I spoke about it with my DS6.
I don't believe in censorship too much, I will discuss just about anything with him and perhaps have? Though I think that each child is different and unique and information must be presented in a way that each individual child can understand and process, and without causing any type of harm to the child- emotional, social, or anxiety, bad dreams etc...
I am also a strong believer that a child only needs to know or be told, what they want to know- they will ask Qs and when they are told enough, they stop. I certainly don't go into deeper details (unless he asked).
He tends to repeat back to me in his own words what I have stated. I encourage this.
re: Boston? he slipped in when news was on and asked about it, and I told him.
*DS6 has always had a very profound interest and propensity for asking about why people destroy the planet and nature etc, as well as discussing the heavens.
more to topic- NO I would not want a school teacher etc to be discussing with my child any type of tragic events- because in that situation I cannot control WHAT is being said- etc, and the teacher cannot know what/how each individual child thinks/reacts to such said news. I would want forewarning, and to be allowed to be present-----
Perhaps if the teacher is hearing a lot of talk already in the classroom- and feels it is not accurate etc? a possible solution- teacher should send a note home to parents to let them know students are talking about it, and she would like to briefly touch upon the topic etc, and the parents can opt their kid in or not- parents invited to attend etc, kids not allowed go to library? That sorta thing might be acceptable. *if tragic event happens in actual city we live in, I'd think the school would/should address it in the form of a full on assembly with parents invited to attend. I think most schools do that?
