Buffy should have told Dawn about her status

[Chasing Cordy]

Dawn finds out she is this thing by breaking into the store and stealing a book and having Spike of all people tell her the truth.
I do admire Spike for telling Buffy that it should have been the Buffster to tell Dawn as opposed to how it really played out.
Everybody else knows except the acutal "person" Glory is after.

Although it bothers me as to why Glory wants the key so bad, yet when she's standing 10 feet away from Dawn on two occasions, she doesn't sense it.

 

[Angels baby101]

I dunno i kinda see why Buffy didn't tell her, she figured if she didn't tell Dawn what she was she could protect her and thats all she ever wanted to do. Although it was wrong for Dawn to have found out the way she did and yes Buffy or her mother should have been the ones to tell Dawn she was the key to open up the hell dementions...It was a complicated matter that Buffy thought she was doing the right thing keeping it from her, rather then letting her know what was going on.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

Of course Buffy was right in not telling her. You saw how different everyone became, including Buffy herself, when they initially found out. That could have alerted Glory and her minions.
Dawn needed protection, she needed those people to make sure she was safe, she didn't need

Buffy: 'Hey Dawnie, you ok?'
Dawn: 'Yeah, I'm fine. Think i'm starting with the PMS problems again.'
Buffy: 'Thats strange.'
Dawn: 'What is?'
Buffy: 'That you are having menstrual issues, i mean you're only a few month old.'
Dawn: 'Wait. hows that?'
Buffy: 'Oh yeah, my bad, not told you yet. You remember all that stuff that happened while you was growing up. Didn't actually happen to you. You were made from some energy.'
Dawn: 'Oh.......'
Buffy: 'Yeah, and now some evil Cheerleader wants to use you to destroy the world. Hey but there is a positive to ALL of this.'
Dawn: 'Yeah, whats that?'
Buffy: 'Well, i get twice as many clothes to choose from now. My wardrobe hasn't been that great, but if you die, i get that top you are wearing.'
Dawn: 'GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!'

No, Buffy was perfectly correct to not inform Dawn.
Thats not to say Buffy or her mother shouldn't have been the ones to tell her, just that they did right in not.

 

[eponinethen]

Yeah I definitely understand why Buffy didn't tell Dawn. It was very unfortunate that she had to find out the way she did, but I still understand her. And Spike didn't really tell Dawn.. he found out at the same time as her, didn't he?

 

[The Arcane]

Totally agreed with those who think Buffy was right in not telling Dawn. The idea was for as few people to know as possible in order to keep the secret safe. Telling anyone would only increase the risk and especially Dawn who, let's face it, was hardly mature enough at the time to deal with the information rationally.

 

[M-a-r-c]

I mean look what she did when she found out! cutting herself! I think she would've reacted the same way if she found out through buffy anyway. and agree that buffy was right in not telling her.

 

[Helpless]

If Buffy told Dawn, that would have put matters much, much worse. What I mean by this is that Dawn probably would freak out...like she did, she cut herself. If Dawn was told, she probably wouldn't really care about her life, after all she was a ball of energy.

Dawn wouldn't care anymore and she probably would just let go. Buffy would have a hard time protecting her that way so I can see why Buffy kept it a secret.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

If Buffy told Dawn, that would have put matters much, much worse. What I mean by this is that Dawn probably would freak out...like she did, she cut herself. If Dawn was told, she probably wouldn't really care about her life, after all she was a ball of energy.

Dawn wouldn't care anymore and she probably would just let go. Buffy would have a hard time protecting her that way so I can see why Buffy kept it a secret.

I don't think so.
I think IF Buffy had been the one to sit and tell her, she could have helped her explain the situation. Dawn would still have freaked, but Buffy(and Joyce) would have been there from the beginning with the support.

No, although Buffy was correct in not telling, IF Dawn HAD to find out, then it should have been Buffy.

In Blood Ties, when she realises that Buffy, Joyce and all care deeply for her, she stops with the whole 'what/who am i' stint.