It's a fine line.....

How much is too much when you're talking about information?

My children are now at the age where they're aware of what's happening in the world and they're intelligent, curious children. There's so much information coming at them through the media, on Facebook and things which are talked about at school. Then of course they come home and ask me the BIG questions.

I have always tried to be open with my children and have discussed things honestly with them, but then I'm also a mother who wants to protect my children and not scare the living daylights out of them. There is a lot of nasty stuff happening in the world today and I want to preserve their childhood for as long as possible.

The hardest questions I have faced in the last few weeks have concerned the nuclear fallout in Japan; will it affect Australia and will we have a nuclear war? To be honest it concerns me too and I have to weigh up how to give them the facts (which I have to ensure I've found out) and still ensure that I'm not imposing any fears I may have on them.

Then yesterday's question was whether America had dropped a bomb on Israel and if so why? This one caught me a little bit unprepared, I hadn't really been following this in the news and as far as I knew, while the American army had gotten involved they weren't literally bombing Israeli people as the kids had asked. They wanted answers and I had to do my best to answer their questions. If in doubt I've always told them I'm not sure and will later find the answers for them.

At times their questions can be quite overwhelming but at the same time I realise they're growing up and becoming aware of this world that they live in with all the good and bad things that happen.

It certainly makes me long for the times when such questions as 'where do babies come from?' and 'what happens if we don't poo?' were the hardest questions I faced. These sorts of questions now seem like a piece of cake to answer. Besides the fact that a simple answer usually sufficed and they were easily distracted.

I would love to know how you all handle the 'biggies'

Well my Auntie flew into Adelaide this afternoon and my mother is driving down from Renmark to collect her so I have two houseguests for the night who will be arriving shortly, so I best get organised.

Perhaps I'll ask my mum the big questions, after all isn't that what mum's are for, to give us the answers and ease our worries; no matter how old we get.

Remember to tell your mums you love them this week, mums are special creatures who should be treasured.

Cheers, Fi

Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers. – Voltaire