How do we explain the war in Ukraine to children?

Kids will no doubt hear us talking about what’s going on abroad. Christine Pitawanich reports on how we can explain the situation in an age-appropriate way.

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[anis]

it's simple, tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. Them, they understand, those are the adults who have lost their minds...

[HArryvajonas]

Hopefully, that Nato and the USA have directly helped produce this outcome by not honoring treaties signed with Russia and Nato military bases have continued to move closer to the Russian border over the last 30 years, against these treaties. That the USA helped if not directly but indirectly support a coup in the Ukraine in 2014 and have dangled the idea of the Ukraine becoming part of Nato for the last decade ( which would be the equivalent of Russia putting military bases in Mexico). Many of our politicians in both parties have countless corrupt business dealings in Ukraine. Russia invaded a country that they had a puppet government installed in power until 2014, then we helped overthrow that regime and political experts have been predicting a Russian invasion for a decade. Yes, it is terrible and wrong on uncountable levels what Russia is doing ; it is not happening because Putin is just crazy and evil. Poor Ukraine has been used in a proxy war for 20 years and didn't have a good run in the 20th century either. Our politicians profited off of the coup and when Russia came knocking, we pulled the rug out from underneath them. Of course, defending them now militarily will be WW3 but the American public should know, our corrupt politicians facilitate d this outcome and this is not happening in a vacuum.

[sieda]

I wholeheartedly support Ukrainian independence and condemn Russia's unjustifiable invasion, and I agree it's important to speak to children on their level and to not pretend they're oblivious. So, in that spirit I want to vehemently disagree with this over-simplified (to the point of doing a disservice) way of framing of the conflict as a big "bully" pushing an innocent little country around. Like it's an easy black and white, good and evil conflict and bullies don't have their own trauma and adversity impacting their decision making. Also that the best way to deal with a bully is to try and get away?! No no no no, I would not be able to instruct kids like that and feel like I was helping them grow to be the best people they can be.