War in Ukraine and News

[Ohbuggeritsme]

DD 11 has caught things from Radio and news about what is going on in Russia. I've tried explaining in the best way possible for her to understand. She has asked to watch the news.

So, wise people of MN, would you let your child watch the news so they can understand what is going on, or not and leave it to your explanation?

They’re not going to miss it, it’ll be everywhere soon.

Let her watch newsround it’s age appropriate

Yes of course, how else will they learn about the world. It isn't your job as a parent to protect them from the truth of what's happening. It is your job to help them work through any questions or concerns that might arise from what's happening, and to help them put things into perspective.

11 is quite old enough to take an interest in what's going on. Good on you for raising a child who is curious enough to take an interest.

Watch the news with her

I think it's far better to watch the news with them, and discuss it.

I would also add that, if she has specifically asked to watch the news, you may make her more anxious by trying to stop her because she will wonder what you're hiding.

I wouldn’t, no. I’d explain in my own way. News media isn’t geared to be kid friendly.

Lots of anxiety triggered on here by people catching the news.

Agree with a pp, look on the Newsround website as it will be age appropriate and not the stuff of nightmares.

Look at some child orientated website of news for her rather than adults' news programmes.

At 11 yes. Not at 5 though. Discuss it with her. She's at/nearly at secondary school and is capable of understanding this situation. Don't baby her!

Another one saying let her watch Newsround, it's informative and age appropriate. If you do let her watch the main news then watch with her and discuss together.

Yes I’ve let my DS ages 6 watch the news, it’s everywhere .. he’s heard us talk about it a lot!!

Yes, I would at 11.

Newsround! If she's interested in current affairs then The Week Junior might be a good read too.

Yes, 11 is old enough for her to know.

There's no WAY she won't see it anyway. It's on EVERYthing.

My nearly 8 year old has been asking questions as he is heard snippets on the radio. I am going to put newsround on the Iplayer and we will watch it together and talk. He is quite interested in what’s going on around the world

At 11 she's at secondary school. Of course she should know what's happening in the world. She should be starting to form an opinion about it.
Newsround is a bit children's TV for an 11 year old. The BBC news website has lots of sensible reporting. That's what we looked at in class today (3rd year senior school)

Let her watch the news, I was her age during 9/11 and the start of the Iraq war, she’s old enough to listen and understand.

Thank you all. I put the news on for her and we sat and watched it together. I said if it's gets too much we can turn it off.
For the person saying stop babying her, I'm not, we have talked a lot about this and I've told her the truth, I just wanted an opinion on whether watching the news was too much as I was kind of on the fence about it
Anyway, I've had lots of questions and now she wants to watch a programme about Chernobyl 🙈

Depends on the child - you'll know best based on her disposition. I have one very rational level headed child who would be well able to handle it but my other child is an intensely sensitive soul and it would keep her awake at night with worry so I would absolutely shelter her from all of it until she's older and more emotionally equipped to handle it.

You just have to look on here or at people you know IRL to see how anxious the media can make grown adults - children don't need that shite!

@PAFMO - thwnk you

She's still in Primary at the moment, starts high school in September.

We've watched the news and had a lot of questions.

I have actually really been disappointed with. Newsrou d - which I usually think is amazing. they haven’t given it a huge amount of coverage and background over the last few week and now are having to catch up. We have just had Sky news or news 24 on all the time for the last week or so so have been able to build up to it with our two primary DC.

I'd be interested to know if adults who experience anxiety issues as a result of watching the news were exposed to it as children. I grew up watching the news and can't remember a time when I wasn't encouraged to take an interest in what was going on in the world. My parents didn't try to sugar-coat it, though they did help to explain and put it in perspective. Obviously, I watch with concern at what is going on, but I have never felt that it has had a detrimental impact on my mental health. I can't help but wonder if trying too hard to protect our kids from this stuff actually has the opposite effect because it doesn't prepare us for dealing with it as adults.

My DD is 10 and she has said that a couple of children have said it is WW3 so I thought it was a good idea to explain things. Their topic was ww2 last term so there is an understanding there anyway.

My Dad is a news addict, was heavily involved in politics the whole of my childhood so I was constant exposed to the news, Newsnight etc. I was brought up to think you have a moral obligation to watch/hear the news but sometimes it did get a bit much. I remember watching Saturday morning TV and he asked me why I was watching that when the Gulf War was at a critical point in the conflict. At 11 I wasn't processing that like a middle aged man would. Then again, he probably had a point.

@AlexaShutUp - that's a very good point!

I remember when I was 10 or thereabouts there was a LOT of programmes about nuclear wars/missiles and the like and it scared me to death. My parents sat with me and watched one of them and explained to me what it was all about it helped, but I was still scared which I suppose is normal.

Remember it so vividly to this day!