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AIBU?

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Original poster

to be annoyed the school showed a video about the Paris attacks?

176 replies

DancingLady · 16/11/2015 20:28

DD is 5, and in assembly today the children were shown a short video about the Paris attacks. Might have been the Newsround one - from what I've read, it sounds similar. I asked her for context (did the HM talk about the attacks before or after the clip?) and she said she didn't know. I'm a bit baffled as to why a school would feel it was their place to show a load of 4, 5 and 6-year-olds (it's a new school with only reception-year 2) this.

We've talked to DD about what happened - she saw we were upset on Saturday and while we didn't have the TV on DH and I discussed it a bit and answered her questions. Tonight at bedtime she was scared and worried.

Would you mention this to the HM or your child's teacher? I don't think it's a school's place to show this to children - not such small ones, anyway.

OP posts:
BrendaandEddie · 16/11/2015 20:31

im just planning an assembly on it - for secondary though. I ran it all past The Head too.
You weren't at school - best to ring up and ask if you are v worried.
Or just let it go.

WidowWadman · 16/11/2015 20:32

I think it's very good that they did. Some children will have learnt what happened over the weekend and share that knowledge with their friends. By showing a video to all children at the same time it meant that all children will have been given the same information, so less of the actual story got shaped by the children telling what they half heard and understood.

BrendaandEddie · 16/11/2015 20:33

and kids do get scared about stuff.

Mine were scared shitless by Mr Tickle and swiper the fox, so hey ho

TheComforter · 16/11/2015 20:34

I think it is brilliant. I've taught mine to be world-aware from as early as they could comprehend the news. Eldest is now a journalist, she always loved it.

Newsround is wonderfully appropriate for a 5 year old. I suppose the school took it upon themselves to show them, because it is being talked about, and understanding the news is important.

My problem would come if it was not age appropriate. If you DD was scared, you need to get to the route of why. Was it poorly taught about, or is she too sensitive for that content at its most childlike level?

If the former, complain. If the latter, sit down and teach her in a way you think will work for her. Reassure her. Bad things happen, but its not a bad world.

ShellyF · 16/11/2015 20:34

I am a HT.We didn't do an assembly as I wasn't sure what ,if anything,the parents had shared with their children.
However,some of the older children came to see me as they wanted to talk about what happened.
I carefully ascertained what they knew before conversations took place.

TheComforter · 16/11/2015 20:35

Widow makes an excellent point. Rather they be provided with the facts in an age appropriate way (as Newsround is), than they hear scaremongering playground gossip.

Brioche201 · 16/11/2015 20:42

Well I would have thought current affairs would come under 'citizenship' so I guess that is why they thought it 'their place' to run an assembley on the top news story at the moment.If the piece was produced for Newsround then it was clearly designed for children

ExasperatedAlmostAlways · 16/11/2015 20:49

My daughters teacher told them all about it. How many people died, roughly how many injured, how and where they were killed. She's in p2 and is six and I'm pretty annoyed as I tried to shield her from.it all. I don't need or want her to know about any of it. She's six. She believes in santa, the tooth fairy and I tell her monsters and witches aren't real when she's scared and now she knows about these real molesters isis. I'm pretty annoyed.

ExasperatedAlmostAlways · 16/11/2015 20:51

It's also her teachers first year as a qualified teacher so I feel perhaps mistakingly she went into a bit too much detail for children of that age.

Fratelli · 16/11/2015 20:56

I think it's important for kids to know about things like this. But only in an age appropriate way.

Unreasonablebetty · 16/11/2015 20:58

I think it's important that children have this explained to them, very important because it is something that is everywhere, it's on the news, the radio, the front of papers and people are talking about it.

We sat down and explained that terrorist attacks had happened in France, and exactly what it meant.
It's important for them to know what's going on.

She's of course spun it in her mind to be shark attacks, but she knows what's going on.

Original poster
DancingLady · 16/11/2015 20:59

Thanks for the responses.

I'm not going to kick up a huge fuss, but will ask the HT where the video was from, and what the context was (it's a faith school - were they praying for the dead?), and what before/after discussion there was. For example, were the kids encouraged to ask their teachers about what they'd seen, once back in class?

I don't want DD to be unaware of what's happening, but I do think the information should come from me and DH rather than the school.

OP posts:
PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange · 16/11/2015 21:00

The children in Paris have had no choice in knowing what has happened.

Children don't need to be shield

TheComforter · 16/11/2015 21:01

Why didn't it come from you and DH on Saturday morning then? You missed a trick there!

Mintyy · 16/11/2015 21:01

Why is it important for 5 year olds to know about the cesspit they are heading towards?

catdoodles · 16/11/2015 21:01

My DS 10 and DD 8 are world aware as we often watch the news. They know about the Paris Attacks but I didn't force them to watch it.

I did however advise them if they were ever in a situation that involved hearing gun shots to get out and run if they can and if not to block the door with tables and what ever and to get out of the line of fire. I also told them that if a bomb ever went off to get on the ground immediately as the shockwaves would kill them.

My DD did say you're scaring me a bit mummy to which I replied that's it's unlikely she would ever be in such a situation but that I want her know what to do because people panic and don't think straight. I also told her to keep quiet in such situations and to cover anyone's mouth who was making a noise and to say kind things to them but to make sure they stay quiet.

That is the conversation I am now having to have with my DC.

LaLyra · 16/11/2015 21:02

Was it a planned assembly? My 8 year old’s school had an assembly after lunch today after some kids terrified the life out of other kids with some gory stories (& some dangerous mistruths). The HT felt it better to have a quickly planned age appropriate assembly than just leave the kids worrying and hoping they asked the questions they’d been left with.

Original poster
DancingLady · 16/11/2015 21:03

The comforter we did discuss it, but kept things simple. A 5-y-o doesn't need a lecture on IS, Syria etc etc.

Piper of course they need to be shielded, to a degree. Should I let my daughter watch the 10 O'Clock News?

OP posts:
PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange · 16/11/2015 21:08

As a 5 year old no, as I think a child at that age should be in bed.

It's about telling a child in a way it's understandable and to the maturity of a child.

Pranmasghost · 16/11/2015 21:17

My grandchildren's primary school had a one minute silence following a showing of the Newsround footage then their teachers talked to the individual classes. It is their world too. They need to know something of what is going on.

WidowWadman · 16/11/2015 21:18

Shielding to a degree (i.e. approaching the topic in an age appropriate way only) is the right thing to do, but it must not be an attempt to keep the children completely in the dark and avoiding the topic altogether. As long as they mix with other children they always will hear about such attacks, it's impossible to avoid. Yes it's be nice if this was a world in which shit like that didn't happen, but sadly it isn't so. Be open to your children, allow them to ask questions and process the news together with you. It's not necessary to go into minute details, but enough to translate into simple terms.

hiccupgirl · 16/11/2015 21:29

I have a nearly 6 yr old DS and I would be angry if his school had done this and he goes to a primary with kids up to 11. There is no need for a 5/6 yr old to know about this yet. When he is a bit older then newsround will be fine but at the moment he loves most programmes on CBeebies and is very innocent.

I'm amazed at the amount of people who think this is appropriate for 4-6 year olds to be told about at school.

DixieNormas · 16/11/2015 21:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WidowWadman · 16/11/2015 21:37

hiccupgirl - would you also be angry if another child at school told your son about it? Or do you think as long as the adults don't speak to your child about it he won't ever hear about it?

cardibach · 16/11/2015 21:42

My DD was 5 when the 9/11 attacks happened. Her small primary school told them about it on the actual day, including news footage. They handled it brilliantly. I think children have a right to know what's going on as well as the right to have the adults in their life make them feel safe. (Sadly Syrian refugee children don't have that.)