the whole truth to them, as scary as it is, I felt they needed to know. They are 6,8, and 10 and they had very intelligent questions.. I believe the truth is the only way to approach this situation. They were very sad but found comfort in praying for everyone involved as well as the family left behind and the rest of the US that mourns the loss.
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Lanex4
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09-14-2001, 1:40 PM
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When I finally returned home Tuesday after being evacuated from Boston. Taking the 4 hour silent train ride home, driving another 35 minutes home, to be greeted in the driveway by both of my children (16 and 12). Thier first concern was "Are you o.k. Mom?" I broke down and cried. I didn't have the chance to talk to them initially, they had a TV feed into the classrooms. They had more information than I. I continued to mourn throughout the evening. My son was the one to console me. He asked if I wanted to talk about it to begin to feel better. Wow! We did discuss it and it helped all of us. I have some great kids.
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sunnydi
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09-13-2001, 5:42 PM
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I have 2 kids, 17 yrs, and 10 yrs of age, My oldest stayed home Tuesday to watch it unfold, my youngest son was too scared to walk to school by himself, That was unbearable to me, I simply let him ask me questions as to what happened, I was open and honest, and I assured him that something of this magnitude is rare, He was most scared that the "bad man" osama bin Laden, would not be punished and that someone else could be hurt, My kids are very upset of the pictures they see in the papers of people jumping out of the WTC, before the collapse, I told my kids that they can help by donating items and to feel for those that lost their lives due to hatred, I explained to my youngest that hate is what causes these things, and never should he feel hate, because hate does not do anything, it has created a somber mood around my house that will only take time to heal it, My kids were on a United flight to the west coast just a few weeks ago to visit their grandpa, I can only say that i hugged them when this tragedy unfolded, thankful that they were not on those flights, my youngest will not be getting on a plane again for a while until he deals with what he saw on the news
Thank you, Sunnydi
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ksequeira
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09-13-2001, 1:27 PM
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In response to "dcantor"--I also have a four year old and agree that it is not necessary for them to know the details of this tragedy. My daughter does attend a full day preschool in our towns public school. The principal had apparently made some statements addressing the tragedy on Tuesday and my daughter picked up bits and pieces. We talked about it a little this morning. She asked my what caused the tower to fall. I told her there was a fire, and she accepted that. I did not feel the need to go into detail. At this age, she cannot even begin to understand this tragedy, the extreme loss of life, and the hatred of the individuals responsible. I will make every effort to protect her from that for as long as I can. I share with all parents in our concern for the future of our children.
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jwatkins6
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09-13-2001, 11:02 AM
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Firstly I assured my 6 year old that she was safe and that what I was about to tell her happened far from where we are. I told her that something bad happended on Tuesday. There were some bad people from another country outside of the US where we lived who crashed 4 planes that were flying in the sky into some buildings and that people had died. I told her that I know it's hard to understand what happened and why it even happened but that President Bush and others would find out who had done this terrible thing and punish them so it would never happen again. I told her it was a terrible act of some very bad people who decided to do something horrible against the US. I explained that she may hear the word "highjacker" in school and that meant that some bad people took control of a plane and it resulted in something bad happening. I assured her that sometimes bad things happen that are difficult to understand but that we were safe. Lastly I encouraged her to ask us any questions she had or to talk to us about how she felt.
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dcantor
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09-13-2001, 10:19 AM
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Hi, all. I have a four-year-old who does not know about the attacks yet. We have been very careful to watch TV news after he's gone to bed and to fold up the newspaper so that he can't see any of the potentially disturbing images. Although he goes to preschool, his classmates (and teachers) have not discussed the situation. We believe that he is too young but also realize that we might not be able to shelter him for much longer, especially if a full-scale war breaks out. For those of you who have told your children under 5: any advice
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