Children should be dealt with politely but honestly, just like people in general.
Alias Irrelevante
Yes, to an extent. One can't shelter them from everything, though, because they are going to experience unhappiness in their lives at sometime or other, and they're going to have to be able to deal with it. It's interesting that this question was asked because I having been struggling with in issue of protecting my 9 year old son from a bit of unhappiness that had occurred yesterday. This doesn't sound like much, but his pet hamster died yesterday, and I debated over not telling him and just going out and buying a replicate hamster before he found out. In the end, I decided to tell him the truth. I don't know what made me come to that decision. He was upset, cried himself to sleep and announced that his Christmas was ruined because of it. Did I make the right decision? I don't know.
Tam
Absolutely not.
Life can be unfair and very unhappy at times. It drives me crazy to think
that there is no winning and losing anymore. Children should experience
all facets of life, winning, losing and having a tie to fully appreciate
what life is all about. If you take the losing out of being a kid, if
everyone is always a winner, when they grow up and hit the real world,
life will throw them a curveball, they will strike-out and they won't
know how to deal with it or how to react. The old saying you win some,
you lose some is no longer... it's now you win some, you win some and
there is no such thing as losing. Tell that to those kids when they grow
up and they get rejected for a job or they fail a class or they lose someone
they love. This subject irritates me, I'll stop now.
Doug2,
30
Kansas City, KS USA
When possible. Obviously you can't shelter them against all unhappiness, nor should you. It's much better to help them learn to deal with it.
Judy,
62
Easton, KS USA
No...let them find out what a relative taught me...life's a bi... and then you die...
Spartacus,
31
Thrace
Absolutely not!!!! If anything will screw them up later on, it would be the shocking reality that experiencing sadness is the only way to come to recognize true happiness.
Fisch,
47
Preston, CT USA
No way! A child should not be sheltered from anything. How can a child be expected to cope with the a world which for the most part is a pretty hostile place and be sheltered without knowing how to deal with it?!
You Me
Children should be sheltered from violence. Unhappiness is part of life and they need supportive people in their lives to help them learn how to cope with it.
Laura,
37
Lowell, MA USA
Children should be protected from unnecessary unhappiness, but they should not be cut off from reality. Further, anyone who "shelters" a child from unhappiness that the child has caused through deliberate naughtiness will create a monster.
Jill,
61
Saylorsburg, PA USA
Children should
be sheltered from things that could ruin their lives, but allowed to deal
with minor
disappointments so they will be prepared to handle big ones later on.
Cathie,
53
Novi, MI USA
Unless it's a really dramatic situation, yes. When I was younger, my parents would always argue. Constantly. And it would usually end by my mom crying or sulking around the house all day. They're still like that sort of, but I think I've learned to ignore it, to block it out. I only wish that they had realised the affect their arguments were having on me and I wish they had hid their misery and anger, because... It's just not nice to grow up feeling insecure.
Merve,
15
Turkey
I don't feel that
children should be unhappy all the time or anything, but I don't think
they should (or could) be sheltered altogether. To appreciate happiness,
you have to have unhappiness for
comparison.
Karen,
23
Ames, IA USA
In an ideal world, yes. Unfortunately, children have to live in the real world. Sad things happen. All one can do is provide a strong emotional anchor and help the children develop their ability to deal with unhappy situations.
Jane,
63
West Linn, OR USA
Depends on the unhappiness and how closely it relates to them. I don't think childrens should grow up to be adults with rose-colored glasses, but they should also feel secure and loved.
Felicia,
36
Lowell, MA USA
Depends what the unhappiness is. Everyone deserves a happy childhood. However certain facts of life, such as death, tend to make people unhappy, but are things kids need to learn about.
Talia,
25
Tallahassee, FL USA
yes but no they need to know what unhappiness is so they will survive when they grow up.
Savannah,
17
Melbourne, FL USA
To some extent, yes, but not totally. They shouldn't have to deal with all the big bad ugly crap we face every day, but to let them think everything's peachy should be a crime. It leaves them unprepared.
Firelady,
24
Frisco, TX USA
No, otherwise they'd never mature.
Aly,
17
Cardiff, UK
A few things maybe until they are older. Things like death and divorce should be kept on the back burner. Nothing negative until they can understand.
Stephanie,
25
TX USA
Absolutely not! That's not teaching them anything. Besides, you can't shelter someone from every unhappy thing in life. It'll happen sooner or later!
Tracy,
24
Ocean City, NJ USA
No, they should be allowed to face reality which often includes unhappiness. However, I know this is easier said than done. You want to protect anyone you love from unhappiness. I guess this is just human instinct.
Reba,
57
Gaithersburg, MD USA
To a certain extent, like I don't believe in arguing or fighting with your spouse in front of your childern, but I think unhappiness happens in life. If you don't know a little bit of what unhappiness is, then how can you know happiness?
Keri-Jade,
23
Brampton, Ontario CANADA
I think that's the worst thing you could possibly to for a child and nearly impossible. When they are young they start to learn coping skills and recognize their emotions. Things are going to happen that will upset the child and its best that they learn proper ways to deal with their emotions.
Emily,
16
Harrisburg, PA USA
No. I don't think they need to see all the gore and the atrocities people can do to each other. But the sooner they learn that life is not fair the better off they will be.
Janet,
45
E. Brunswick, NJ USA
That's a hard one. I have 2 children and I wanted to protect them from everything. But I've realized that sometimes, no, all the time, you cannot do that. I think it gives them coping skills for life. If they see you dealing with lifes ups and downs, it shows them that they can do it too.
KarenNJ,
25
Milltown, NJ USA