A Navy SEAL Shares His Approach To Talking To His Kids About Terrorism

My son was 1 when 9/11 happened. He's effectively never lived outside the "war on terror." Terrorism is just part of his reality. My wife and I speak plainly about it.

That said, the article reminds me of a Captain America Quote (Pictured).

We have a short memory. The 70s and 80s had bombings in Europe. Just different groups today. We still do not have security to stop attacks or prevent "guerrillas" now "terrorist" entering countries. Did we forget Beirut? This is nothing new and we will not do anything different.

I think article by Alden Mills and his approach to his children makes sense COL Mikel J. Burroughs.
As the father of four sons, including one who served with 3/75 Ranger or a few years, his language makes good sense in the days we have been living with since well before 9/11/2001.
I have seen the empty eyes of children far too many times over the years. Children have been killing other children and grown-ups or a long time. A couple month ago a central american gang executed a 17 year-old at the school bus stop 1/4 o a mile from our house. they used a minor to execute the teenager because minor have lower jail sentence even or contract killing.
"Because I want them to hear it from me first, not on the playground, not from someone else who fears terrorists. Terrorists are bullies, and to put it into my 6-year-old’s language, a terrorist wants him to stay inside and not to have fun at the local playground. To my older boys, I relate with them on how to deal with a bully. Bullies prey on the weak, they don’t expect to get hit back. Hit a bully and watch what happens: They back down, especially if many team up with you to hit that bully back.
To fear a terrorist is to let a terrorist win. To fear a terrorist is to put a limit on your imagination. I want my boys (and all children) to dream with reckless abandon. I will refuse to my last breath to allow an outside force to place a restraint on my boys’ imagination. I don’t want my boys to grow up fearing anything (not even their Mother, but they sure better respect her!). Like those two American service members who stood in the path of a terrorist on a European train, I want my boys to know that for terrorism to fail it will take societies of men and women who are willing to stand in the path of terror and confront them head on.