Teaching kids about history/death

[stealthn]

So my wife and I are on different thoughts on this,

For me it was Old Yeller at an early age....now a days are about killing the robots/transformers/whatever in games.

My boys are almost 8 now and we are talking about movies, I love to watch the history channel as they have some really good shows on now, it was Dogfights for me now it's Greatest Tank battles.

My opinionis is kids have to understand what we did in the "old days" was so much different, or the violent history that humans have had (I'll get to that later) as it relates to killing and death.

We are talking about movies now and I feel (with the right preference and guidance) that an 8 year old should be able to get the concept of the barbarism that was present in the old days; we are talking about Apocalyptio(SP?) and The Last Samurai. I've always been a big believer in understanding what happens/where we've been to what/where we want to go.

My wife thinks these types of things are too much for a 8 year old. I say now is the time to learn and understand A. What MAN is capable of; B. What horrors history has shown us; and C. There is lessons in everything that happens, both in life and of course in movies.

What are the collective parents thoughts?

Bob

[look 171]

I don't think its a big deal with watching stuff like that on the History. My 5 year old loves Greatest Tank Battle. He's a little too young to grasp the concept of death during a battle, but know about death. I was watching war movies at that age and loved it, also understood what happened during war. People die in a battle field. Just think about it this way, wwere you watching it at that age and how did you feel?

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by look 171

I don't think its a big deal with watching stuff like that on the History. My 5 year old loves Greatest Tank Battle. He's a little too young to grasp the concept of death during a battle, but know about death. I was watching war movies at that age and loved it, also understood what happened during war. People die in a battle field. Just think about it this way, wwere you watching it at that age and how did you feel?

I also loved watching war movies from history at a very early age - but I had no clue until I was older that war was actually horrible.

I think movies are ok - my grief I would run into if I had kids, would be with video games with instant respawns. In real life - when you die - you're dead. Mistakes in games need to have penalties long enough you realize you are not immortal.

[fanaudical]

When my son was that age, we had the same discussion plus one additional - growing up "rural" versus growing up "urban". Childhood location also seems to make a big difference. For instance, I grew up "rural" and learned firearm safety/respect/life/death at an early age while deer hunting with friends, and the whole life/death thing a little earlier when fishing or when helping butcher cattle. None of it was portrayed to me as "horrific" - just the things we did to eat. Humans still do "mean things" daily.

I'd start with some "easy" stuff to get your 8-year-old familiar with the concept of death: Bambi, Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows, etc. All quite acceptable for an 8-year-old. Family reading time might be more educational than movies, and gives immediate opening for discussion.

From there, you might go to a couple old Westerns - The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is pretty decent at showing the range of mankind's best/bad (mostly bad) moments, albeit somewhat glorified. That will provide a decent "visual"; most old Westerns show life/death without getting into copious blood and guts (unlike more modern movies).

If your intent is to teach some history, I'd go back to reading at that point. For modern examples, you just have to watch the news...

[john70t]

Not a parent, but I'm guessing that at 5 it's mostly flashing lights and noise, at 8 the knowledge of the permanency of death might set in, and at 10-15 the reasons/concepts/rationalizations behind the causations begins to have meaning.

There are many distractions in society these days. Knowing how to remain calm and planted in a chaotic situation seperates the generals and the cannon fodder.

[Oh Haha]

I learned about death when I was 8. My older brother was killed in a car accident.


My kids are 7 and 5 and we talk about death openly and honestly.

[azasadny]

Wayne,
I'm so sorry...

[Oh Haha]

Thanks Art.


The event has had a tremendous impact on my life.

I realize now that the topic of the thread wasn't about personal loss.

When my son watched "Titanic" I tried to explain why so many perished that day. Based on offical reports, it was caused by negligence on the part of the designer AND the captain.

[PorscheGAL]

I think 8 is fine to understand death. My 10yr old loves the history channel. He has watched Saving Private Ryan, which is quite graphic. He has had no problem with that. This year he had a research paper assignment for history. He chose the Korean War. We watch lots of video on that. It gives a visual that books can't give. Interesting he can watch all that and not have issues but show him Old Yellar and he is sobbing and having to leave the room.

[Jim Bremner]

Each child is different. I raised 4 sons. My Eldest had zero problems at that age. Second eldest would have screaming nightmares if he saw anything like that at 9!