Traveling in Troubled Times With Your Children



We just returned from a fantastic 10 day trip to the coast of Maine. Returning relaxed, our 5 hour drive to Logan airport in Boston turned stressfull when NPR radio announced the foiled terrorist plot in the U.K.

I thought how terrible and unfortunate. My wife and I disscussed our frustration with the state of the world and how lucky we are . Then we realized that terrorist plot half way across the world was going to royally screw up our day!

Our kids, 5 and 7yrs, sensed our change in attitude and began asking us questions. It's hard trying to explain in a 30 second blurb to a child why some people want to take down planes, hurt certain countries, and hate certain people.

Some times I wish I could make Barney magically appear and sing a little song about Hezzbollah, Jihad, and the Taliban. I just don't think Barney could find any words to create a rhyme.

So we kept it basic and to the point. Good versus evil, people wanting certain freedoms and others trying to take those freedoms away. We try to keep it open and unaccusing. No Blame, just people seeing things differently. Very differently.

Of course the kids stay interested for about 30 seconds and then the glaze hits their face and then there is the verbal explosion of, " look a cow!!" from our 5 year old as we drive by a farm.

Life is back to normal. You just cant carry on your sippy cup anymore.