The young men and women entering college this year were in kindergarten on September 11, 2001. This means that many of our children have limited to no personal recollection of the horrific events of that day. One of the phrases most frequently quoted in reference to 9/11 is “Never Forget”. But how do we make sure our school aged sons (and our daughters) know about and remember the events of September 11th?
911memorial.org, the site of the 911 Memorial Museum and Sculpture in New York City, found here, has a lot of good tips and articles to help you talk with your children about the events of September 11. Of particular interest to parents should be the “Teach and Learn” section of the site. There you will find suggestions on how to talk to your children of varying ages about 9/11, lesson plans about the event designed for students in grades K-12, teaching guides, webcasts, and lots of other helpful materials.
Although the actual day has now passed, your sons may come home more curious about 9/11 after hearing about it in school. Take some time to check out this site, and spend some time this weekend chatting with them about what our nation endured. The older students may be particularly focused on this issue in view of the current ISIS threat. Be sure to take a look at the War/Terrorism materials on the National Association of School Psychologist website, found here, for help with managing your son’s questions and concerns about terrorism.