Children told about war in Russia in school

[ShepherdMoons]

Dd is a sensitive soul in year 3 and today their class was told that people in Ukraine are having to leave their country with their pets for fear of being shot by Russians (this is the gist of what dd says). We haven't spoken about this at home.

AIBU to think the school shouldn't be talking to such young children about this?

I’m sorry that your child is such a ‘sensitive soul’ but that doesn’t mean they should be shielded from world events. The war is in every TV and radio news bulletin and on the front of every newspaper. Your child absolutely should know about it. Other children clearly will be aware and will be talking about it, so it’s good that the teacher is addressing the subject in a safe, sensible way with the

Sometimes, children have to made aware of distressing things and helped to process it. That’s part of a child’s emotional development. Sensitivity isn’t an excuse for ignorance, and a 7-8 year old child should have at least some idea of major world events, particularly when they involve people who might need our help and compassion.

I was about your daughter’s age at the time of the famine in Ethiopia, Live Aid etc. My parents had to explain me that people were starving to death and that lots of them were babies and children. Partly because it was all over the news but also because learning about other people’s suffering is pretty small fry in comparison to, you know, actually being the ones doing the suffering.

What about the children in Ukraine who are living it?

If you have the conversation with her, you can control the way it's presented. Hearing playground chatter will probably scare her to bits.
By the time dd (autistic) was in Y3 one of her class mates had lost a parent to cancer, others had parents who'd divorced etc. Real life intrudes and you have to be ready to deal with stuff to help her through it.

I'm surprised you haven't discussed it. I told dd about the twin towers falling when she was 3, talked about Iraq when she was 5 and so on. We tell them in child appropriate language and let them ask questions.

They are grown now, one is in the military

The school needs to tell the children about the war in Ukraine, firstly because they will be hearing about it in the news, and secondly because in many schools (including DS's) there are Ukrainian children and even Russian children. They know bad things are happening, and the school is helping them make sense of it.

There will be a fundraiser after school this week for Ukrainian refugees too, so they feel they can help in some small way.

You are the problem.

Do you not think the other kids are talking about it? Never mind the teacher.

@ShepherdMoons

My dd is autistic, she was told along with her sister throughout their childhoods. She has a very good grasp of history too

I disagree with the majority and YANBU.

Two of war has scared a lot of adults and personally i think children should be sheltered from things like this.

We don’t have the news on at home and I wouldn’t be impressed with my children being told about this without parents being forewarned. This shouldn’t be a school decision.

I spoke to my 8 year old about it on the morning it happened and explained in detail (age appropriate language).

It preempted any weird/random/alarmist information he might hear from colleagues at school.

I kinda see it as my job as a parent to help them make sense of the world, but am always grateful to school for pitching in.

Bloody hell OP you can't shield your child from something that is on the news, in the newspapers and that people are openly speaking about. I am pretty sure the Parents of the children in Ukraine would rather not know about war. You really need a reality check.

@fairylightsandwaxmelts

What about the children in Ukraine who are living it?

That’s like saying ‘eat your dinner, there are starving children in Africa’.

It is horrific for those children and seeing and hearing what’s going on for those poor little babies breaks my heart, but children can’t comprehend any of that.

We are adults for a lot longer than we are children. Let children be children whilst they can be. The magic is gone by the time they’re 10 in the majority of cases.

Honestly with the carry on of some parents on here I think schools should give kids the facts in an unemotional way. I can't imagine how anxious some kids are feeling with parents bawling all over the place in the front of them.

@ExactlyThis

I disagree with the majority and YANBU.

Two of war has scared a lot of adults and personally i think children should be sheltered from things like this.

We don’t have the news on at home and I wouldn’t be impressed with my children being told about this without parents being forewarned. This shouldn’t be a school decision.

Maybe in an ideal world. But even if the school didn't talk about it, other kids won't have been as sheltered and will be talking about it, so isn't it better that they hear about it from their parents or schoolteachers rather than their peers?

You should be talking to your children about news. Given that you won't then clearly your children's school I'd doing the right thing. Educating them, I think it's called.

Children can still be children while having an age appropriate understanding of what is going on in the world.

Many schools in this country will have children from the Ukraine and Russia as pupils. Are you suggesting they be banned from talking about what is happening in their homeland, to their friends and family, just so you can “protect” your child?

Absolutely not, 7 and 8 year olds should not be exposed to adult worries. If they are personally living through it then they sadly will be but to tell young children is abusive .

@MyDcAreMarvel

Absolutely not, 7 and 8 year olds should not be exposed to adult worries. If they are personally living through it then they sadly will be but to tell young children is abusive .

I mean, it's really not. And you sound ridiculous claiming so.

You should have spoke to him before the school had chance because his friends will no doubt be talking about it too.

I think YABU and should already be having a conversation about it with your DD.

That sounds like todays episode of Newsround to be honest - it mentioned pets. We showed it at school - it was very well done as always with Newsround.

The war isn’t happening ‘in Russia’. It’s happening in Ukraine. How can any sentient person be unaware of this?

Of course they should! Some children will know about it from home, some won't. So they will talk about it amongst themselves.

@ExactlyThis educating children doesn't take away their innocence or stop them from being children. They are children, not idiots. They will already know something is up.

Parents who object to this kind of education are often focused on their rights - their right to decide the when and how, and to control the flow of information. But your children have the right to be educated, to be supported in their developing understanding of the world and in growing their social awareness and critical thinking skills.

If they are personally living through it then they sadly will be but to tell young children is abusive

What absolute shite.