What do you think of Marianne's determination that the children be aware of the worst of their country's actions? 

Marianne insisted the children look at gruesome billboards showing conditions in the death camps and bearing the caption, These shameful acts: Your guilt.What do you think of her determination that the children be aware of the worst of their country's actions? Do you think she was right or wrong not to shelter the children?

I had mixed emotions about this. They were seeing the devastation and bodies as they ventured out so I presume with was good to have a strong adult to lean on as they processed what they saw, heard, and felt. Though it would affect them for the rest of their lives.

I also have mixed emotions about this. While it is important that they know what is going in in their country. Agree that the horrors of war will stay with them the rest of their lives.

It was necessary to know and remember so history doesn't repeat itself.

This is a tough one because, after all, these are children and none of these atrocities were their fault. I think viewing those billboards should have included a LOT of discussion.

I think she was right, we need this kind of (age-appropriate) honesty with our children. I agree with Gloria that discussion is important, and not just in response to disturbing images. It's important at home, in school and in our public life. We can't gloss over the ugly parts of our history in pursuit of a fantasy version. We need to learn from our mistakes, and to understand the true nature of the dangers we live with and what is needed from us to overcome them.

It would do more damage to lie and have them discover, as adults, how much they had been deceived, leading to distrust, hopelessness and despair. For nations as well as individuals, wellness means facing up to reality, however painful, in order to move forward.

Ironic that few raise concern for children's innocence when it comes to rather violent cartoons or entertainment videos (even in the 1950s). Why should we encourage the notion that violence is fun or funny, and that it doesn't really exist beyond a TV screen?

So much of what Marianne said and did I disagreed with on many levels. I felt her decision to share all the ugliness of war with the children was ill advised. Shall we not let them hold on to a shred of innocence?

I believe Marianne was correct that the children need to aware of their country's actions so history doesn't repeat. I also believe we as a society need age-appropriate honesty with our children. Adults, children and future generations need to learn from the mistakes made in the past if we are to be really successful changing how we respond to events.

It was hard but ultimately necessary so that they can help history from repeating itself. I agree discussion is needed. We all want to protect our children from difficult realities, but we also need to prepare them for future realities.

It might seem harsh, but how do we stop such things from happening again?

It stated in the book that Marianne wanted the children to know why the sacrifice their father's made was so necessary. Why they were trying to stop Hitler and these atrocities. She wanted the children to know that their fathers were heroes.

Is courage learned or is it inate? Are we born to reject authority that is indecent? I don't know, but as As gthey say, those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. Sometimes, those who do are still doomed to repeat it. Enabling demi-god status to a leader who promises all and delivers nothing but repression for one group at the exprense of another is an easy way to preserve one's own status.