Our Children Have a Right to the Truth
My daughter has always had the biggest of big feelings. When she was younger negative, peer interactions landed so deep within her heart. Seeing something incredibly adorably would bring her to tears.
She is also someone who questions everything. She needs real (fact-based) answers. Anything less than that is unacceptable in her book.
When she was in first grade, I took a college course on children's literature. She loved reading, discussing, and critiquing all of the books I was researching.
When we got to the book Number the Stars, I didn't hesitate to share it with her. We don't hide, minimize, or deflect when sharing information in our family.
Her first question was, "Is this real?"
I shared that it was historical fiction based on a true story.
I remember the look on her face when she realized that something so horrible had taken place and she knew nothing about it.
My sweet girl with the most tender heart was not damaged when she found this information. She was infuriated. She didn't understand why no adults had ever shared this with her before. She made it her mission to learn everything she could about this time in history.
She searched through her set of encyclopedias, checked out books at the library, and started asking every trusted adult in her life for more information.
In high school, she took an entire course titled Holocaust and Genocide. Each day she shared new information she learned with us. Along with the misinformation, she pushed back against that was shared by her peers.
She doesn't just memorize the information. She knows that history can repeat itself if left unchecked.
The truth does not harm our children. It helps them develop empathy and understanding.
It helps them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
It teaches them to question the people around them. It teaches them to push back against false narratives.
These are the exact reasons that certain people don't want our children to know the truth.
