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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Children told about war in Russia in school

278 replies

ShepherdMoons · 28/02/2022 17:49

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?

OP posts:
ThanksItHasPockets · 28/02/2022 19:41

[quote ShepherdMoons]@ThanksItHasPockets yes we were pig ignorant in my class obviously!!! All we cared about was our my little ponies and garbage pail swap cards and that was a lot better than knowing about the Berlin Wall.

As an adult I enjoy current affairs, have a postgrad degree and am pretty well informed but clearly I was very ignorant as a child. I wouldn't have had a clue how to make sense of what was going on in the world back then though.[/quote]
You understand that you are literally the only person on the thread to have used the phrase ‘pig ignorant’?

ThanksItHasPockets · 28/02/2022 19:42

@ShepherdMoons

actually I do remember newsround and I thought it was very boring as a child. nothing went in!
Well, there you go. It wasn’t for want of trying from the adults around you.
TicTacHoh · 28/02/2022 19:44

Sorry, someone else mentioned going to school in the 70s and 80s and knowing about current affairs. I suppose I was 'sheltered' from it and none of my friends knew anything either. We had great childhoods and as adults we are well educated and not pig ignorant as some posters have suggested!!

As PP have said, you have referred to it as the War in Russia Hmm

dannydyerismydad · 28/02/2022 19:49

Our school community has both Russian and Ukrainian children. It's really important we tackle this story sensitively and factually to ensure that the Russian children are not blamed and the Ukrainian children and their families are supported.

Most children will have seen and heard some facts and drawn their own conclusions. It's important that they understand in an age appropriate way.

Crazydoglady1980 · 28/02/2022 19:50

I grew up in the 80’s/90’s and we didn’t discuss current affairs at home but I knew about the gulf war, poll tax issues and the resignation of Margaret Thatcher. Children talk about things.
I also used to worry about burglars breaking into our home and murdering us as we slept. This was never discussed but it worried me a lot more than the things that were discussed. The important thing is how these topics are explained to children, rather than shielding them.

Woollystockings · 28/02/2022 19:51

I think you need to read or watch more news and inform yourself first, and then pass on selective information appropriately to your child.

Tillymintpolo · 28/02/2022 19:52

The war’s in Ukraine op

Aubrrgin · 28/02/2022 19:57

For the benefit of those not familiar with the UK educational system, can someone explain the age range of a year 3, please?

Sirzy · 28/02/2022 19:57

When I was in year 3 at school my dad had a friend who was a nurse in the Gulf War, when he came back he came in and spoke to us at school about his experience (in an age appropriate way of course)

Woollystockings · 28/02/2022 19:58

@Aubrrgin

For the benefit of those not familiar with the UK educational system, can someone explain the age range of a year 3, please?
The OP has said. Her child is 8.
Sirzy · 28/02/2022 19:58

@Aubrrgin

For the benefit of those not familiar with the UK educational system, can someone explain the age range of a year 3, please?
7-8
Hankunamatata · 28/02/2022 19:59

If other children were talking about it and asking questions I could easily see how the teacher talked about it.

My sons yr4 and they have been discussing it at school. We watch the news at home so they know its happening.

AlexaShutUp · 28/02/2022 20:03

OP, I don't think you can really claim to be well informed as an adult, as you don't actually appear to know where the war even is. No doubt you will come back and say that you do know it is in Ukraine after all, but the fact that you're not worried about such details does suggest a certain level of ignorance/indifference.

Obviously, you weren't encouraged to take an interest in current affairs as a child, and that lack of interest seems to have continued into adulthood. It's good that your dd is being encouraged by the school to take that interest, otherwise she will grow up ignorant. It's important that people know what's going on!

heather2908 · 28/02/2022 20:03

YABVU. I’m a teacher and can hear my class my class getting more and more exaggerated and some are getting scared. I’m speaking to my Y4s about it tomorrow as they need to talk about it. We are in an extremely fortunate position that our children can ‘talk about it’, rather than ‘living it’ like the children in Ukraine (and Russia, if there is retaliation.)

As a teacher, I don’t feel that I’d be doing my job properly if I could see my children responding to something like this and I ignored it rather than addressing it.

MyDcAreMarvel · 28/02/2022 20:10

@heather2908 I’m a teacher and can hear my class my class getting more and more exaggerated and some are getting scared. then speak to the parents about what they are expiring their dc too. I have five primary ages dc ages 6-10 not one of them knows about the situation in Ukraine.

Camomila · 28/02/2022 20:10

I think it's such a big thing at the moment that it's hard to avoid it completely.

We were walking behind some bigger boys (year 5s or 6s) on the school run today and they appeared to he having quite an in depth conversation about it (nothing too outlandish as one of their DMs was walking them).

Saharafordessert · 28/02/2022 20:11

Teach your daughter that she is resilient not sensitive!

Parker231 · 28/02/2022 20:14

[quote MyDcAreMarvel]**@heather2908* I’m a teacher and can hear my class my class getting more and more exaggerated and some are getting scared.* then speak to the parents about what they are expiring their dc too. I have five primary ages dc ages 6-10 not one of them knows about the situation in Ukraine.[/quote]
Are world events and current news items not discussed at home? I’d be amazed if a 10 year old didn’t know what was happening - they see the tv news or newspapers and friends at school will be discussing it.
Do they not have any friends from Ukraine or Russia or other countries in conflict?

Tillymintpolo · 28/02/2022 20:15

[quote MyDcAreMarvel]**@heather2908* I’m a teacher and can hear my class my class getting more and more exaggerated and some are getting scared.* then speak to the parents about what they are expiring their dc too. I have five primary ages dc ages 6-10 not one of them knows about the situation in Ukraine.[/quote]
That’s pure ignorance

twominutesmore · 28/02/2022 20:17

OP, I'm a teacher and honestly felt that I had no choice but to talk to my class about this today. They came in talking about it amongst themselves. Some were very well informed and had clearly spoken to their parents about it, and others were hearing about it second-hand and clearly quite scared. When 7yo children ask when Russia is going to 'start world war 3' and use words like 'Armageddon' it is time to sit them down for some age-appropriate discussion and perspective.

Incidentally, it sounds as if your child watched Newsround as they talked about people leaving with their pets. It was very, very well done and the whole episode was only ten minutes long and covered other news too. They ended with 'happy news'. They said that anyone feeling worried should talk to an adult and I guess that is what your dd did - she looked to you.

There are some world events too big to shield our children from. They will hear about them anyway. Talk to her about it and answer her questions as this shows her that you trust her to handle things.

oncemoreunto · 28/02/2022 20:18

I would be surprised if a dc soon to go into secondary school didn't know a thing about a current war in Europe.
Some of their friends must surely have mentioned it? Watched some current affairs tv at school or seen the front page of newspaper, even a TikTok about it.

AlexaShutUp · 28/02/2022 20:21

@oncemoreunto

I would be surprised if a dc soon to go into secondary school didn't know a thing about a current war in Europe. Some of their friends must surely have mentioned it? Watched some current affairs tv at school or seen the front page of newspaper, even a TikTok about it.
Yeah, I think the pp is kidding herself if she thinks a 10yo has no idea of what's going on. Unless that 10yo is completely isolated from influences outside the home and/or has significant SEN, it is highly likely that she has heard about it... and frankly a bit embarrassing if she hasn't.

I would far rather talk to my dc about this stuff than leave them to piece it together for themselves.

Woollystockings · 28/02/2022 20:22

[quote MyDcAreMarvel]**@heather2908* I’m a teacher and can hear my class my class getting more and more exaggerated and some are getting scared.* then speak to the parents about what they are expiring their dc too. I have five primary ages dc ages 6-10 not one of them knows about the situation in Ukraine.[/quote]
Why don’t they - if they really don’t? They should, especially the older ones.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 28/02/2022 20:24

I'm the opposite to the OP - I'm considering emailing the school and praising them for making space in the day to discuss this. It's so important.

Our school coveted what is happening and why, lots of focus on fake news and where to yet genuine info from, and they had a free for all Q&A and have been told they can ask questions about it whenever they need.

TicTacHoh · 28/02/2022 20:25

I actually feel really sorry for any children who are shielded from events like this. I had a really interesting conversation with my DC6 about Ukraine tonight, she was watching the children in the metro on Panorama and actually had a lot of sensible comments to make on it, as we've been watching (a little!) and talking about it every day. Children are surprisingly well-equipped to handle much more than we think, and IMO they often enjoy the chance to talk about proper (grown-up!) subjects. They need to be able to make sense of the world around them.