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AIBU?

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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:
SuperSocks · 24/02/2022 21:31

*What helps DD is to do something. So we gave money (mine and hers) to an Afghan women's charity when there was news about Afghanistan. If we talk about Ukraine we will do something to help them.

Keeps the focus external, focused on helping, and showing we have power to change things and help. Rather than an anxious internal focus on the safety of self.*

That's a very good idea! One of my first memories is of collecting for food parcels for Bosnian families during the war.

Would it be reassuring for her if you tell her about the Bosnia/Herzegovina conflict? You can show her on the globe that Ukraine is similar in distance to us and the UK wasn't attacked then. Obviously I know the current situ has far more 'to do' with us but you daughter needn't know that.

AhNowTed · 24/02/2022 21:31

Oh come on.

Kids need to know what's happening in the world.

A 10 year old is more than capable of absorbing the myriad wrongs that mankind has done on their fellow man: slavery, the holocaust, the decimation of native Americans.....

It teaches them empathy, and the belief that politics isn't just for the elite, but for everyone. It's life, and their life.

Frankly I believe that every child should read books like 1984.

KittenKong · 24/02/2022 21:32

@RedToothBrush

What was the 1980s newspaper for kids called? I can't remember its name. I definitely read that at primary.
First news. Still going isn’t it?
NCfortoday2021 · 24/02/2022 21:33

Newsround is the news for children!!! I brought it up with my 8yo today - rather she knew she could speak to me if she hears anything worrying.

Changechangychange · 24/02/2022 21:33

@BantersaurusSex

Why are they watching television at all at school?

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

Do you have children in school, or have you been a school child yourself at any point since 1970? All schools show tv and videos.

What else would you like to know? Why do schools need so many pencils? Why do school gyms all have monkey bars (good question)? Why are dogs in playgrounds more interesting than dogs in the park?

headintheproverbial · 24/02/2022 21:35

You're bonkers OP, sorry.

GypsyWanderer · 24/02/2022 21:36

Funny thing but my 10 year old watches newsround at school daily and didn’t mention it but my 3 boys (14-16 year olds) all came home from different places talking of WWIII, obviously from social media and their friends etc. My point being you can try to protect them from current affairs but with the speed of technology it’s not really possible. It’s best just to talk openly but calmly about what’s going on and answer any questions that might come up.

HufflepuffPride · 24/02/2022 21:36

Yes you are being precious. Newsround is a aimed at children, would you rather your dd grew up in ignorance about the world?

Bellie710 · 24/02/2022 21:38

My kids watch newsround at school, something else that is great for explaining the news in simple terms is The Week Children's version which they also get at school.

LightfoldEngines · 24/02/2022 21:38

@DameCelia

The whole point of Newsround is to explain in a child friendly way to make sure children have a chance to learn about what's going on in the world without being kept in the dark by over protective parents
This.

DD11 has clinically diagnosed anxiety, the way to deal with it is to discuss it further, not pretend it isn’t happening.

DD6’s class also watch Newsround and she’s not mentioned anything yet.

BurbageBrook · 24/02/2022 21:39

Very precious of you. They need to have some knowledge of the world. Otherwise you’ll bring up unintelligent kids with their heads completely in the clouds. Newsround is aimed at children.

Kite22 · 24/02/2022 21:39

Precious.

Newsround (Am I the only one who still wants to call it John Craven's Newsround?) is specifically in existence to explain what is happening in the world in an age appropriate way.
She is exactly in the right age bracket for Newsround.

bumblingbovine49 · 24/02/2022 21:39

It is a worrying time You really can't protect your daughter from the anxieties of life. I imagine Ukrainian parents are having even more trouble calming their childrens' fears
I am not saying that to undermine your daughter's very real worries but to gently point out that as a parent you job is not to protect you child from all concerns and worries ,( particularly when those worries are not actually ones that very likely to come to anything ) but to help your daughter learn how to manage those worries

Newsround is absolutely appropriate for an 8 year old and sometimes the news can be worrying. That is absolutely normal

Onelifeonly · 24/02/2022 21:40

Like any difficult topic, wars are best presented to children in a child friendly, age appropriate way. Sure some may get anxious about it, as do some adults. But a) they will hear about things from other children in a way that may be much more alarming, b) it's worse for children to overhear adults discussing potentially scary topics without explaining them, and c) they have to grow up eventually and that can't all take place on the day before their 18th birthday.

Dartsplayer · 24/02/2022 21:43

Newsround is aimed at 6-12 year olds. You can't shelter them because they'll hear others talk. My 14YO came to me tonight and said his friend told him Russia were going to start bombing the UK tomorrow so I sat him down and explained everything in an age appropriate way which reassured him

saraclara · 24/02/2022 21:43

I've just watched today's newsround on iPlayer. It was brilliant. Really really well judged and calm. It even included an animation about what to do and who to talk to of the news worries you. And it sounds as though OP's DD did exactly what it suggests. 'Talk to your parents or an adult that you trust, and ask them any questions that you have'. It also reassured them the the chances of them being affected are very very low.

Very well done to the BBC, and if my daughters were still that age, I'd be very grateful to the school for showing them this.

BoredZelda · 24/02/2022 21:43

I am anxious about the goings on in the world and to be honest, other than telling my daughter it won't happen (even though I don't know that)

Which is where your daughter will be picking up on it.

If my daughter had been so worked up about this, I’d be chatting to her about perspective.

Highflow · 24/02/2022 21:45

I don’t think you are being precious.
My son watches newsround most days at school while they are getting their bits together… except
today the school decided not to. I think that was a good call

AhNowTed · 24/02/2022 21:46

@headintheproverbial

You're bonkers OP, sorry.

Harsh, but yes "contacting the school" is ridiculous.

OP I'm glad your child has at least been told some understanding of what's going on by the school, if obviously not by you.

Ijsbear · 24/02/2022 21:46

On Page 2 the OP rather graciously accepted she had maybe got it wrong!

No need to savage her!

AhNowTed · 24/02/2022 21:47

@Highflow

I don’t think you are being precious. My son watches newsround most days at school while they are getting their bits together… except today the school decided not to. I think that was a good call

Why?

Heidipi · 24/02/2022 21:47

My DC watch newsround at school and I think it’s great that they hear the news pitched just right for their age, they also talk about it with their teacher and class. I sometimes watch it on iPlayer to see how they are explaining stories e.g. Afghanistan, and they do it so well. Love the Beeb.

nanbread · 24/02/2022 21:47

My DC's school shows them Newsround. My DC same age loves it and we have some really interesting conversations about current affairs, politics, geography, people's achievements etc that we wouldn't have had otherwise as we don't watch TV news at home (with the DC anyway).

I do however think that the 24 hour news cycle / clamour to get clicks and views because it equals £ / making "news" available via social media can be widely harmful - often resulting in sensationalistic reporting, over-reporting, over-hyping issues that don't need to be overhyped, ignoring important issues which happen to be less "sexy", increase anxiety in the reader, or feed conspiracy theories.

AhNowTed · 24/02/2022 21:47

@Ijsbear

On Page 2 the OP rather graciously accepted she had maybe got it wrong!

No need to savage her!

My apologies.

SlightlyJaded · 24/02/2022 21:48

OP - do you think this might be less about the school showing Newsround and more about you not knowing how to have the conversation with her afterwards?

I think it's ok to struggle with conversations like this and seek advice on the best way to address things that are scary and big worldy and beyond your control, but it's not a reason to shield your DC from age-appropriate reporting.

There are lots of resources out there to help with conversations like this. There is no shame in finding that part hard.

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