To think that 4/5 year olds should not be learning about d-day deaths?

The lack of empathy on this thread has blown me away a little. It really is a cesspit on here now.
I'm glad the OP stood her ground and took from the more supportive replies.
I hope your DC is doing well and I would homeschool too in your situation @CantPoopWontPoop 💐

Of course they should learn, in an age appropriate way, about the sacrifices that were made.
It's actually really sad that many people, myself included and I'm 52, weren't taught this more at school

I think your child is unusual in this and maybe needs some help tbh. It won't have been taught in school in a way that suggests soldiers will be coming for him (ditto the queen) something else has been experienced before to make him think like this. You need to untangle this with professional help or his life will be very difficult.

How prepared do you need to be?

The younger children learn about the concept of dying, the less of a deal it is.

I think the school are primarily responsible for what has happened. Clearly the parents should have had the opportunity to ask that their child not be a part of this lesson, or better still, since the child is under CAHMS etc the school should have been proactive in knowing he should not be a part of it.
They have let him down hugely.

This. And as they get older more details can be added.

You son has massive anxieties which is for you to address. Think about everything your son will be taught at school death is always going to come up whether that’s in a history lesson, a news event or god forbid the death of a parent at a school.

This thread is a great example of why we home ed our anxious, autistic DC.

The lack of understanding and empathy from people on here towards the OPs child is revolting.

And the school doesn't sound much better - teaching a highly anxious child about soldiers killing each other shows a complete disregard for his wellbeing.

🤣

I’m not sure what your point is, of course, it’s subjective, are you suggesting that anything school teaches is inherently appropriate, because the school has decided to teach it?

Yep be interesting to see how the PP would tackle immersing children in the horrors of Gaza without a) upsetting them b) any reference to how and why the territory is disputed.

Children famously ask 'but why Mummy' they want to know how things came to be.

This is SO true and most children, in my experience, enjoy history (just think why 'Horrible Histories' is so popular . . . )

History is everywhere . . . it's in the family stories and photographs that older relatives pass on to the younger generation, it's in communities, buildings, churches, memorials, cemeteries, museums, libraries & literature, National Trust properties, . . . the list is endless

Even toddlers are able to recognise that some things and people are old and they learn to understand that some things happened a very long time ago

It's really important that children learn history little by little so that they gradually put it all together to form the bigger picture. Every child needs to know their own family history and they need the bigger picture to understand current affairs. It isn't just history, it's also geography, politics, law, religion etc . . . it all fits together (e.g. the situation that's happening right now in Gaza)

Remembrance is not glorification.

History is not 'outdated'.

How do you propose to teach current events without context?

Children are far more likely to be distressed by current events than historical ones.

"History instructs, and we ignore it at our peril" . . .

🤔

Maybe they should learn about actual current issues in the world: not glorifying war from 100 years ago. The curriculum is out dated

They should be taught historical facts.

Sorry. I answered too soon.
It's very clear op that your own health issues are tied up with your son's reactions.

You sound defensive and angry.

Your op states that 4/5 year olds shouldn't be learning about this, but what you mean is that your child shouldn't learn about this because he's struggling with your disability.

I'm sorry you're going through what sound like awful health issues,

Your son clearly needs support with this and it sounds like that's not being managed.

An entire and very important teaching topic being shut down is not a valid option.

What understanding or experience does your child have of death?

Obviously if they've experienced something traumatic first hand that may be different, but for most kids without that, being taught that people died in wars 80 years ago (and longer, of course) is a fairly abstract concept at that age.

What cause his nightmares op?

sympathies for your illness but to be brutally You need to deal with that yourself and if you feel he can’t cope then keep him off school. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your child

Don’t most kids watch horrible histories at that age? It’s actually okay for dc to be upset and probably a pretty good emotion to have when thinking about war. I hate the drive to stop dc feeling emotions in case it damages them. Not letting them have feelings is more damaging imo. You just say “we remember how awful it was to make sure we never forget and let it happen again.” Then distract and move on.

@Donotneedit again, you finding something inappropriate doesn't make it inappropriate 🤷‍♀️

Brave men and boys gave their lives 80 years ago so that you can enjoy the freedoms that you take for granted today. Why should their story not be told just so you can wrap your child in a bubble. It was brutal, it was unpleasant. That’s how life was and it shaped the country and the Europe that we now have.

Sorry but Dday is the same day every year, it hasn't changed for 80 years. It's also been all over the TV, radio, press etc. I don't think it's up to the school to give you a heads up, you should have known

I was stood outside a reception class at Easter when they described how Jesus was nailed to a cross and had a crown of thorns placed on his head that made him bleed, so they absolutely can be far too graphic for 4 year olds. It’s completely unnecessary, there are age appropriate ways of explaining things.