NEW YORK – According to reports, extended 9/11 coverage has led to an increase in young children asking their parents: “Mom, dad. Where does the war in Afghanistan come from?”
The question has put many parents in awkward situations as they attempts to explain the fundamentals of the decade long war to young people.
One father candidly suggested: “This is tougher that the time we had to explain Santa wasn’t real.”
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Ninth grader Thomas Darmody admitted he was becoming increasingly curious about the subject after hearing so much about it on TV.
“I asked my folks where it came from, but I could tell they were uncomfortable talking about the whole thing.”
Darmody represents just one of several young people confused about 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan who have posed the awkward question to their parents.
“It was during dinner when Thomas got this confused look on his face. The same one he got when he saw one lion mount another on that safari trip.”
“He looked us dead in the eye and asked: ‘Where does the war in Afghanistan come from?’”
“I didn’t know what to do. He’s not even allowed to drink alcohol. What’s he doing asking about 9/11 anyway?”
The subject has led to other tough questions such as “If it happened ten years ago why are we still in the country?” and “What’s a never ending geopolitical quagmire?”
Many parents are choosing to avoid the subject altogether with 15% of mothers offering “go ask your father” as an answer when the topic is raised in the household.
‘They grow up so fast’
However, some parents are making an effort to engage in frank discussions with their children. Single parent Matthew Garnett recalled his experience explaining the war in Afghanistan his 13-year-old daughter.
“I sat Jenny down and told it straight. The war in Afghanistan is like…um…it’s like. Well you see…it all starts with 9/11. That starts the fertilisation period grown ups call ‘The War on Terror’. Now, The War on Terror grows and grows and after ten long years of drawn out, expensive combat in a land far away, out comes this beautiful…err…we’re not really sure what it is yet. But it’s something.”
“All in all we straightening things out,” said Mr Garnett. “Better she learn it from me than on some crazy internet site.”
“I just hope to God she doesn’t ask about Iraq until she’s at least 18.”
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