School letting 8 year old watch newsround

[rhonyvsrhobh]

I think that it is important for children to know what is happening in the world - to an extent.

My 8 year old, primary 4 daughter came home today very upset and worried as she had seen on Newsround which is shown at her school that Russia have invaded Ukraine. She has asked me several times if we were going to get 'hit'. I have tried to reassure her that it won't happen (what else can I say) and not to worry. She then asked me to swear on her life that we won't be affected by it. I said I couldn't swear on her life but not to worry, it won't happen.

She is very anxious and I just don't think something so serious should have been shown to 8 year old children. I feel so sorry for them, they've had covid and now this!

AIBU to contact the school about this or am I being precious?

[Donelurking]

Precious.

[ohhooh]

Doesn't need round target children that age? I think they normally explain things really well with appropriate language - it's a tough one, I understand your DD is worried, but newsround isn't really inappropriate.

[melj1213]

Yabu

[Abraxan]

Newsround is aimed at children and he really reports in very much child friendly terms. Like the children's newspaper First News, it can be a really good source of current information for this age group.

I don't think the school is round to show the program.

[x2boys]

News round is specifically aimed at children ,to explain things in a child friendly way .

[Teacupsandtoast]

Precious, sorry! Newsround is age appropriate and a good way to introduce children to news and current issues, delivered in a way that they will be able to understand/further discuss with their teacher

[Bdhntbis]

Newsround is designed for children of her age though isn’t it….? Maybe a heads up from the school would be good so parents are ready to answer questions but they’re going to overhear adults talking about it so it’s better it’s explained

[ipswichwitch]

My 8yo has seen newsround at school. IMO it’s better they learn about these type of things in a well informed, and appropriately explained way, that enables discussion and chance to allay fear, than overhearing snippets of adult conversation and scaring yourself half to death imagining the rest.

[ThirdElephant]

Precious.

[SugarAndCoffee]

It's better to have to have it explained carefully by Newsround than to over hear things or get scared by other kids getting it wrong.

[DameCelia]

The whole point of Newsround is to explain in a child friendly way to make sure children have a chance to learn about what's going on in the world without being kept in the dark by over protective parents

[FangsForTheMemory]

You're being precious. Anyone who was a child in the 50s or 60s grew up knowing about the potential for nuclear war. At what point would you prefer your child to find out? Other children will tell her anyway.

[converseandjeans]

I think children need to know what is happening.

I do recall being frightened of a nuclear war in the 80s though & also Irish bombing attacks.

[SlashBeef]

Good grief. Newsround is appropriate for that age. You are being very precious.

[Bimblybomeyelash]

My 8 year old loves newsround. He watches it every day at school. I haven’t got a bloody clue what he is studying at school at the moment, but we regularly chat about what he’s seen on newsround. I think it’s great that they watch it.

[AlexaShutUp]

Honestly, I think you're being precious. Newsround is age appropriate, and it's better for your dd to hear about what is going on from a reliable, reputable source rather than rumours of WW3 in the playground.

We do our kids no favours by wrapping them in all this cotton wool. I suspect that overprotective parents contribute in large part to the growing mental health crisis that we have in our society.

Your job as a parent is not to hide the reality of what happens in the world but to help your child learn to deal with it. Part of that includes helping them to understand and talk about what is going on.

[PagesOfSlime]

The kids are talking about it though. My 9 year old came out with some outlandish claims today which really aren't true but X said this and that and that Russia has asked the U.S and China to help them fight....
I would think it's better that they have info from a source aimed at children rather than playground gossip.

[Tillymintpolo]

You’re being ridiculous

[rainbowmash]

8 year olds are the target demographic for Newsround.

Schools are supposed to teach children about the world using age-appropriate tools. That's their job, and that's what they're doing. It's a parent's job to teach them how to handle worrying subject matter.

Sounds like youre experiencing your own anxiety about world events (understandable) and projecting them onto your children (unreasonable)

[Fizzgigg]

I watched newsround today to see how they were covering it (my 8yr old sees it too) and they followed the Ukraine item with a section on what to do if the news seems scary at times. It was very good

Have you actually watched Newsround? Rather than not letting my children see it I prefer to also see it so I'm ready to discuss things with them.

[EdithWeston]

The Newsround coverage is good, and age appropriate. Better to have the issue explained calmly in that sort of way than have random and pribabkymexaggerated versions flying round the playground.

The Newsround page includes Advice If You're Upset By The News www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/13865002 which you might like to look at together

Their articles on the Russian attack on Ukraine and the respose from UK, US and the rest of the world are on their main news page www.bbc.co.uk/newsround

[user1471504747]

Wasn’t there a really similar thread to this not long ago?

Newsround will present the news in an age appropriate way, I would look at ways to help her I cope with anxious feelings and build resilience. Will do her much better in the long term. Otherwise how will she cope with the news as an adult?

[Neurodiversitydoctor]

We listened to a children's radio news broadcast at school in year 5 (11am on a thursday) we then had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss issues.

Was at a really good training session today where they spoke about the importance of telling children the truth and not hiding information from them.

I would suggest your response could have been " yes it is frightening isn't it?" then an opportunity to talk about the history of the region, cold war etc. Isn't this what is called cultural capital ?

[LivingDeadGirlUK]

I think as parents we need to explain to kids whats going on in ways they can understand. I remember being very scared as a child that we would be blown up by the IRA, my parents had the news on every day but never explained to us what was going on.