Big Ben Climber, You’ve Got Me in a Jam with My Kids!

"Daddy, why did that man climb Big Ben?"

The question came out of nowhere. My children had overheard the news on the radio while we were driving home. They were curious and eager to understand what they had just heard. I hesitated for a moment.

How do you explain something so complex, something that touches on politics, protests, and personal beliefs, to young children?

I turned down the volume and took a deep breath. Alright, here we go.

The Story of the Big Ben Climber

"So," I began, trying to keep things simple, "there was a man named Daniel Day. He climbed Big Ben, not because he thought it would be fun, but because he wanted to make people pay attention to something very important to him."

"What did he want people to see?" my eldest asked, his brow furrowed in curiosity.

"He was holding a Palestinian flag. He wanted the world to focus on what's happening in Palestine because he felt that not enough people were listening. He thought this would be the best way to get their attention."

Their eyes widened. "But isn’t climbing Big Ben dangerous?"

"Yes," I admitted. "It was very risky. He could have fallen, and the police had to come and get him down. It also caused some problems for others—roads were closed, buses were delayed, and people who were just trying to go about their day had their plans interrupted."

"So, did he do something bad?" my youngest asked, a little worried.

That was the moment I knew we had to talk about something even bigger: What is right, and what is wrong?

Is It Right or Wrong?

I thought about it carefully, then said, "Some people say he did the right thing because he made a bold statement. He got the world’s attention, and his protest made people start talking about Palestine. In history, many people have protested in different ways to bring attention to issues, and sometimes it works."

"Like Martin Luther King?" my eldest asked, eager to make a connection.

"Yes, exactly!" I nodded. "Martin Luther King Jr. led peaceful marches to stand up for equal rights. He wanted people to understand how unfair things were, just like this man wanted to draw attention to his cause."

"So, he was like a hero?" my eldest asked.

"Well, it’s not that simple," I replied. "There are people who think that his protest wasn’t the right way to do it. They say that by climbing Big Ben, he broke the law, put himself in danger, and caused a lot of trouble for innocent people. Some people might even say he was selfish for thinking only of his cause and not the consequences."

There was a long pause. My kids were thinking. They weren’t sure how to feel about it all.

"So... is he a hero or not?" my youngest asked, repeating what he probably thought was a simple question.

I sighed, realizing something.

"You know what? I don’t actually know if he was a hero or not."

Making Peace With the Question

We pulled into the driveway, and I switched off the engine.

"I thought I would be able to tell you exactly what’s right and wrong," I admitted, "but the truth is... it’s not always so clear."

"What do you mean, Daddy?" they asked, still trying to piece it all together.

I tried to explain: "Imagine you see someone being treated unfairly at school. Maybe they're being bullied. You want to help, but the only way you can think of to stop it is to shout really loudly in the middle of class. You want everyone to know what's happening. But your teacher gets angry and asks you to leave the classroom. Did you do the right thing, or did you do the wrong thing?"

They thought about it, their brows furrowed in concentration.

"I think I did the right thing because I was standing up for someone!" one of them said.

"But maybe I was wrong because I interrupted the class and made everything worse," the other added.

I smiled. "Exactly. Sometimes, even when we’re trying to do something good, it can have bad consequences."

And that’s when it hit me. There’s often no single right or wrong answer—just different perspectives, each with their own reasoning and consequences.

What Can We Learn from This?

That night, after dinner, I sat down with my children again to reflect on everything we had discussed. I asked them, "If you had something really important to say and you needed people to listen, what would you do?"

"Maybe I’d write a letter to the Prime Minister!""I’d make a video and post it online!""I’d get lots of people to march with me, like Martin Luther King!"

I nodded thoughtfully. "Those are all great ideas. There are so many different ways to make your voice heard, and it’s important to think about the best way to do it, one that causes the least harm and still gets your message across."

I paused, and then added, "What we can take away from the Big Ben protest is that everyone has their own opinion, and sometimes those opinions clash. Some people think what the protester did was brave and necessary, while others think it was irresponsible and disruptive. Both sides have valid points. That’s why it’s important to understand different perspectives."

And that night, as I tucked them into bed, I thought about everything we had discussed. I had started out wanting to teach them the difference between right and wrong, but in the end, I realized there wasn’t always a clear answer—just perspectives.

Maybe, just maybe, that’s the most important lesson of all: understanding that people see the world differently, and that’s okay.

What Do You Think?

Now, I’m asking you. What do you think about the Big Ben protest? Was it the right thing to do, or was it wrong? How would you have made your voice heard if you were in his shoes?

And remember, the point of asking these questions isn’t to find the “right” answer, but to consider how we see things from different angles. Sometimes, what seems like the right thing to do for one person might feel wrong to another. And that’s part of being in a world full of different perspectives.