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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think an eight year old child should know who the Prime Minister is?

154 replies

Proudnscary · 31/10/2011 07:34

My (lovely and intelligent) niece didn't know. She also didn't know who the President of Yanksville was. I think it matters even if David Cameron is a foppish twat of the highest order and Obama is all style and little substance.

I think (especially in this world of X Factor et al) dc should be be educated in the very basics of politics even if it's just identifying world rulers and broadly what they stand for.

OP posts:
juuule · 31/10/2011 07:35

I don't think it matters at age 8y if it's not something they are interested in.

DejaWho · 31/10/2011 07:37

Did this as a random aside with a class of 8/9 year olds once - was surprised how many of them DID know - but it was just after a changeover of PMs so was in the news a lot at the time.

Silverstar2 · 31/10/2011 07:38

My DD is 9 and and don't suppose she has a clue! Why would she, she is just a child, plenty of time for boring old politics. Can we all say that WE knew at that age, really? I'm sure some do of course, but not that many.

Oh and we don't watch X Factor so i can't blame that ;-)

Original poster
Proudnscary · 31/10/2011 07:39

But juuule how do they know if it's something they're interested in at eight? Surely parents can tell them the basics, then they can have that basic knowledge and decide if it interests them as they grow up.

OP posts:
ConstanceTenchOfZombies · 31/10/2011 07:42

YABU

At eight? Plenty of time for all that shit.

hester · 31/10/2011 07:44

Before that age I was writing to the Prime Minister (Ted Heath!) with my opinions on a range of subjects.

But I was a very wierd child. With no friends.

I hope my dc will know who the PM is by that age, but I'm not going to beat myself (or them) up about it if they don't. It's just one of a range of indicators that they're alert, intelligent and involved in the world, isn't it?

VivaLeBeaver · 31/10/2011 07:45

I just asked 10yo dd and she didn't know. A bit surprised as she watches news round, there's always papers in the house. But not bothered.

colken · 31/10/2011 07:45

You don't have to be 'interested' in something to know about it. There's enough in magazines, newspapers, television coverage to know items of information.

I'm not interested in a neighbouring council but I know something about it because I absorb information. There's an idea for a Christmas present - Trivial Pursuit!

Original poster
Proudnscary · 31/10/2011 07:51

I'm very surprised by these responses.

Very surprised.

OP posts:
DownbytheRiverside · 31/10/2011 07:55

What relevance does it have to her life? She has probably been given the information at some point through the tv or hearing discussions, but she won't remember it if it's not of interest to her.
I get the same feeling of disbelief when children talk about holidays they've been on, can't locate the country on a map or remember the city or name of the location.
But it had a pool and a Macdonald's.

lottiegb · 31/10/2011 07:59

Tricky one, you could certainly hope they'd know but maybe this was your opportunity to tell her.

I am often amazed at the lack of basic general knowledge displayed by adults but there are a lot of things they'd never know if no-one had told them when younger. People get more selective about pursuing their interests when older, so may stumble across knowledge but I think if you aren't introduced to some basics in childhood there are things you'll never know / get round to / realise might be interesting or important. I know I have silly gaps in my knowledge.

I certainly did know who the PM was at that age, opposition leaders too. I recall the participants in a general election being introduced to us a Sunday School, age 6 (something on the 'render unto Ceaser' theme I think - not sure about that but remember the candidates). Of course Mrs T was hard to ignore, what with Falklands, miners etc. Politics was more dramatic, oppositional and less administrative, so the stories were better.

Fixture · 31/10/2011 08:00

YANBU. A basic general knowledge of various aspects of the world is a good thing.

ghoulionine · 31/10/2011 08:02

Ok I watch the news every day the children are often arround and have the radio on from the moment I enter the house so news galore there as well. They do also wach Newsround.

DD1 (12) knew who the PM was, no surprise there.

Ds2 (10) started with Gordon Brown, then Nick something followed by a long list of Davids that were not the right one. So work to be done thereBlush

Ds3(7) said "I don't know!" I am fine with that, he should still be more concerned about Moshi Monsters than politics at his age IMHO

and DD4 (5, I just asked to not make her feel left out) proudly answered DADDY!

LaurieFairyCake · 31/10/2011 08:04

I think people ought to know but in a survey done by the BBC about five years ago HALF of British ADULTS didn't know Shock

Auntiestablishment · 31/10/2011 08:09

YANBU at all. I think it's general knowledge and part of growing up in society.

She's 8 not 4.

AVoidkaTheKillerZombies · 31/10/2011 08:10

I just asked DS (10) and he knows, but we do have Sky News on in the kitchen most of the day.

He also knows who our local MP is, but he does have a bit of an unusual name and he is very active in our area.

TheTenantOfWildfellHall · 31/10/2011 08:12

I can remember meeting a girl once when I was about 9 who had a badge which said "If Margaret Thatcher is the answer, it must have been a very silly question."

I knew who she was, but I didn't really get what the problem with her was!

Just asked my DD (5) who the PM is she had no idea. I asked her if she'd heard of DC and she just shook her head again. He gets mentioned a fair amount in our house, she just filters it out because he's not relevant to her yet.

By 8/9 I think I would expect her to know.

DS (12) knows and can name a few other MPs. Doesn't necessarily know what they all do, but tbf, politics moves a lot more quickly than you expect it to when you're little. I was amazed to realise that Margaret T hadn't always been the PM and that there would be others after her!

CaveMum · 31/10/2011 08:13

Surely we should be engaging our kids with politics at a young age so that they take an active interest once they are old enough to vote. Perhaps one reason why we have such voter apathy and low turnouts in this country is because attitudes like "politics is boring" are the result of not engaging at a young age.

soandsosmummy · 31/10/2011 08:14

DD (6) knows who the PM is but only because for some reasons she likes watching the news She has opined though that a moshling (baby moshi monster) would do a better job than DC because they're sweeter and better looking

SjuperWereWolef · 31/10/2011 08:17

i knew that john major was pm when i was little, and remember tony blair coming into power - i was 10 when tony blair took over. also knew bill clinton was americas 'boss' [hsmile]

but i did used to watch spitting image thats how i knew john major and bill clinton [hgrin]

Original poster
Proudnscary · 31/10/2011 08:20

Hallelujah @ cavemum/auntie and others. It's just about educating them about the world around them. I also read them the kids' Shakespeare books and the kids' bible for the same reason - to introduce them to culture and knowledge and religion etc etc. And because it's interesting. Not because I think they should be quoting Hamlet or running for local government.

We also watch Come Dine With Me and listen to Kiss FM btw...!

OP posts:
Original poster
Proudnscary · 31/10/2011 08:21

Ooh Sjuper, you've made me feel old!! I remember Ted Heath fgs.

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AurraSing · 31/10/2011 08:22

Mine (5 and 7) did know around the time of the election, but dont know now. Dd did say "oh, yessssss!" when I reminded them. Ds said he has never heard that name before. I think he's in denial.

I think at that age it's just a name that they may or may not remember, it doesn't mean anything to them.

SjuperWereWolef · 31/10/2011 08:25

[hgrin] sorry [hblush] if it helps, i feel older than ted heath..

Hardgoing · 31/10/2011 08:26

I go out of my way to avoid watching the news with my 6 and nearly 8 year old. I don't want to get into why the economy is failing, nor what exactly was done to Gadaffi before death, nor see pictures of floods/natural disasters or whether Tabacks porn habit gave him the motivation to kill Jo Yeates.

You can easily watch Newsround without knowing who the Prime Minister is.

I actually consider this more responsible than trying to educate them about politics at this age in their lives.

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