to think that the content of radio news bulletins at breakfast time is not suitable for little ears

[marymermaid]

This morning DS and I are at the breakfast table "en famille" when the 8 o'clock radio 2 news bulletin comes on. One of the items is regarding the sexual assault of children by under eighteens. Words like sexual assault of children and child abuse rang out ruining my cosy domestic scene. Questions folowed from DS. Is this right for a family show or indeed at this time of day? This is not the first time I have thought that the news content is clearly not for little ears..........

Er switch it off at 8 then on again 5 minutes later?

How old are your children?

It's the news. Wish it was all good too.

Surely you could switch the radio off?

yabu

YABU - it's news sadly... Like on tv you will get violence on news (eg libya) if anything sex based is happening eg preg rates, Education issues etc they will be reported
it's notabout protecting little ears

I agree that news content si not always suitable for young children. YANBU with this.

However, YABU if you were to suggest that this means the news shouldn't feature any story that might be upsetting for young children.

And unlike some negative aspects of our society, it is pretty easy to prevent young children listening to the news.

Oh FGS.

You're being ridiculous.
Are you suggesting we only put the news on at 'suitable' times just so your children's ears aren't sullied?

I actually agree with you OP. Yanbu.

We dont actually have the news on in this house ( tv or radio ) when the kids are about because it is always so horrifically graphic.

Some people might be happy for their 5 years olds to be aware of rape and torture and child abuse but I am not, so we don't have it on.

Its quite liberating switching it all off really.

TBH i stopped buying newspapers too and my mental health has improved no end.. if being bombarded with horrible images and stories can affect an adult like that then I hate to think what they do to a childs brain.

I think the media has de-sensitised us to all kinds of horrors. I dont want my kids to ever be able to sit eating their breakfast listening to stories of abuse without being horrified, it shouldn't be normal for that to be a part of a family meal.

What's kids radio Stewie? Didn't know there was such a thing. DD would probably prefer that to the continual drone of R4 that's on in our house

You could just turn the radio off?

I actually don't allow DS1 to listen to or watch the 'normal' news, there is stuff in the world that he just doesn't need to know too much about.

There is however an excellent programme here on at about 5:00pm for about 10 minutes on ABC3 which is for kids which summarises and uses appropriate language to explain some of the 'big' stuff that has happened in the world. I watch it with him and answer the many questions that come up.

So YANBU to not want your DS to hear about this, however, you are the one who needs to censor it, not expect the world to do it for you.

Are you suggesting that the news should be censored so that daytime bulletins only carry nice stories about kittens?

Er, OP, are you suggesting that people without children shouldn't be able to hear the news just in case someone is listening with their kids? YABVU!

I agree that the news is often horrible, but if you don't want you or your kids to hear it then don't listen. Put music on or listen to an audiobook.

I don't think the entire world has to be made "small child friendly" - if you feel that the news may contain things you don't want your children to hear, then don't have it switched on when they are there. There are plenty of grown-ups who do want to listen to the news, not have to have a bowdlerised version of it just in case there might be children around.

No, frankly it's often not. I have a reasonably constant struggle between what I want (which is frankly wall to wall Radio 4 and the peace to listen to it) and censoring stuff I don't want the DDs (4 and 8) to hear. It's easier when they're younger because they tend to tune it out, but DD1 (8) is certainly very aware of everything she hears and asks questions.

Might be time to put a CD on over breakfast instead OP?

Yabu. People want to hear the news, if you don't like what is on the you are free to turn it off.

Switch it off/over at 8am and then back on after a few minutes when it's finished. Job done.

I listen to LBC in the car and Nick Ferrari (7-10 am) is always very aware of children in cars and gives fair warning if its a 'hot topic'.
Mine don't listen that closely or so I thought until LBC mentioned 'abortion' so I got the questions( Always been my rule that if they ask,I will answer or find out the answer.

YABU.... The news report promoted your DS to ask questions. You presumably gave answers that were age-appropriate and reassuring. Like it or not there are some terrible things that happen to children. If a news report about sexual abuse, kidnap, internet grooming, war or something else distressing prompts a conversation with your child, then treat it as an opportunity to explain rather than brush it under the carpet as a 'nasty thing we'd rather not talk about'.

YANBU - I agree it's not suitable for 'little ears'. That's why I wouldn't watch the news until the 'little ears' in my house are tucked up in bed.

I don't have the news on when the DC are around....we listen to CDs instead.