Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a 12 year old should know who the Prime Minister is?

149 replies

Eastie77Returns · 27/05/2025 19:14

If you have a pre-teen, can they name the Prime Minister/President of the country they live in?

I took DD and DS on a child friendly tour of the Houses of Parliament today. I found it really disappointing that DD was a bit clueless. Couldn't name Kier Starmer, couldn't name Kemi Badenoch, didn't understand the concept of a ruling party vs a party in opposition (so thinks Labour and the Tories are both 'the government'). DS was really engaged and answered questions correctly on an interactive quiz. He is two years younger than DD. Surely a child of her age should know at least some of that stuff or am I being completely unreasonable? At her age I knew who Margaret Thatcher was, as did all of my friends.

We do talk about politics in an age appropriate way at home and I took both of them to vote with me in the general election last year, explained the process etc but obviously she didn't retain any of the information.

I think I just find it disappointing that she seems completely uninterested in what goes on in the world around her. She spent most of the tour complaining that I made her leave her mobile at home. I don't know if I'm just expecting too much.

OP posts:
MiloMinderbinder925 · 27/05/2025 19:19

Was she just being stubborn? If you're discussing politics and listen to the news, then she should have a good understanding.

A lot of children get very invested in activism especially things like animal welfare and the environment, I'm surprised she's so apathetic.

SwanOfThoseThings · 27/05/2025 19:19

I suppose, in her defence, Starmer hasn't been around that long whereas Maggie had a long tenure and was also well-known before she became PM. Also, she doesn't have the benefit of Spitting Image! 😆

SaintAgatha · 27/05/2025 19:20

Why haven’t you taught her these things, OP, if they’re so important to you?

Just FYI, it’s Keir.

OxfordInkling · 27/05/2025 19:22

we realised this year that DD1 has fairly poor current affairs knowledge - but since I actively avoid the hourly ‘we’re doomed’ misery broadcasts - there’s no reason for her to have come across any of it.

its a bit tricky as I want her to have knowledge…but frankly the news is enough to drive a person to drink

WestwardHo1 · 27/05/2025 19:22

YANBU.

I think more and more kids switch off from listening and retaining information that they class as "boring" though. And more and more adults actually.

Spies · 27/05/2025 19:23

She sounds like a 12 year old being a 12 year old to be honest. She probably didn't want to be there and that was her way of showing his distain for the fact you made here leave the phone at home.

I'm more concerned personally by the percentage of the adults who are eligible to vote who can't name key political figures.

MiddleAgedDread · 27/05/2025 19:23

To be fair, we went through so many changes in such a short space of time, I’d have to think twice these days. Its all been a bit blurry since Tony Blair for me, I also live in Scotland though so have to deal with two lots of politics!

MiracleCures · 27/05/2025 19:23

Have you chatted about politics /news with her much?
We often discuss current affairs as a family so our children would all know. But at 12 I wouldn't necessarily expect school to have spent much time on this yet

howshouldibehave · 27/05/2025 19:24

I found it really disappointing that DD was a bit clueless. Couldn't name Kier Starmer, couldn't name Kemi Badenoch, didn't understand the concept of a ruling party vs a party in opposition (so thinks Labour and the Tories are both 'the government')

What/who were you disappointment in here though? Who do you think should have been the one to explain all this to your children?

Thelostjewels · 27/05/2025 19:25

🤣🤣 I thought you were going to talk about someone else's child 🤣.

Op our DC have been absolutely blasted with prime ministers for ages some there a week?
In the past few years.
In addition they get blasted with information from whether in no time in history has children had so much information flying at them.

My DC know stuff becomes I talk about it, I say did you hear blah today etc.

I'm in the car playing americast about trump or history of ideas etc.
You can't expect her to just know it.

Huge kudos for taking them to parliament however I think all schools should take pupils when they are close enough too.

So hopefully today's wonderful trip has ignited her engagement a little more?

Bertielong3 · 27/05/2025 19:27

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Itisallabitvague · 27/05/2025 19:28

Who is she supposed to learn it from if not you?

LeedsZebra90 · 27/05/2025 19:29

My primary school kids know but only because of my job and me and dh/friends chatting about it. Telling them as a fact won't be likely to stick in their head but involving them in conversations will. If you want to be interested talk to her about elements which may be of interest to her or that she's likely to have an opinion on.

Zanatdy · 27/05/2025 19:29

My DC certainly would have been able to as my ex and I both into politics and both work for big offices of state. The news is on a lot at home and I discuss politics with my DC. So guess it depends how much you’ve discussed with them. Surely UK politics should be something taught in schools too though, given everyone should know what they are voting for.

RaininSummer · 27/05/2025 19:30

I wasn't at all interested in that kind of think at 12. I think I was 14 or 15 before I developed any vague political awareness.

Original poster
Eastie77Returns · 27/05/2025 19:30

SaintAgatha · 27/05/2025 19:20

Why haven’t you taught her these things, OP, if they’re so important to you?

Just FYI, it’s Keir.

I have taught her these things. As mentioned, we discuss politics at home. Obviously after the election we discussed the results, the fact the country has a new PM and who he is etc.

OP posts:
IwantmyReptv · 27/05/2025 19:31

There's been so many they've probably lost track.

Thatcher was pretty hard to miss back in the 80's.

Tiswa · 27/05/2025 19:31

To be fair you can’t spell Keir Starmer.

yes mine does but he went through a bit of a politics obsession particularly US.
He isn’t as well known as Boris Johnson was though and no one is as well known as the Donald!

123ZYX · 27/05/2025 19:32

My 10 year old surprises me with how interested in politics and news he is. He regularly watches news round and reads the week junior and is regularly asking about things he’s seen and read. However, while definitely knows the prime minister is a labour MP and he knows the name and party of our constituency MP, I don’t think he knows the prime minister’s name. I can’t blame him for that, given he’s onto his sixth prime minister since he was born. By the same age, I’d had two.

Comedycook · 27/05/2025 19:32

My dc are teens now but both would have been able to name the prime minister at that age... mainly because I have talk radio stations and news on all the time in the car and often in the kitchen so they pick it up. My DD is 14 and was amazed that a girl in her class at school didn't know who the prime minister was.

Unrelated38 · 27/05/2025 19:32

I don't know who the prime minister is. I lost track during covid and gave up on politics. I'm gonna guess its an arrogant power hungry man pretending he cares about anybody other than himself?

Buiderswoe · 27/05/2025 19:33

As a child the TV was on all the time either BBC or ITV so the news was in very regularly so we kind of absorbed current affairs and news all the time. Younger kids these days are used to streaming programmes they want. They don’t HAVE to watch the news like we did (because we had little choice!).

Comedycook · 27/05/2025 19:34

Unrelated38 · 27/05/2025 19:32

I don't know who the prime minister is. I lost track during covid and gave up on politics. I'm gonna guess its an arrogant power hungry man pretending he cares about anybody other than himself?

I don't even understand how you can avoid knowing this. Do you never see the news on TV? Listen to the radio? Never seen a news article on social media? Never speak to anyone who is moderately interested in politics. I always think surely you'd have to seriously go out of your way not to know who the PM is?

vivainsomnia · 27/05/2025 19:35

As general knowledge, yes a
she should know who the prime minister is. As interested in politics, absolutely not. That's her choice.

I'm an adult and hate politics and won't enter into political discussions. That's my right as an individual.

Original poster
Eastie77Returns · 27/05/2025 19:36

howshouldibehave · 27/05/2025 19:24

I found it really disappointing that DD was a bit clueless. Couldn't name Kier Starmer, couldn't name Kemi Badenoch, didn't understand the concept of a ruling party vs a party in opposition (so thinks Labour and the Tories are both 'the government')

What/who were you disappointment in here though? Who do you think should have been the one to explain all this to your children?

I was disappointed in her.

I’m not blaming schools or anyone else. I understand it’s my job as a parent to talk to her about these things, which I do. Clearly she isn’t interested which is what I find disappointing. I was asking if I’m BU in expecting a child of her age to take an interest in the subject.

In fairness I read Politics at uni, find current affairs very interesting and have done since I was her age so I’m perhaps projecting.

OP posts: