We didn’t plan to see the Freedom Tower, the 9/11 memorial and the new Trade Center. We ended up crossing the Holland Tunnel and so we set direction to the Freedom Tower.
We found a parking space and thus begins a short stroll in lower Manhattan. Having our 2nd and 4th grader in tow, I thought it is a good time to learn a little bit about the story of the 9/11 Memorial and what was once stood in there.
I wasn’t in the US soil when 9/11 happened. So that my story to them is based on what I have watched and read. The incident is too tragic that it might scare my second grader. So that I limited the story to two buildings (showed them the picture). It is used to be called the World Trade Center. In the morning of September 11, one airplane struck the first building. Then another airplance struck the second building. Those two buildings ended up collapsing causing a lot of death.
So those names they see in the memorial are the fallen heroes. Brave ones. The fountain represents the tears.
The short story opened several questions. How did the plane get there? Why would a plane struck the building?
I didn’t answer the question. I left the story at that. I told them that is the only portion of the story that they should know for now. We also opted not to go inside the museum because they will not appreciate it for now. Not yet.
It is a glimpse of the 9/11 memorial and a tiny bit of the story that comes with it. They haven’t watched any of the 9/11 documentation so that is still dark gray for them. Having a glimpse of what it represents is something they would understand once we get to the 9/11 history.
The Learning Story 