War from a kid’s perspective

by Flamingo

War is on everybody’s tongue. Everybody is talking about it, writing about it, arguing and so on, everything else seems meaningless. I have no words to describe how I personally feel. However, my 7 year old son has many words to describe his feelings. 

It all started with the news and with the question: “what does invading mean?”. 

Very surprised at my answer, the next question was: “can they just do that?”. Apparently so… The next point of conversation was me highlighting that Russians are not bad people, we have Russian friends, this is not their fault. 

“Who wants to invade then?” Then a whole talk about Putin followed. 

“Is he bad?”… well I don’t know what a string of bad choices with the worst intentions make him.

My son then took one of his atlases and opened it, he knew exactly where Ukraine was. He also looked at Russia and asked: 

”Isn’t Russia the biggest country in the world? Do they want to be even bigger?” I don’t know. 

”Mommy, will they invade our home in Romania, too?” I don’t know, hopefully not. “What about Nana and our cats?” Let’s not think about that.

I explained to him about the powerful friends we have and that everything will be alright.

Then he went to his desk and drew a picture of Russia invading his imaginary country “North Konganda” (which is his special place where he processes different events in his life, good or bad). My heart dropped as I saw the drawing with tanks and people with arms looking angry, a zigzagged line dividing the two armies. 

“Will they invade Switzerland?” There is no safer place for us than Switzerland.

As a result they talked about the conflict at school and why Switzerland’s neutrality is important. The kids felt safer somehow.   

Today my son said he is angry and sad. “Poor Ukrainians, where will they live? If this happens to us as well, I can’t leave my toys behind.” This won’t happen. 

Random thoughts of a kid and lots of questions which are difficult to answer. Our heart goes to all the people with no fault in this.

Photo from Flamingo‘s archive.