NationStates Jolt Archive

This is a question I've been mulling over for a while. Should we tell our kids what the world is really like, without keeping any of the worse details from them, or should we shelter them from something they can't be told about, and just let them be kids?

There's a few different sides to it, and I'm wondering if there's any answer that does a kid more favors than the other.

If you tell a child that there are people out there who will take advantage of them, and what to expect, are you robbing a child of their childhood? Are you souring their outlook?

If you don't, are you withholding information that might have meant the difference between life and death?

Can you really warn anyone about the world? I think people might have tried when I was younger, but I wasn't listening. Maybe there are some things you can't understand until you've experienced them. Maybe telling someone isn't a bad thing, but they won't know what you were trying to say until they are in that situation. You can't prevent them from being in the situation.

I don't know. Maybe some of you have thoughts on the subject.

I believe that children should be eductaed about what the world is really like, including its flaws and ugly side - but, only when a child is old enough to contemplate this info in a rational way. This would, of course, vary from child to child, so the best judge would probably be their parents.

Informing them is protecting them, in my opinion.

But by telling children about the worst aspects of the world they live in, are we making them think the world is an ugly place? Is that like stealing hope from a child? I guess there's a part of me that wishes all children could live in complete innocence of the nature of a world that they will perhaps never come into contact with.

You have to give them sugar coated truths that they might actualy face, like stangers who "lost" their puppy, and other things like that. But a child dosent really need to know that the next time they step on an airplane could be their last. If the kids asks about that kind of stuff then he should be told and the information shouldnt be withheld for years, but a two year old dosnt need to know about terrorism.

You have to give them sugar coated truths that they might actualy face, like stangers who "lost" their puppy, and other things like that. But a child dosent really need to know that the next time they step on an airplane could be their last. If the kids asks about that kind of stuff then he should be told and the information shouldnt be withheld for years, but a two year old dosnt need to know about terrorism.

I agree. Getting serious, now, eh?

Kids need to only be aware about things that if they are ignorant to, than it would hurt them. Other than that, like Quadrocycle said, a two year old doesn't need to know about terrorism. That would just be messed up.

You have to give them sugar coated truths that they might actualy face, like stangers who "lost" their puppy, and other things like that. But a child dosent really need to know that the next time they step on an airplane could be their last. If the kids asks about that kind of stuff then he should be told and the information shouldnt be withheld for years, but a two year old dosnt need to know about terrorism.

I agree. Getting serious, now, eh?

Kids need to only be aware about things that if they are ignorant to, than it would hurt them. Other than that, like Quadrocycle said, a two year old doesn't need to know about terrorism. That would just be messed up.

I don't have any kids as I am too young, but I take a stab at this anyway.

I think kids should be exposed to things at the proper age. These things include politics, religion, world views, and the nature (as you see it) of people. When (or if) I have kids, I am going to try to raise them as free of influence as possible. For me that means not putting my political beliefs on them, not exposing them to religion unless they want to before 16, and generally not forcing my beliefs on my kids. I think they should be informed about as much as possible, but with as little 'spin' as possible. Let them develope their own spin.

well we have the net so I dont think we can really shelter per-se.

and as a Ahem, young adult....I dont like being sheltered.

thats the veiw from here :)

always inform kids about the realities of the world. you don't have to scare them or be mean about it, but always be completely honest when they ask questions. always.

Obviously warn children about the real and imminent dangers that they may face, but in a manner that they are able to handle: Pedophiliacs, stray dogs, dangerous neighborhoods, drugs, and so on.

However, you can turn this around by showing them a positive side of the world. Let them know that there are people out there who do great things, help people, and achieve much. This should at least give the child a more balanced view of the world.

I say you should tell children about the truth. It opens up their minds beyond their sugercoated world full of sunshines and smiles.

I'm 13. And I'm ticked that I have learned more in the last 3 years, about the world, than I have in my first 10 years of life.

10 years! I was barely learning what sex was in the first 8 years of my life! I didn't really understand homosexuals until I was 10 or so.

And you know what? In the last 3 year, the 3 years in which I've learned the most in life, my views have expanded a-friggin-lot...


I just wished my 5th grade teacher would tell us about how Bush "unfairly" received Presidency rather than making me PULL MY GOD-DAMN CARD for asking if we could torture a bug. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! WHAT THE HELL KINDA SCHOOL DO WE GO TO?

Ok, Colodia, but has it occurred to you that maybe your parents aren't trying to shelter you just because they know it pisses you off? If they weren't your parents, they'd have better things to do with their time, believe me. They're trying to keep you from making mistakes and encountering risks you don't have to. Right or wrong, their hearts are in the right place.

If you were to catch your parents in a moment of total honesty, or any good parents, and ask them, you might find that they'd be willing to take every heartbreak and hurt, if it meant that they might spare you from it. They know they can't, so they try their best to do what they can.

I guess that was my point. I don't know what kind of mix is enough. How old is old enough to understand? How much information do you give to a kid at what age? It seems almost as if the rules are changing, and kids are having to deal with mature issues at a younger age. Should we be shielding them from these things? Should a 10 year old have to be told about pregnancy, because it is an all-too-real risk at this time of their life?

oh jus beat the children and put em to work.. somethin like that

My parents have always had a policy of giving me their trust (which i'm freaked to break) and I can read what I want, see what I want, listen to what I want. They don't shelter me, they push me into the world.
And also through their good parenting, I'm well adjusted and I actually have a good outlook on the world, instead of being completely messed up by how terrible things are.
I've read and seen and heard a ton of terrible stuff too, some at early ages... as lots of people have.
It's the best thing, one of them, that they've ever done for me.

Exposing children to the world mixed with good parenting leads to wonderful things.
Also, if you just shock a kid with a ton of paralyzing information when they are "old enough", its enough to completely devastate them.
Ease the kid into the world, over a period of time.

I'm not saying to tell your 6 year old that a man was beheaded by terrorists, or to just tell them the god-awful-scary-things, but if they want to know, don't hide the world from them.

Hmm... I know I have more to add, more loose ends to tie up... but I'm feeling lazy here.

My parents didn't tell me jack shit about the real world.

Can I blame all my problems on that?

Grr i hate my parents! They oppress me with "Shelter" and "food" and "love" Those bastards! Im gonna show them...show them for ever "caring" about me!! GRwoowwll!!

^^^That is how i never want my daughter or son to be.

i was protected from everything as a kid so i had to learn the hard way but the experience of finding out myself was worth it.

I was never sheltered as such, and it made me happy. Really. Just because I was never prompted to believe in the Easter Bunny doesn't mean I'm some f*cked up neglected psuedo-goth teen. I just got to watch Kill Bill, and learn about the 'wide world' at my own pace.

always inform kids about the realities of the world. you don't have to scare them or be mean about it, but always be completely honest when they ask questions. always.Damn skippy. We coddle our kids in the US--I know because 1) I have a daughter who is not coddled and protected from the ugliness of the world and 2) because I taught a shitload of college freshmen who were and who I had to educate in the harsh realities of the world once they got into my classroom.

You do kids no favors by lieing to them and telling them that the world is a wonderful place and that they'll see all their dreams fulfilled without any real suffering.