The EXPERTS say keep you kids away...

[BBA]

From watching the events, or rewatching the explosions.

They want to shield the children from reality to keep them from being emotionally scared. They say don't let them watch the plane crashing.

I am sorry...I must not make a good child psychologist. I say MAKE them watch it so they NEVER forget! If you want them not to see violance...don't let them watch movies, but do not shield them from the reality of this situation they are living in.

If it scars them...they will be better for it in the end. It will give them a sense of right and wrong as they mature!

[Warthog]

If you want them not to see violance...don't let them watch movies

You bet.

One of my teachers was telling us her 6yr old kid asked, "Why do they hate us so much?".

Warthog

[This message has been edited by Warthog (edited 09-12-2001).]

[pickel]

When I was in grammar school( 1st grade 1950)
and when we got our first tv, I remember , distinctly the coverage of the Korean war. Reality is now, the children NEED to be involved and maybe when they're adults this type of senerio could be behind us.

[flash4master]

This event is HISTORY in the making...if they don't learn of it now, they WILL learn of it in the future...

[Speed]

I have three boys, 15, 12 & 9. I sat down with all of them for about 2 hours watching CNN on the night it happened, I tried to answer all their qustions about why, and can it happen here, we live about 5 miles from Ontario Int. Airport in California. I think that its better for us to learn together and watch what can happen. We came up with plans for our selves just in case something might happen here. Also I think that they have now a better understanding of what brought this on, and that it wasnt just mean people wanting to kill other people. I explained what the terrorist were trying to do to a certain point. I also tell them if they have any questions that they can come to me. I dont beleive in shielding them from everything. They are LIFE and unfortunatly this has become a part of our LIVES. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this. My prayers as well as my family's go out to you.

[BBA]

I grew up with the vietnam war coverage and protests.

Hippy was a common word to be carefully used...

[club_med]

*

[skai]

Unfortunatly Kids don't seem to be affected as much as you would expect,I guess that the continual deluge of violence on TV and Movies and the levels of violence in games has to an extent hardened them .AS a 53 yr old it has done the same to me I remember the graphic pictures of Kennedy being shot as if it was yesterday but since then with so much exposure to violence on the media I too have become ambivilent to it.When I first saw that plane fly into the WTC I thought it was an animation,It took a while for it to dawn on me that it was real.Maybe we should only show real violence on TV and ban graphicly violent fictional shows the kids might grow up hateing violence instead of getting a buzz out of it.skai

[Cruez]

Great, lets show kids the videos, and have a whole generation of hate and racism grow up.

club_med, why would you hide something from children?? This HAS happened and this is REALITY..There is no reason why we chould not show it. If anything, look at the reaction to the kids that were laughing and celebrating what happened to us...did you see that from us when we were in conflict with Iraq??....NO! That tells the mentality of the people who are praising this attack.

[wyvrn]

A lot of it depends on their age. Making a 5 or 6 year old watch this stuff is going to do more harm than good, because they may not be able to fully understand and comprehend what is going on. For older kids I agree with you, they should watch and remember!

[club_med]

*

[BBA]

SC...what I am saying is it is true.

If these broadcasters feel no shame in publicizing the rational of high school shooters so our kids can 'understand' where they came from...I think it is then utterly irresponsible to hold these terror images from our children. Hey...why don't we try to understand these terrorist? I'm sure they have good reason also. Just ask thosefirst firemen what they think...Oh, you can't...their dead.

I am NOT an advocate of hiding reality. I also am NOT an advocate of making it 'understandable' so the children can watch it.

I say they NEED to be disturbed. Life is not as pretty as most would think.

[hirschY]

I have to agree with everyone here.
I know that sounds strange, but we do have to let our children see what is going on in the workd, and explain to them what has happened within our borders.
I also agree that there should be a limit on how you feel your child can take the info.
I let my five year old watch some of the news, but after ten minutes, he acctually lost intrest.
He came out later and asked a few questions, and I explained the best I could, without bias or blame.
Our childern do understand, and should not be sheilded from reality.
All my five kids understand what is real, and what is not.
my 15 year old said he thought it was a movie, he just couldnt beleive what he saw was real. But, he does understand that it is not a race or country that did this, but a group or cult that is to blame.

It is very difficult to have to explain at such different levels, my kids range from 15 to 5.
The reality is that we need to let them know what they can handle, and not to obses about any of it.

my 2¢

[Warthog]

I think a lot of children are more capable of learning from and understanding this attack than some adults.

Warthog

[surrealchereal]

BBA, When I read the first line of your post, I immediately thought of small children unable to really process and understand what was going on. I don't think a 3 or 6 year old can really have the maturity to grasp and understand what's going on. A preteen certainly.

spelling

[This message has been edited by surrealchereal (edited 09-13-2001).]