What would/do you tell your kids?

For those of you who have kids like myself, or wish to in the future, since discovering all the interesting and often "not so nice" information about our world and it's governments, do you, or would you tell them much of this information when they reach the right age?

I guess the most common subjects i get asked about is ghosts (too much Scooby Doo!) and UFO's/aliens. At thier age (still primary school) i tell them enough whilst not freaking them out too much. I like them having knowledge and information that not everyone is privy to, but i keep it light and always tell them that everyone has thier own opinions and may not always agree with the information.

The latest one has been chemtrails. My kids could'nt help noticing me staring at the sky all the time lol, so i just kept it very basic and light. They now know what a contrail is and how that looks, and i said that there are also trails called chemtrails (explained how they look and what to watch out for) but just kept it fun and said it was a bit of a mystery what was coming out of the chemtrail type planes. Put it this way, i'm not in any rush at the moment to tell them what many people thinkk chemtrails do! They have since taken a lot more interest in the skies, and this in turn leads to a lot of questions and knowledge being gained.

I was just curious though, with the way the worlds going and the way some of the governments work behind our backs, when your priority as a parent is to protect your children, how much would you tell them? A kind of "forewarned is forearmed" scenario so that your kids are'nt blinkered as they grow up. Do you think this is wrong? Please understand i would never freak my kids out whilst they are in thier younger years, but i don't want them growing up sheltered and thinking the world is rosey world of Barbie and Ken!

Any opinions on this?

CX.

Hi,

This is a big issue I think, I'm a parent of 2 pre-school children, my older son has just started asking questions.

My personal opinion is to keep it lighthearted, but teach them that things are not always as they seem, it doesn't matter too much that the don't know the full extent of things but more important that their mind evolves in such a way that they can question and accept things.

Also I try to be honest, but in a simple way, it's very difficult you don't want them to be the freaky kid but you want them to be open minded.

I suppose it's akin to most things they learn about, give them the basics but more importantly ensure they have the confidence, self esteem and skills to discover the rest when they are ready.

For our truth may not be their truth, it can only be theirs to discover for themselves.

I am going through this with my 16 y.o. and my 9 y.o. right now. The older one is wanting to know about politics so we are taking it kind of slow. He doesn't know enough yet about that arena to ask "intelligent" questions about it, but he is getting better.

Why can't we just take over Mexico?"

Why can't we just shoot the illegals that come over the border?"

Those type of questions.

We have had many long discussions about politics while riding in my truck together. He has actually brought up some discussion points that I had not anticipated or that showed that he had put some thought into his question or the concept behind the question. I was impressed.

With the 9 y.o., he has been asking about aliens and such, and we have been taking that slow, too. He wants to know if I believe in aliens and why I hold the beliefs that I do. I have told him that it is an awfully big universe out there for just "us" to be here, and we have discussed how some people believe that they have been abducted for different reasons.

My greatest fear is that the thought of aliens will scare him badly. I want him to be open to the concept but not scared to go to sleep at night because of it.

I try to keep the discussion in general terms for him so that he can form his own opinion as he grows. I don't want him to believe in aliens because of me, nor do I want him to discount them because of me.

JDub

Originally posted by CX


but i keep it light and always tell them that everyone has thier own opinions and may not always agree with the information.


CX.

I think you answered your own dilemma right there. I believe the best thing you could do is instill a questioning nature. It sounds as if it's going well based on the queries your children make. Don't let them become part of the mass that takes everything they're told by authority as the truth.
I try to impress upon my child that even adults are sometimes (maybe more than not) just as scared, confused and bewildered by the world as children are.
Keep it up and maybe when they're ready, start introducing them to sites like ATS where they can learn to learn by questioning.

I taught my kids to think critically, since our contemporary education system does not teach critical and analytical thinking. I taught them all mass media information (which includes the internet) is biased and intentionally only discloses facts and data that supports the author's viewpoint, and excludes facts and data that does not. I also taught them about confirmational bias, selective perception, and the other mental pitfalls that too often occurs when researching.

I must have done something right -- straight A's all thru college and grad school.

My little one is only 4 and his main concern is making a building out of various toys that won't fall!

One of these days I'm going to have to tell him that this world is just insane. He's not talking yet, so I only have some idea of what he understands.

I'll teach them the most important lesson I've learned.

To be highly skeptical of everything. If you read something in a book, check it against other references. If you read something on the net, check it against other sources. If you can physically verify it yourself, do so.

I'll also teach them too look at both sides of the coin. Just because someone has what seems to be convincing evidence, doesn't mean it's true. (Which has lead me to become quite skeptical about a majority of the subjects on this site.)

Sex has got to be much easier to explain

than all this other stuff. Mine are grown, but i would think building the White House with Leggos and cameras and maybe a little explanation about our past would do it.

KIDS ARENT STUPID.

this is a great topic.my mother brought myself and 2 brothers up to question and read read read. we are all open minded and skeptical in different areas. we were all baptized catholic but were not regular church goers.we all beleive in a supreme being .one brother is much more science oreinted.and his profession demands that.so he is a lot of fun to bounce ideas around with especially the supernatural. my other brother has a mind that is filled with every subject you can think of he has a photographic memory so he has a lot of info to draw on.they are both much more intelligent then me.i am bringing up to boys 23 and 16.most of the time they tease me.i am forever telling them that i am waiting for aliens to finally take me up on my invitation to visit me.i tell them just let it happen they'll bring me back.they tease but they know i am very serious.they are still making up their own minds as to what all is out there in this world we live in.but with my family and the way we try to give all ideas a chance.and with all are knowledge they can ask just about anything on any subject and get some kind of thoughtful answer.and if we cant answer we will definitely try to find a source to answer the best we can.i beleive that if they themselves come into a supernatural or alien encounter they wont be as scared as most would.and than i can say see mom isn't nuts. all kids should be brought up to expect something fantastic.so when it happens they are o.k. to get the most out of it.and really observe the situation so they can share it more accurately.and hopefully be aware enough to get some kind of proof for people to beleive.they wouldn't be able to do that if they were closeminded or to scared. so iam proud of the way my mom raised me so i can continue it with my kids.and hopefully with theirs.and from the posts above this one i thank you all for raising your kids with openminds.be proud .

a tough question

I can remember my father
was always making comments
and I just didn't "get it ".

he did what he could.
considering at the time
I couldn't of been any
less interested than I was,
it only took 20 years or so to sink in...lol


so , on that note , I'd say it kinda
depends on the subject and the
kids ability to grasp the concepts

be as honest and as humble as possible
[ admitting what you don't fully understand yourself ]
that should allow the kid to accept that
even adults don't have all the answers


watch the news together and
point out the lies as you see them !
question authority !
always question the government !
understand how lies are told !
there is no free lunch !

hmmm, what am I forgetting ? ...lol