Tough Questions - 9/11

It's hard to know just what to say to a 4 year old so full of questions. While we always take the time to remember those who were lost on that tragic day, this is the first year we have had to really deal with how to explain all of this to a child. How does one even begin to know where to start? The images that flood the television and Internet today aren't easy on a little ones eyes, most aren't easy on the eyes of us adults. What do you say when your child catches an image of a person falling from what was the twin towers? How do you explain to them that the bad guys won't come after us? 

While getting ready for church this morning, Jaxon said to Daddy that we sure are lucky that the firemen got those bad guys in those tall towers. Hubby had to explain to Jaxon that the bad guys weren't in the towers, they were in the planes. A look of "why would they do that"  spread across his face as he began to try and process what Daddy had said. 

As the day went on he continued to talk about the firetrucks and police cars we were seeing on TV. He watched as the fire boats brought water to ground zero. All the while the questions piling up in his tiny head. I approach a tough topic like this, if he has a question I try my best to answer it in a way he can understand. The sad thing is, there's really no way to explain something I have a hard time myself understanding! 

I thought this image really captured what other kids may have felt as a result of such a horrific tragedy and showed it to Jaxon. He commented on the rainbows, the hearts and the fish! Notice how everything has a positive feel... it's important to remain in the positive (like the kids) when trying to explain something like this. 

How have you approached such a tender subject with your kids on this 

the 10th anniversary of 9/11?