School letting 8 year old watch newsround

[rhonyvsrhobh]

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?

I don’t think you’re being precious - our kids have had a shit couple of years and it’s really hard to cope with something else that’s causing uncertainty.

I don’t like when adults watch adult news around children.

However kids are not stupid and will know somethings going on. So watching something like newsround can often help and take away that feeling of anxiety.

I suggest that you watch newsround with her again so you can discuss it together.

My DH and I managed to explained the Russian/Ukraine situation very simply to our 6 and 7 year olds.

Our 6 year old's reply on hearing what the UK's response was "Well I don't trust Boris Johnson to be doing the right thing because he had secret Christmas parties"....!!!

@Newrunner29

Advice if you're upset by the news by newsround

I was literally c&ping that link!

If you are upset by the news, it's important to know that you are not the only one and it's OK to have those feelings.

You can rely on Newsround to tell you the important facts about a story - but some things you hear might be scary or make you feel worried.

This section gives you some tips about what to do if you are feeling sad about what you've seen, heard or read.

Then it has information under the headings:

What to do if you're upset by the news
Share your worries
It's normal to feel upset
Do things that make you happy
Remember, it's rare

I have a very sensitive DD1 and I remember when she started watching Newsround at school in Yr3. She did become concerned about certain stories and didn't always enjoy watching. However, as PPs have said, it is important that children learn about the world around them in an age appropriate way. I decided that I wanted DD to continue to watch Newsround but mentioned to the teacher that some of the stories, potentially, may make DD upset/anxious and just to keep an eye on her. This worked well and it wasn't often at all that she had any real worries. We would then discuss any of her concerns at home.

@NoWigNoWit

Oh do piss of *@Donelurking*

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.

Love your username! rhobh all the way 🤣

So you prefer to lie/hide the realities of yhe world we live in from them? And when they do eventually find out, it sends their anxiety through the roof? We had a girl at school who's parents wouldn't watch the news, or even buy newspapers or listen to the radio. As a result, she couldn't distinguish between reality and fiction, at the end of term we watched a video of the Wizard of Oz, and she ran out of the room crying because she was absolutely terrified! Imagine her reaction if we'd been following a current news story!

@ImTheOnlyUpsyOne

I don't think you're being precious. I would have at least wanted a heads up as this is something i would to talk to my child about in my own time and determine the extent they need to know.

Have you watched it today? I'd be amazed if you felt it had gone too far. It kept it very very simple and the information was given in a very calm way that made it all seem unthreatening.

I think I was a pretty good and empathetic parent when my kids were that age (and I was also a teacher), but couldn't have done anywhere near as good a job as the Newsround team did. The programme was a good springboard for any teacher or parent to be able to build on.

YABU sorry

Better they watch snd learn in a supportive classroom than scare each other in the playground

Newsround is loved by KS1 where I work.
I remembered when Sarah Everard was murdered and I was a bit worried that they might have reported that but it wasn't.

newround always ends up with baby pandas skateboarding or pigeons doing crochet so it's totally fabulous (in my book).

Wouldn’t 12yo have access to the internet so could see the news on that

@NoWigNoWit

Oh do piss of *@Donelurking*

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.

Love your username! rhobh all the way 🤣

Very rude.

Do you really think your 10 and 12 year olds don't know what's going on?

To what age are you going to continue trying to hide the world from them?

I was naturally very shy and anxious as a child and struggled socially at school initially. My parents watched the news - it was always on. They discussed and had heated debates over dinner, with grandparents too. Everything was discussed. They never mollycoddled me but they were still warm , kind and loving. I was never shielded or overly protected and they didn’t over focus on my anxiety . I became brave because they were and I felt loved. And the bravery was the antidote to the anxiety. I grew up and took chances challenging myself ,I travelled and my bravery won out. I did things I never thought I was capable of. Although the anxiety lives on as part of me and will always be there , I always have the resilience to overcome it. I am now a strong woman who can deal with a lot of things. It doesn’t rule my life. Do not overprotect your daughter - be kind be caring be warm but also be brave.

@Kite22

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.

Lol no you're not the only one, I still think of John Craven whenever I hear about Newsround even though he hasn't presented it for over 30 years!

My 6 year old watched the same program today, she came home telling me about it in a matter of fact way though was also empathetic for how tough it must be for people especially children in the Ukraine. I think newsround is perfectly suitable for children aged 6 and upwards, to educate them of all that is happening in this world in am age appropriate way. Your child will hear about it so much better to get an appropriate version from newsround

My dc watched Newsround in year 3 at school!

@Dartsplayer

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

My 18yo dd forwarded me a TikTok with a map of the towns affected if London was bombed by a nuke. It can see why some people would watch that and start to think it was a possibility. (1 million + views on this video )

@NoWigNoWit
By the way. I'd rather my child watch Newsround and actually learn something than any "Real Housewives" brain rot that you love.

Ours watch it at school and BBC news at home. It's a non issue. They can't be shielded from everything. My eldest is the same age and second youngest same age as your other dc. They both saw it on BBC and made a few comments and asked why it was happening. But they also saw about Syria, and Afghanistan. The war in Syria could be watched from the roof top of our in laws house in turkey and was a hot topic so maybe they are used to the conversation. But it's important they know what is happening and why

@Serrina my DD is 10 and wouldn't be able to sit through the wizard of Oz. She's very very sensitive about fantasy fiction and hates films where they build up the tension to create atmosphere. However she is very interested in the world around her. Reads science text books aimed at secondary pupils and can have a heated debate about most current events (I do still shield her from certain news stories such as sex attackers) . Being frightened of one thing doesn't equal limited capacity to cope with the real world.

I think this is the first AIBU that I've seen that goes like this:

OP - AIBU?

Everyone - yes

OP - you're right.

[quote WindyKnickers]@Serrina my DD is 10 and wouldn't be able to sit through the wizard of Oz. She's very very sensitive about fantasy fiction and hates films where they build up the tension to create atmosphere. However she is very interested in the world around her. Reads science text books aimed at secondary pupils and can have a heated debate about most current events (I do still shield her from certain news stories such as sex attackers) . Being frightened of one thing doesn't equal limited capacity to cope with the real world.[/quote]
@WindyKnickers
Agreed, it doesn't, but with this particular girl that was the case because she was so sheltered. I remember sometimes we'd discuss current news stories in the playground and her reaction would be similar.

Newsround (Yes I have to add John Craven's) is excellent.. I watched it as a child (living through the threat of Nuclear war and Aids) my children watched it and we use it at school. Much better to watch and then be able to talk about it than pretend nothing is happening in the world.

I've watched it myself on topics I don't understand (Syria/Palestine for one)

I strongly believe that it is better to discuss scary news in a child appropriate way than to pretend it doesn't happen.

Newsround beats being made to watch THREADS as a young teen. Now that was bloody terrifying!!!!!

Op, you're not being ridiculous or precious. The world can be a scary place, especially after a pandemic and I understand why you would want your 8 year old to be shielded a bit .
I do think Newsround is a good resource but I've only recently started to talk more about news things with my 11 year olds.

@ginexplorer

I was naturally very shy and anxious as a child and struggled socially at school initially. My parents watched the news - it was always on. They discussed and had heated debates over dinner, with grandparents too. Everything was discussed. They never mollycoddled me but they were still warm , kind and loving. I was never shielded or overly protected and they didn’t over focus on my anxiety . I became brave because they were and I felt loved. And the bravery was the antidote to the anxiety. I grew up and took chances challenging myself ,I travelled and my bravery won out. I did things I never thought I was capable of. Although the anxiety lives on as part of me and will always be there , I always have the resilience to overcome it. I am now a strong woman who can deal with a lot of things. It doesn’t rule my life. Do not overprotect your daughter - be kind be caring be warm but also be brave.

@ginexplorer that made me a bit sniffly. I hope they all saw you bloom. It's truly what parenting is.

Hi I completely get where your coming from. My little girl is 6 and I have had her in tears this evening saying she doesn’t want a war, she doesn’t want everyone to die. I told her there wasn’t going to be a war I presumed she was leaning about ww1&2 or something. She told me there is a war they watched the news at school and Russia and Ukraine are having a war they are fighting trying to kill each other. I told her she had nothing to worry about that it wouldn’t happen to us it’s really far away. She was still upset because she didn’t want all those people to die. I don’t no if she was watching news round or what but regardless we don’t have the news on in our house since covid, because she got herself so worried about it we decided to make sure she wasn’t around when we watched it. I will be speaking to the teacher in the morning asking exactly what she watched and why she watched it. I really don’t understand what they got out of watching this they are still so little they really don’t need to know about stuff like this. I’ve just had her wake up screaming tonight having a bad dream. I feel horrible for her worrying about something she doesn’t understand fully because she’s 6 Xx

@TheMoth

The school probably had lots of kids talking about the situation, more than likely with some embellishments, and decided it best if kids actually saw some truth.

The 6 o clock news was on every night in my house. We were more scared about talking and pissing my dad off than what was on it.

Someone else who had to listen to the 6 o clock news during tea as a child! We weren't allowed to talk and piss my dad off either!