Sadly this is tame compared to some things I’ve seen (first grade) students create for soldiers. Of course… I don’t send them. I either have them start over with some very clear DOs and DON’Ts or I just leave their card out of the shipment. They mean well, but are still learning social skills…often at the expense of those around them.
Most teachers/leaders screen those out. I’ve taken out cards that say, “Don’t get shot” and “I hope you don’t die.” And of course, those hit the trash before they get sent anywhere.
Kids have no idea what a war is or what it’s about or how to react to it. They really don’t understand why they are even sending a card.
If I was at war and a kid sent me Don’t Get Shot in a card it would make me laugh! Have a good war is a little different, but I’m thinking Don’t Get Shot is just good advice :)
I would too, but not everyone would. Depends on the person. Depends on how you react to fear. Some enjoy laughing at what they fear, others just get more worried. That’s why teachers usually filter them out. You never know who they’re going to.
You clearly don’t know what war can do to a man. Receiving something like “Don’t get shot” can make a hard veteran breakdown or get paranoid or worse. Seriously war is no laughing matter.
War was just an abstract concept for me at that age, it didn’t occur to me that it was real life and death issues. I remember around kindergarten age looking at a magazine talking about WWI and WWII and thinking to myself that I hoped a war would happen in my lifetime. By the time the 1st Gulf War started, I was a little more aware of the seriousness of war and I felt a bit guilty, as if my “wish” had made the war happen.
During that war, my 1st or 2nd grade teacher had us make cards to send to the troops. Even though I was somewhat more aware of the serious aspect of war by then, I distinctly remember drawing a soldier behind a wall of sandbags, shooting a machine gun. I assume my teacher filtered mine. :)
I’ve been to war (two of ‘em, in fact), and I have received cards like this. I thought it was great that they took time to write anything at all! We understand that young kids are not at an advanced level of social comprehension. I have four young kids myself. I don’t take it personally if they say something that might be construed as off-color.
Besides that, Soldiers at war are not too sensitive to read something like this. We’re not going to see this card and suddenly be reminded of the dangerous nature of our jobs. That was already on my minds every day I was over there. And cards like this always made me smile.
My husband has gotten cards like this and “don’t get shot” among others. I save them all because a. It’s cute and sweet that they even write at all and b. I think its important that we remember those laughs when we were afraid of what might happen. To have a child’s innocence on paper is precious and worth keeping. I think my husband would agree that we live a dangerous life but we keep our strength by keeping these little things with us. It’s rare than a stranger (as and adult) sends anything to soldiers. Kids are awesome and its that off colored thinking that keeps a smile upon our faces when we need them most. My own kids are still too young to write letters but when my husband was deployed, they would tell him that he should come home and that he should have a good day and too “work at war good” they don’t know what is the wrong thing to say but they only mad my husband laugh and me too.
God bless our soldiers. And keep these letters coming kids. We love them!!!
Thank you for your service and your insight Brian. First Grade Teachers, however well intentioned, are not going to shield you from the brutality of war. Hearing from kids back home, regardless of the polish of their social skills can lighten your day a little. Thank you for your comment!
I’m guessing this is from a 1st grader or so. It looks like something my son would make (and it looks like his writing and his drawing too, but I’m pretty sure it’s not actually his…). I don’t see what’s wrong with the card. A kid will tell you to have a good day, or one day my kids left me a note that said “Have a good work” because they knew I had a lot to do at the computer that day. And they’d tell my chiropractor husband “Have a good patients” before he’d leave for work in the morning. It’s just a kid being polite and telling a soldier to have a good what-you-do, which happens to be war for the soldier he’s writing to.
I am going to have to show this picture to my son though and ask him if it’s his…
I have mixed feelings on this, I think that the teacher should have filtered this out. But at the same time the soldier should have looked at this as a blessing that this little kid took the time to send anything at all. Kids have no idea what the soldiers are going through and frankly I personally think that is a good thing. This child probably just thought that it is something that the soldier could relate to!
I got shipped out to Afghanistan 3 times in my time and we got stuff like that above and just laughed.. but saying dont die brings up feelings of people we know or knew who dies there
My mom helped collect cards that customers at a local grocery store wrote to deployed troops. It was so sad (and scary) to hear some of the horrible things that people wrote to the troops.
I think that it would be nice even if it is have a good war at least he wrote and most people dont even get cards so i would be happy just sayin i sure that the kid that wrote it ment it in a good way he didnt have to write you but he did.
Sadly this is tame compared to some things I’ve seen (first grade) students create for soldiers. Of course… I don’t send them. I either have them start over with some very clear DOs and DON’Ts or I just leave their card out of the shipment. They mean well, but are still learning social skills…often at the expense of those around them.
I am surprised no one screened this card from the shipment pile.
Most teachers/leaders screen those out. I’ve taken out cards that say, “Don’t get shot” and “I hope you don’t die.” And of course, those hit the trash before they get sent anywhere.
Kids have no idea what a war is or what it’s about or how to react to it. They really don’t understand why they are even sending a card.
a lot of adults don’t understand war either… my wife, as a teacher, would not have sent this.
If I was at war and a kid sent me Don’t Get Shot in a card it would make me laugh! Have a good war is a little different, but I’m thinking Don’t Get Shot is just good advice :)
I would too, but not everyone would. Depends on the person. Depends on how you react to fear. Some enjoy laughing at what they fear, others just get more worried. That’s why teachers usually filter them out. You never know who they’re going to.
You clearly don’t know what war can do to a man. Receiving something like “Don’t get shot” can make a hard veteran breakdown or get paranoid or worse. Seriously war is no laughing matter.
that’s one stupid kid..
Was this from George Bush?
It’s an average kid.
War was just an abstract concept for me at that age, it didn’t occur to me that it was real life and death issues. I remember around kindergarten age looking at a magazine talking about WWI and WWII and thinking to myself that I hoped a war would happen in my lifetime. By the time the 1st Gulf War started, I was a little more aware of the seriousness of war and I felt a bit guilty, as if my “wish” had made the war happen.
During that war, my 1st or 2nd grade teacher had us make cards to send to the troops. Even though I was somewhat more aware of the serious aspect of war by then, I distinctly remember drawing a soldier behind a wall of sandbags, shooting a machine gun. I assume my teacher filtered mine. :)
I’ve been to war (two of ‘em, in fact), and I have received cards like this. I thought it was great that they took time to write anything at all! We understand that young kids are not at an advanced level of social comprehension. I have four young kids myself. I don’t take it personally if they say something that might be construed as off-color.
Besides that, Soldiers at war are not too sensitive to read something like this. We’re not going to see this card and suddenly be reminded of the dangerous nature of our jobs. That was already on my minds every day I was over there. And cards like this always made me smile.
My husband has gotten cards like this and “don’t get shot” among others. I save them all because a. It’s cute and sweet that they even write at all and b. I think its important that we remember those laughs when we were afraid of what might happen. To have a child’s innocence on paper is precious and worth keeping. I think my husband would agree that we live a dangerous life but we keep our strength by keeping these little things with us. It’s rare than a stranger (as and adult) sends anything to soldiers. Kids are awesome and its that off colored thinking that keeps a smile upon our faces when we need them most. My own kids are still too young to write letters but when my husband was deployed, they would tell him that he should come home and that he should have a good day and too “work at war good” they don’t know what is the wrong thing to say but they only mad my husband laugh and me too.
God bless our soldiers. And keep these letters coming kids. We love them!!!
Thank you for your service and your insight Brian. First Grade Teachers, however well intentioned, are not going to shield you from the brutality of war. Hearing from kids back home, regardless of the polish of their social skills can lighten your day a little. Thank you for your comment!
I’m guessing this is from a 1st grader or so. It looks like something my son would make (and it looks like his writing and his drawing too, but I’m pretty sure it’s not actually his…). I don’t see what’s wrong with the card. A kid will tell you to have a good day, or one day my kids left me a note that said “Have a good work” because they knew I had a lot to do at the computer that day. And they’d tell my chiropractor husband “Have a good patients” before he’d leave for work in the morning. It’s just a kid being polite and telling a soldier to have a good what-you-do, which happens to be war for the soldier he’s writing to.
I am going to have to show this picture to my son though and ask him if it’s his…
I have mixed feelings on this, I think that the teacher should have filtered this out. But at the same time the soldier should have looked at this as a blessing that this little kid took the time to send anything at all. Kids have no idea what the soldiers are going through and frankly I personally think that is a good thing. This child probably just thought that it is something that the soldier could relate to!
I got shipped out to Afghanistan 3 times in my time and we got stuff like that above and just laughed.. but saying dont die brings up feelings of people we know or knew who dies there
The guy holding the letter doesn’t look too pleased by it..
My mom helped collect cards that customers at a local grocery store wrote to deployed troops. It was so sad (and scary) to hear some of the horrible things that people wrote to the troops.
I think that it would be nice even if it is have a good war at least he wrote and most people dont even get cards so i would be happy just sayin i sure that the kid that wrote it ment it in a good way he didnt have to write you but he did.