I was in Morrisons doing some shopping today when Megan called me. She was out with her friends and said "Mum, one of the boys said Russia is about to enter the UK and start fighting us, so we're really scared!."
Well, I'm not sure what anyone around me shopping thought about my explanation to a bunch of 11 year olds about Russia and Ukraine, but it went along the lines of.....
After the last BIG playground fight (WW2), lots of popular kids (WORLD LEADERS) got together and made a big gang (NATO), and all the kids in the gang made a pinky promise (TREATY) to be nice and respectful and not fight each other anymore.
This means not going into each other's part of the playground (COUNTRY) without permission, and not throwing sticks or stones (HEAVY ARTILLERY) at each other, and the UK is part of the gang.
BUt then a new kid (UKRAINE) joined the playground, and a big bad bully (RUSSIA) started picking on the new kid, all because he is greedy and bossy and wanted the new kids playground for himself, even though he has one of the biggest spaces in the playground already.
But sadly, the new kid is not part of the gang because the big bad bully didnt want the new kid to join the gang.
We would be breaking our pinky promise if any of the gang members help the new kid fight the bully.
We have all told the bully off, and stuck up for the new kid by hiding the bully's pocket money until the bully stops hurting the new kid (SANCTIONS) and this will hopefully stop the bully from buying more sticks and stones.
We have also given the new kid lots of our own sticks and stones to fight the bully, because this is not breaking the pinky promise!
Even though it is really, really sad, all we can do now is stand on the edge of the playground and watch and give moral support to the new kid, because we are not allowed to fight the bully for them, not without breaking the pinky promise.
BUT....if the bully breaks the pinky promise and comes into our part of the playground (UK or other) without permission and throws a stick or stone at us, then the whole gang (NATO) will come and help us, and we will ALL jump on top of the bully (RUSSIA) and beat him up.
Now don't worry sweetheart, just go and play nicely together in the sunshine, and don't get up to any trouble!
