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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School letting 8 year old watch newsround

421 replies

rhonyvsrhobh · 24/02/2022 20:06

I think that it is important for children to know what is happening in the world - to an extent.

My 8 year old, primary 4 daughter came home today very upset and worried as she had seen on Newsround which is shown at her school that Russia have invaded Ukraine. She has asked me several times if we were going to get 'hit'. I have tried to reassure her that it won't happen (what else can I say) and not to worry. She then asked me to swear on her life that we won't be affected by it. I said I couldn't swear on her life but not to worry, it won't happen.

She is very anxious and I just don't think something so serious should have been shown to 8 year old children. I feel so sorry for them, they've had covid and now this!

AIBU to contact the school about this or am I being precious?

OP posts:
BantersaurusSex · 24/02/2022 21:08

Why are they watching television at all at school?

OP, I would feel the same as you, I think.

negomi90 · 24/02/2022 21:08

Those saying let parents choose what to tell their kids are forgetting the key thing about school age children. They talk. They talk to each other about things that they aren't supposed to.
That's why the yearly so and so spoiled Santa threads happen.
You can choose to protect your kid from the news but unless you homeschool, they will be told scary things on the playground about what's happening.
It's far better for schools to be heading this off with the child appropriate facts from newsround then ignoring it.
Newsround will be replacing ”we about to be bombed" with facts and that will improve anxiety. It won't go away but the more you listen and respond to the truth the better for anxiety it is.
And sometimes like now scary things are going to happen and you can't stop the fear and sorrow unless you stop them interacting with other children and the world.

CeleriacOfTheNight · 24/02/2022 21:08

@NoWigNoWit

Can’t be arsed to name tag…of-course they’re talking about it at school. When he’s here I choose not to have the news on. What the fuck is wrong with that?

The amount of sanctimonious bullshit spouted on this thread. God forbid you choose to parent ever sooooo slightly differently to the herds of sheep.

The OP asked a question, and one of the first things to be said is (in true MN form) …precious. How is it precious to not want an 8 year old to see that shit Newround or not?

So no - I won’t be apologising.

Adults are scared too, just take a look at the many threads on here. Some of them will also choose to not watch the news. Are they ‘precious’ too?

Your child isn't anxious because of Newsround. I think you need to look a little closer to home.

The above is a personal favourite. Stating the bleeding obvious.

The last question of the OP was

AIBU to contact the school about this or am I being precious?

The next poster answered that direct query, with 'precious'

So basically, you made a tit of yourself.

Twizbe · 24/02/2022 21:09

We used to watch the 6 o'clock news with dinner when I was a kid. I remember seeing the reports of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the war in Bosnia. Tbh, most of it went way over my head.

We have the news on during dinner now with our kids. They ask questions and we try to answer what we can.

Newsround is a great programme it explains the news in such a child appropriate way.

Fairislefandango · 24/02/2022 21:09

Your child isn't anxious because of Newsround. I think you need to look a little closer to home.

^This. Children will hear things whether they watch (perfectly age-appropriate) Newsround or not. Children worry about things sometimes. That is normal and you can't prevent it. If you anxiously try and shield her from everything, she will not learn to deal with anything.

yoshiblue · 24/02/2022 21:10

@Fizzgigg

I watched newsround today to see how they were covering it (my 8yr old sees it too) and they followed the Ukraine item with a section on what to do if the news seems scary at times. It was very good

Have you actually watched Newsround? Rather than not letting my children see it I prefer to also see it so I'm ready to discuss things with them.

This! I trust Newsround 100% and know they specifically explain the news for ks2 audience in the most appropriate way.
Flipflopfoodle · 24/02/2022 21:11

I think we can all agree that #NoWigNoWit is having a grumpy day.
It's less about your parenting and more about the fact you are immediately rude and later sarcastic when a poster just answered the actual question asked by the op, 'am I being precious?', answer, 'precious', it was the Ops choice of words and she's been a lot more polite than you.

gogohm · 24/02/2022 21:11

I watched it from 5 or 6 as did my kids. Parents should be talking to children in age appropriate language about the news

Lovemusic33 · 24/02/2022 21:11

My dc have always watched the news and I haven’t shielded them from anything 😬.

I’m sure adults and children are worried about what’s going on in the Ukraine but not as worried as those who live in the Ukraine.

Newsround is for kids so I’m sure it wasn’t too detailed.

elbea · 24/02/2022 21:11

I remember being in primary school at the teachers bringing in a tv after the attacks on 9/11. I must have been 9 or 10, it was important to see a significant world event. Better newsround than children in the playground.

Squiz81 · 24/02/2022 21:12

@BantersaurusSex

Why are they watching television at all at school?

OP, I would feel the same as you, I think.

At our school newsround is on whilst they are waiting for the parents to collect.

I think you are being precious, sorry.

RedToothBrush · 24/02/2022 21:12

@BantersaurusSex

Why are they watching television at all at school?

OP, I would feel the same as you, I think.

FfS.

So are you seriously telling me, that when you were at school you didn't have a big telly wheeled out to watch an educational program.

You know like the ones that they used to have on BBC2 in the morning and the school would record on VHS. Or an ancient video on some historical issue?

Tv and video in the classroom has been around since at least the early 80s when I was there.

Which rock did you live under for the last 35 years?

EmbarrassingMama · 24/02/2022 21:12

Provided it was Newsround and not Newsnight you’re OK.

RedToothBrush · 24/02/2022 21:13

I remember loads of schools watched Andrew and Fergie get married whilst they were in school for starters...

Snoozer11 · 24/02/2022 21:14

@BantersaurusSex

Why are they watching television at all at school?

OP, I would feel the same as you, I think.

Clearly newsround is educational.

Or do you think you can only learn something if it's printed in a textbook or on written on the blackboard?

Should we do away with documentaries?

Fairislefandango · 24/02/2022 21:14

Why are they watching television at all at school?

Hmm Teachers use video clips and educational videos... to educate. This has been quite a normal thing to do since the 1970s or so, I think you'll find.

Mellowyellow222 · 24/02/2022 21:15

I lived John cravens new around. Watched it in the 1980s

It is important that children understand there is world beyond their home town. It is news aimed at children.

She should be watching it at home, not just in school.

When I was small the evening. News was always on - my teachers always comment that I understood a lot about politics and the economy. It didn’t do me any harm at all - and that was the grown up news, not the kiddie version.

ThanksItHasPockets · 24/02/2022 21:16

@BantersaurusSex

Why are they watching television at all at school?

OP, I would feel the same as you, I think.

We’ve got to have something to keep them busy while we go to the pub.
KittenKong · 24/02/2022 21:16

It’s a kids tv programme though - it’s not like they were showing them The World At War.

Rather they learned the news this way that hear half assed school ground gossip and wild stories.

Trolleedollee · 24/02/2022 21:16

OP I agree, mine are 10 and 12 and no news is on in the house when they’re about. They both suffer with anxiety and at the moment they don’t need all the details.

Seriously??? You don’t let a 10 and 12 year old hear the news and we wonder we don’t have resilient children. Our job is to prepare our children for the world and not shelter them from it. They need to hear it and be explained factually

SarahBellam · 24/02/2022 21:17

If you child doesn’t hear it on Newsround they’re going to hear it in the playground, only by then it will be imminent nuclear war and everyone is going to turn green and explode in a giant mushroom. At least if they’re watching Newsround they’re watching really important news presented in an age appropriate way, so at least then they’ll have some armour and be able to do some critical thinking when they’re presented with hysterical dribble and dross. The news is out there and it’s important your child engages with it in an age appropriate way. I think Newsround is a fantastic way for kids to get news presented in manageable chunks. And sometimes it’s ok to be worried. We live in worrying times and it’s a perfectly normal reaction. Your role as a parent is to educate and support them, not wrap them in cotton wool.

Mariposista · 24/02/2022 21:17

Sorry but you can't hide this from them. They need to know what's going on in the world in an age appropriate way. Saying everything is fine is lying. I was a child when 9/11 happened. Impossible to hide the from us, but it was handled sensitively and we wrote poems about it. Kids need to learn about the news and that good and bad people exist Life isn't a bed of roses - much better Newsround than hearing an edited version from older kids who tend to be graphic with the details.

cookiemonster2468 · 24/02/2022 21:17

Newsround is aimed at children. This is not really the school's fault.

Anything the kids are discussing around getting "hit" is messages they have heard from older siblings/ family members and you can't really avoid that, all you can do is reassure them.

They haven't heard that on Newsround.

PlumsInTheIcebox · 24/02/2022 21:17

It’s really hard to hear but anxiety is a learned behaviour.

Luredbyapomegranate · 24/02/2022 21:18

Precious. It’s for kids. The stuff about being hit is what kids will have been saying in the playground, not on TV.