Do you find news stories more depressing since becoming a parent?

[sqirrelfriends]

I find that every time I watch the news, or open a newspaper there's something new and involving a child to bring me down. It could be child poverty, abuse, medical negligence, child refugees, or just bad luck but I find myself feeling in a much lower mood after reading about it.

It's really hard to explain but before I had DS I would still feel sad when reading the news like "oh, that's sad, the parents must be really upset" and then move on. Now he's here it's like a whole different level, I can't stop myself from imagining myself and DS in the situation from the news story and I honestly dont know what I would do if anything ever happened to him and pray that I never have to find out.

Does anyone else ever feel like this?

I find the news is generally more depressing. Climate change and brexit have ground me down and now I try to avoid the news if possible, not really anything to do with being a parent.

Yes I think I was rewired at the time and decades later still cannot watch or even read a thriller that involves children.

I agree, the news, tv shows, radio. I feel I can relate to stories so much more now. I find I have to switch off sometimes as I find things too upsetting

Yes. I find it can really affect my MH and at times I just have to take a step back from it all

I don’t bother with it anymore. Life is too short to spend it constantly worrying so i don’t buy papers, watch the news or read it online. DH reads online news but it doesn’t seem to bother him as much.

I'm glad it's not just me, I think I need to cut out the news for a while. Some stories actually keep me up at night, I just can't get them out my head.

I used to think the world was fundamentally a good place, and that most humans had compassion, I don't feel that way anymore. Maybe the good news just isn't as popular so not reported.

When I was expecting dd I had to stop watching the news as I would end up in tears constantly and then stories would play over and over in my head, it was horrible. Anything involving children or parents was especially bad. Previously I’d always watched the news and liked to know what was going on in the world.
It’s been 10 years and while I may now be quite ignorant on current affairs, it’s a much happier place to be in.

Not sure its specifically related to having children but rather getting older and relating to current events with more understanding and real life education than in my 20s/30s.
I've got a heart of ice (so I'm told) and have no children by choice but find that the state of the news and the harshness of how its reported make me feel irritated and annoyed but also upset (eg: Syrian crisis reporting and seeing the innocent injured children has had me in tears for years now). These things never used to bother me in the slightest but I can't watch the news in the evening nowadays as I just feel the rage at the things that are reported and how they are reported. Not good for the wind down routine before bed.