How do YOU explain it to your kids?

[ZeeGerman]

I stumbled across this cartoon today.

My first reaction was to laugh but if you think of it, it's not really funny. Those of you who have no kids (yet) might not see the problem but if my 8 year old daughter starts asking me about the whole "war in Iraq" business, I will have hell of a problem coming up with a suitable answer.

So gimme your thoughts. It doesn't really matter, whether you're pro war or anti war or not so sure, I guess it's difficult no matter what.

Zee

 

[Jedi Knight]

I stumbled across this cartoon today.

My first reaction was to laugh but if you think of it, it's not really funny. Those of you who have no kids (yet) might not see the problem but if my 8 year old daughter starts asking me about the whole "war in Iraq" business, I will have hell of a problem coming up with a suitable answer.

So gimme your thoughts. It doesn't really matter, whether you're pro war or anti war or not so sure, I guess it's difficult no matter what.

Zee

That's easy. The child in the cartoon is simply told that he is already liberated, free and a capitalist. The reason why the other people are being liberated is because perversionist leftism got them in a stranglehold, and only heroic capitalists like him could save them.

JK

 

[corplinx]

I think the simple answer is to explain to the child the atrocities of Saddam's regime. Then point at that bombed building and say "and now those bad men are paying".

 

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

I think the simple answer is to explain to the child the atrocities of Saddam's regime. Then point at that bombed building and say "and now those bad men are paying".

"Mom, if I do something bad will our home be bombed?"

 

[rikzilla]

I think the simple answer is to explain to the child the atrocities of Saddam's regime. Then point at that bombed building and say "and now those bad men are paying".

I shared passages from 5 different books I read about Iraq and Saddam with my 16 year old daughter long before this war ever got started. She has green hair and listens to some pretty weird music....her friends are the type who will someday grow up to be hippie wannabes and "useful idiots"...she tells me everyday how she uses her superior knowledge of Iraqi attrocities to shoot down the leftie influenced, uneducated opinions of her friends.

I'm proud of her

She's got the best sheild against unthinking leftism or rightism for that matter....the sheild of truth and knowledge. Viva la critical thinking!

-zilla

 

[ZeeGerman]

Re: Re: How do YOU explain it to your kids?

That's easy. The child in the cartoon is simply told that he is already liberated, free and a capitalist. The reason why the other people are being liberated is because perversionist leftism got them in a stranglehold, and only heroic capitalists like him could save them.

JK

This sensible reply is just what I expected from you JK. Let me guess... You have not a clue what it means to raise a child, right?

Zee

 

[rikzilla]

Re: Re: Re: How do YOU explain it to your kids?

This sensible reply is just what I expected from you JK. Let me guess... You have not a clue what it means to raise a child, right?

Zee

Nope, I think it's more like he has no idea how to raise a child left. Nor would he choose to I'm sure!

-z

 

[Denise]

I have a nine year old daughter. She is pretty disinterested in the war to be honest.

I tell her about what Saddam and his henchmen have done to his people and that he will not leave. Sometimes we have to fight wars because people like Saddam will not listen to reason. I tell her war is horrible, but sometimes it's the only option when you are dealing with unreasonable leaders.

 

[clk]

"Mom, if I do something bad will our home be bombed?"

Yes, so never be bad! Also, Santa does not visit bombed homes, so you really need to behave yourself!

 

[Jedi Knight]

Re: Re: Re: How do YOU explain it to your kids?

This sensible reply is just what I expected from you JK. Let me guess... You have not a clue what it means to raise a child, right?

Zee

When I see children I see future US Army Rangers and arch-conservatives.

JK

 

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

I have a nine year old daughter. She is pretty disinterested in the war to be honest.

I tell her about what Saddam and his henchmen have done to his people and that he will not leave. Sometimes we have to fight wars because people like Saddam will not listen to reason. I tell her war is horrible, but sometimes it's the only option when you are dealing with unreasonable leaders.

"The French are unreasonable mom, and the French leader is unreasonable, does that mean we will attack France? By the way mom, I miss my French fries and french toast mom."

 

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

By the way, I have doubts about the maturity of the Bush administration. It is getting as petty as the French.

French Toast has been banned from the breakfast menu of Air Force 1

 

[rikzilla]

By the way, I have doubts about the maturity of the Bush administration. It is getting as petty as the French.

French Toast has been banned from the breakfast menu of Air Force 1

The "French kiss" is still available PPG...it's what the
French do when Saddam bares his ass.

 

[Jedi Knight]

The "French kiss" is still available PPG...it's what the
French do when Saddam bares his ass.

lol

JK

 

[ZeeGerman]

Re: Re: Re: Re: How do YOU explain it to your kids?

When I see children I see future US Army Rangers and arch-conservatives.

JK

My question was abviously to difficult for you... Let me put it more simply in a yes/no fashion: Do you have children JK?

Zee

 

[ZeeGerman]

Re: Re: Re: Re: How do YOU explain it to your kids?

Nope, I think it's more like he has no idea how to raise a child left. Nor would he choose to I'm sure!

-z

Do you think it's possible for you to let your membership in the JK fan club rest for a while and keep the whole "left" "leftist" "leftism" crap out of your posts? Probably not

Zee

 

[Denise]

"The French are unreasonable mom, and the French leader is unreasonable, does that mean we will attack France? By the way mom, I miss my French fries and french toast mom."

I didn't know the French were puttin people through shredders. Is this new?

 

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How do YOU explain it to your kids?

Do you think it's possible for you to let your membership in the JK fan club rest for a while and keep the whole "left" "leftist" "leftism" crap out of your posts? Probably not

Zee

Never mind the French kissing but!

Its amore!

 

[mstricky]

All this 'be honest' with your children sucks really sucks with a capital S. Tell an eight year old that he/she no need worry their pretty little heads, that it's an adult problem and won't affect them....there's no need worry etc. All this PC with kids makes me puke. They are not, I repeat NOT emotionally equipt to deal with adult problems, they are not programmed to deal with adult problems.......they are children...get it? children........not emotionally mature enough to deal with adult ◊◊◊◊. They need happiness, love, fun. They will learn soon enough about the crap that adults afflict on adults. Stop, STOP wanting YOUR children to be GROWNUPS and the BEST and most MATURE kids on the block the most STREET CRED. kids should be kids and take at least 18 years to grow up. I HATE kids who are f==king smart arses long before their time. Give me a sweet innocent child anytime.
Stop making your kids grow up before they are ready....NOW

 

[Crossbow]

I do not have any children to explain it to.

However, I cannot explain it to an adult, so I doubt that I would be able to do any better explaining it to a child.

 

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

Our 8 year old asks about war, but we do not watch too much of the coverage when he is home. We play games, watch cartoons together, talk about what is real not real, and tell him he is safe, and that we are here when he gets upset.

They hear about the hype from adults sometimes or older kids and they get worried. YOung children look to people they trust not for overwhleming amounts of rhetoric but for assurance that they are safe and important people in their lives are safe.

http://www.cbc.ca/kids/parents/childrenandwar/index.html

Many parents are seeking advice on how to talk to their children about the war. Although these conversations are not always easy, they are important. The best way for children of all ages to come to terms with something as potentially confusing and threatening as war is to discuss it with someone they trust and can rely on for support and reassurance.

Take into account your child’s age, level of development and ability to understand and process information. Use words and concepts you know your child can understand. As a general rule, the younger the child, the shorter and simpler the explanation. In addition to age and maturity, you will need to consider your child’s personality style and temperament when having discussions about war. Some children are naturally more prone to be fearful, and news of a potentially dangerous situation may increase their anxiety. Some children or teens may also be more sensitive to, or knowledgeable about, the situation by virtue of their past experiences and exposure to war-related discussions or activities.

I heard a couple teens the other day repeating their fathers' wisdom:

Its world war three!

Act responsibly if you know how.

 

[jj]

We keep ours informed of the actual events, the "why", etc.

Now, ours are both older, 10 and 12 presently, and seem entirely capable of coping with the information, although they ask questions that some adult americans seem incapable of realizing the existance of. The school system here seems to be pretty realistic about the whole affair, their only real reaction is to set up a plan of how to cope for and care for kids in the case of an attack on the town.

Given we're rumored to be in range of Kim's bombs, it's not such a bad thing to consider and have in place.

One might ask, though, why we're going after Iraq, instead of going after the lunatic who can actually REACH us here in the "homeland" with his weapons.

(edited to say: It would also be safe to say that neither of then would give Saddamn the time of day, either. I hope they're never in the situation to need it, but I adamantly refuse to teach anyone that there is ANYTHING wrong with self-defense.)

 

[ZeeGerman]

I didn't know the French were puttin people through shredders. Is this new?

Why so beasty?

That's actually just the kind of reasoning a kid age 5 to 10 might come up with to you.

Do you suggest telling an 8 year old kid about people gettin torn apart in shredders is a suitable answer?

Zee

 

[Peach Jr.]

Being the mother of a 13 month old, I don't have to worry about that right now (thank goodness).

I leave the TV off during the day anymore, mostly because I have no idea what that kind of imagery will do to her unconsciously in the years ahead.

How would I explain this to her? I have no idea.
(edit)

 

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

I didn't know the French were puttin people through shredders. Is this new?

Well maybe no shredders:

A small group of French citizens will throw molotov cocktails at Synogogues, beat up people that resemble native Algerians. French legilators have proposed bills restricting the ability of people other than French Nationality to make a living, buy a residence, get liscences, and to participate in schools/universities.

The land of

egalite, liberte, et fraternete

 

[Denise]

Chirac does not have henchmen doing these things, so I really don't see the comparison between Iraq and France here. It's a pretty silly comparison IMHO.

 

[arcticpenguin]

I stumbled across this cartoon today.

My first reaction was to laugh but if you think of it, it's not really funny. Those of you who have no kids (yet) might not see the problem but if my 8 year old daughter starts asking me about the whole "war in Iraq" business, I will have hell of a problem coming up with a suitable answer.

So gimme your thoughts. It doesn't really matter, whether you're pro war or anti war or not so sure, I guess it's difficult no matter what.

Zee

And the correct answer is:
"Turn off the TV and finish your homework."

 

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

Chirac does not have henchmen doing these things, so I really don't see the comparison between Iraq and France here. It's a pretty silly comparison IMHO.

I merely wrote what a child might state not completely understanding all the subtleties, differences, and shades of grey.

You brought up shredders in a query. Your shredder response/query seemed to indicate that you thought French with shredders would be unreasonable.

I was indicating how some French people and legislators are unreasonable.
I was not making a comparison, just listing examples other than shredders.

Perhaps my mistake was not appreciating it as a rhetorical question.


And when it comes to silly, I excell at that.



Scroll up for some guidelines that may help when communicating with your 9 year old. It is not the end all or be all but it may help. There is a link too.

regards

and the best to you and your's