We have tended to address issues when the kids ask questions. I usually listen to NPR in the morning but the kids tend to tune it out. My kids know there is a war going on but haven't asked too many questions. That changed this week. In addition to bin Laden's death, DD9's teacher's child is being deployed to Afghanistan this week. DD9 couldn't sleep last night because she was worried that Mrs. A's child might die in war. We had to talk about the fact that people in the military are at risk and that it is part of their job. Many people come home safe but some do not. DD grilled me this morning about 9/11, bin Laden and the war in Afghanistan. She was pretty upset that she didn't know enough about these events to talk about them at school. I tried to answer her questions and to give her the facts as I understand them. I also found that a lot of her questions did not have easy answers, i.e. why do some people get so angry that they want to kill people they don't know? how do you help your cause by killing yourself? I feel a little guilty that I couldn't wrap it up in a neat package for her so she could stop worrying about it. I think that we will be working through this over the next few weeks.
