Do Three Year-olds Really Need to Know about War?
The other day my three year old son was playing with his LeapFrog Word Whammer at his Grandmother’s house when something upsetting (to me at least) happened. The three-letter word that the game called out for him to spell was W-A-R.
Now I don’t have a problem with teaching children – when they are old enough to understand- about war. It’s important for them to understand the reality of the world we live in. What upset me is that the Word Whammer is for children ages 3-6. Shouldn’t’t we be focusing on teaching 3-6 year old kids words like C-A-T and D-O-G before we move on to words like W-A-R?
Maybe I am wrong but I don’t feel that a child in that age range needs to know or worry about war. They need to be worrying about things like what’s for lunch and did my mom remember to bring my special pillow to grandma’s today, certainly not war.
What are your thoughts about it? Am I over reacting?
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I’m not a mom, but I think WAR, though a small word, is to BIG for 3-6 year olds. I’m totally with you on this one.
it’s just a game. it’s a three letter word…tell him it’s a card game – b/c that’s what it is.
you can have the bigger discussion later.
I would not sweat it too much. I would just be honest and say it is when people disagree.
I agree with jess. Words are only words until we give them meaning I’ve found that, with boys at least, that they get war, gun, fight, etc., without being told anyway. If they learn the sounds of the letters and how to put them together, then that’s the main objective anyway, right?
Thanks to you all for your comments. I can def. see both sides and it does help me calm down. I guess I was just surprised to hear it. There are PLENTY of more appropriate three letter words out there.
Thanks to Bush they do
I don’t think you’re over reacting. We have the Word Whammer and the SAME THING happened to me. J actually walked away from it, but it kept talking. It said (in a cheery voice), “Find the letters that spell WAR” And I (in my head) said WTH??? I even called Hubby to tell him.
It makes me angry with the Leapfrog people (who I normally love). I think it’s more significant b/c we had a friend who tried (while J was napping) to get the Word Whammer to spell/say words that are “inappropriate” for a toddler toy (among them: sex). The Word Whammer didn’t recognize them. So, the company obviously programmed in what words would be prompted and recognized. Why allow WAR? I don’t get it either. I know it’s just a word, but so is SEX. I would say neither are appropriate for a 3 y/o teaching tool.
Having said all that, when J asks me what war is, I will truthfully sit down with her and explain that it’s, sadly, when people hurt each other because they disagree or are angry about something. I hope to use it as a teaching point that talking and working things out peacefully is a better way.
Your post is inspiring me to write a letter to Leapfrog…
Wow.
we have that toy but haven’t come across that yet. Interesting.
The comments on this post were great, you have wonderful readers.
I can’t say how I would react to this. I like to think that words only have power if we give it to them, but hiding things from our kids often gives it even more power.
Does that make sense? I have no clue, is that obvious yet?
after watching pochantas my daughter asked (she was 3 and now 4) what killed meant…..they see and hear many words, i think it is fine and you need to pick and choose when you go into and when you brush it off.
I would write a letter to Leap Frog because I don’t think it’s age appropriate. Should we put our kids in a bubble about war? No. But should we introduce them to it at age 3? Absofreakinlutely Not. My husband was in the Army and we didn’t teach our toddlers about war. I don’t think you’re over reacting at all. Blessings, Whitney