input please -- would you take your kids

[Briar Rose 7457]

my dd's are 10 and 12. they've both expressed an interest in seeing Ground Zero. so far I haven't taken them, even though my office is just a few blocks away. they both got very emotional at Madae tussaud's when they saw the wax sculpture of the 3 firemen raising the flag at Ground Zero. but the site had been cleaned up quite a bit now, and doesn't look horrific as it did in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. they'll be coming to my office in a few weeks.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

my dd's are 10 and 12. they've both expressed an interest in seeing Ground Zero. so far I haven't taken them, even though my office is just a few blocks away. they both got very emotional at Madae tussaud's when they saw the wax sculpture of the 3 firemen raising the flag at Ground Zero. but the site had been cleaned up quite a bit now, and doesn't look horrific as it did in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. they'll be coming to my office in a few weeks.

 

[Rajah]

If I felt they were ready for it, yes, I would.

 

[Serena]

I'd ask them if they wanted to see it, and take them if they said yes.
I think you'll handle it well.

 

[JAP]

Unfortunately it is a part of history. If they want to see it I agree with the folks above, I am sure you will handle it very well.

Good luck.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well, I am coming by your way (we leave tomorrow) and seeing Ground Zero is on our list. 11yo dd put this on the top of her "to see" list. I don't see anything wrong with it. In fact I believe that when she is an adult she may not remember the ballons going down Broadway but the thing that will stick out in her memory is this.
As far as the emotion, it is normal.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

welcome to NYC Mystery Machine. let me know how your 11 year old reacts to the site. it has been sanitized, but still packs a whallop.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks BR!
And yes I am getting teary eyed at just the thought of going there.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Yes, I would take them. I probably would have waited until the cleanup was well under way, but since it's completed at this point there's no reason to avoid the site.

 

[Snow White]

I would take them too, especially if they are wanting to go, we took our boys to the site of the OKC bombing a couple of days afterward since they knew people involved in it, and then we went back around Sept 11th this year and they were really interested in seeing how things have changed. I wouldn't have taken them if they weren't comfortable with it tho, you can probably tell how they will react to it ahead of time by their questions and comments.

 

[Keli]

I do believe in shielding our children from some horrors, especially those that don't directly relate to their lives until they are old enough to reasonably deal with the situations. I have a feeling that you think the same thing and that's why you are questioning whether or not to take you girls to ground zero. That said, I believe that the attack on America does directly relate to their lives and that they are both old enough to understand what happened. I would take them.

 

[Boots]

I agree that I would take them. But you know your children better than anyone else so if you think it would upset them too much then no. Don't guess I was too much help!

 

[nativetxn]

I would take the girls if they were mine. Only you can know what they are ready to deal with, though. If you think they are ready then they probably are.

 

[SonjaB]

Yes, I would take them. I would prepare them as much as possible, but I would take them if they asked to go.

 

[EROS]

I wouldn't take a small child, but I certainly would take a 10 year old IF he/she had a real desire to see it. Frankly, I find the videos of that day to be much more disturbing than the site itself. Seeing those poor souls jumping to their deaths was too much for me ..........

 

[tar heel]

Since they've asked and are a bit older, I probably would. Unfortunately, it's an important piece of our history.

It's not even close to the same thing, but we took ours to see the exhibition at the Smithsonian, which includes some artifacts from the scene. There must have been about 200 people in the gallery, and it was library quiet. The exhibition is very moving, especially the recordings of answering machine messages to loved ones.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I took both my kids to the site of the Oklahoma City bombing about a month after it happened. We waited until this spring to go to the memorial and museum. Yes, some parts were hard for them to take, but I think it's part of history. If we lived closer to New York, I'm sure we would have visited that site, too.

If your kids are interested (and you feel okay with it) I'd take them. Maybe it will give them some closure.

 

[Buckalew]

Well, my guess is that it will be more upsetting for them because they saw it before and were so close to it when it actually happened--it is more of a reality to them since they live there then say, if I went & took DD to see it. I think their ties to the place are what makes it more emotional (trust me, it would be emotional for us too!) I know you'll do the right thing, though. You know those girls inside and out!!

 

[one_cat]

If my kids wanted to see it at that age I would take them.

 

[Krisu]

Yes, I would.