Do you watch the TV news? Do your kids?

[Mimx]

I’m keen to increase my kids’ exposure to current affairs (they are y7 and y5). Looking back when I was growing up in a fairly politically aware household, I learnt a lot about current affairs just from the tv being on the 6 o’clock news every day (after Neighbours!). It prompted me to ask questions that led to some important conversations, I remember asking what is rape when I heard the word on a news report. But we just don’t access the news like that now in this house, I have a quick browse on news websites but that’s it. We’ve had First News for a few years, but it’s not something they often seek out to read, so I’m thinking about background exposure instead.

So do other people watch the news as a family? How does it fit into your days in these ‘on demand’ times?

I would never ever watch the news as a family!!

News is a media product, it sells.

It's miserable.

My older dc are extremely well versed in most current affairs. They come through the filter of mum and dad and occasionally the news might be on. There's no way I do an enforced family watch!! You don't know what's going to come up!!

no tv so don't watch news, we have a radio though and can listen to the news, read news online or look at newspapers

I used to watch the news avidly as a child and read any paper I could get my hand on. Later I trained as a journalist. I rarely watch the news now - but we rarely have the TV on. I have the radio on and if my nine year old’s about she asks me to turn the news off when it comes on as it scares her.

Hi OP, my household was the same growing up, after neighbours and before dinner.

I think there is something in having a set time where you are all consuming the same info and then able to digest and discuss it.

Now me and DH tend to have the radio on more in the mornings esp. since lockdown (usually BBC Radio 4 or 5Live). If you had time for a morning routine with the kids and had either radio or tv on could spark some questions on the school run (once up and running again)?

BBC Newsround is brilliant for this - I watch is twice a week as part of homeschooling.

Thanks! Radio is a good idea, we occasionally have 5Live on but I get fed up of their rehashing of the same stories - but having it on for a specific period of time might work. Just found this list of news options for kids which also has some suggestions.

@Mimx thanks for the link!

We listen to the today programme over breakfast and DC read same newspaper as us.
By year 5 and 7 for oldest we discussed news over dinner.