Kids - Have No Concept of Dates In History

@sassy28 (834)
United States
February 8, 2010 7:34am CST
Last night I was watching a program with my 10 year old, they showed a guy playing with a suit of armor. He asked if they really wore that type of stuff, I replied yes in the old days. Well, his reponse was "when grandma was a kid.". My mom is only 63, I guess I should have been more specific on the old days. I told him to make sure he asks grandma next time he talks to her if they wore suits of armor growing up. Do you find that your children really have no concept of dates in history?
3 responses
@mammamuh (582)
• Sweden
8 Feb 10
Did we have any concept when we were that age? When I was 10 a person that was 50 was OLD - now I don't see a person in their 50 as old. Long ago can be a year ago when it coems to some things.The "old days" isn't that easy to understand. When did the old days start and when did they end. It's not a thing that anyone could answer if you're asking me. Why not tell the years insted - easier to understand. and 60 years ago was kide of the old days :-) Have a great day and happy my loting
@sassy28 (834)
• United States
8 Feb 10
You are quite right. I remember when I was in 4th grade and we were discussing how old we were going to be in the year 2000. We would have been around 34 and that was antique. We just could not imagine being that old.
@kaylachan (57687)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Feb 10
I think its all in how you teach them things. A child isn't going to have a concept of history if you tell them "in the olden days" they are going to automatically accoicate it with something that they understand. Example: Your child is aware his grandmother is old, but he doesn't understand how old nor has he been taught to understand young and old. Such concepts aren't often taught to them until they actually start learning history.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
8 Feb 10
That made me laugh to read that your son suggested people had armor on when your mom was young. I know lots of children talk of 'the old days'. Of course many of them have little concept of time. My home country has a rich history. I am a primary school teacher. Seven years old learn about Victorian times. Younger children, like those aged five, can put together a time line. It could be old and new. It could have up to four pictures. My oldest son is fourteen years old. He is brilliant with dates in history. History is one of his favorite subjects. Time is difficult for children to learn. One lady pointed at the house she looked and told her two daughters about it. They asked if they lived there and she said no. They couldn't understand a time before they were born. My younger children are two years old and seven months old.