DS1 (aged 7) wants me to start a thread on children listening to the news...

[DottyDot]

He's sat next to me (having had the nerve to sneak downstairs and accuse me of not doing proper work because I'm on Mumsnet).

He knows Mumsnet solves all problems in the world (bless), so wants advice on the following:

He's 7, and when he's going to bed, likes to have something like classic fm on, or radio 2, or even radio 4. Basically it's better for him than CDs 'cos he likes to hear the presenters talking. I can understand this - I like it myself and he's an old kind of 7...!

But the news worries him and sometimes unsettles him. He doesn't really want to hear it but sometimes hears it by accident.

So, what do you think? We could insist he just listens to CDs but he's got a CD/radio/tape player next to his bed and will switch it on to the radio anyway.

Or is there a children's radio station??

We've told him to switch off anything which worries him and to ask us about it. I know you can't protect them from stuff and he's intelligent enough to ask us about stuff, but he asked me to start a thread...!

Is it a digital radio because Ithink it's radio seven that is a kids station??

Could I listen to it on-line?I don't think they have the news on watch listen again

not sure if he can get digital radio? It's just a radio/CD/tape player he has by his bed.

He doesn't watch the news during the day on telly or listen to it on the radio during the day, it's more when he goes to bed.

He shares a room with his brother, but he crashes out to sleep straight away and leaves ds1 awake and he seems to need 'company' to get to sleep.

Every night when I go to bed I have to go in and switch the radio off by his bed, so he has it on probably from 7.30pm for about an hour or so until he falls asleep.

Ho hum. He's gone back up now! I'll find out if his radio will pick up radio 7.

It won't - you need an expensive bit of kit

Sorry

Sadly, the radio news is becoming as sensationalist and graphic as the TV.
The only solution I can think of is for you to record or get a copy of the previous day's and edit the news out.
Bit of a fuss though really.
If he likes voices maybe a book CD to listen to?

Digital radios aren't expensive anymore

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Digital-Radio-DAB-Portable-LCD-Display-LISTEN-ON-THE-GO_W0QQitemZ280325197983QQcmdZVi ewItemQQptZUKAudioVisualElectronicsPortableAudioRadios?hash=item280325197983&trksid=p3286.c0.m14 &_trkparms=66:2|65:15|39:1|240:1318

I think that the most important thing is that he ask you about anything that worries him.
I got very upset as an 8/9 year old about AIDS as I misunderstood what I heard on the TV and those scary ads with the iceberg and John Hurt.

why not get some podcasts and listen to them? not sure of what ones though. dd watches newsround quite regularly (she is 7 and a half) and has all sorts of questions which I sometimes think she is too young to really be worrying about.

ooh - thanks for the link!

Yes, he always asks us about stuff - especially with his reading coming on now and he's picking up stuff from newspapers/magazines (this growing up stuff is terrifying isn't it?!).

I think we might get one of those digital radios though - good idea!

Fun Radio is also on DAB, don't think that has news... but may be aimed at children younger than your DS - is more songs / childrens themes than talk.

If you don't mind spending the money... you can get DAB Clock Radios - so he can wake to Radio if he so desires.

It is annoying. I have to monitor the kitchen radio now that DD listens. Like Mrs Ruffallo says, the news can be quite sensationalist now, they will just say about 'a gun man in a school' 'teacher shot dead' etc There's no sort of watershed for the news is there.
My DD's 4 and enjoys the DAB fun radio........we pick it up through the Sky dish....but I think it may well be a bit young for a 7 year old.
I don't know what to suggest.

sounds just like my 7 yr old Dot. I have stopped him listening to the news recently as there is just too much sensationalist stuff and let just say ds2 is of a "sensitive" nature.
He loves newsround and we also get newsademic for him to read.
He listens to cd's every night before sleep and the most successful seem to be Horrible Histories.
he particularly likes Vicious Vikings and Rotten Romans

Audio Books on CD from the library may be an option - that way he can keep changing what he listens to each week.

Yes Fun Radio is great! Completely forgot about that one, since we've moved we can't get it

Check your coverage here before you buy though:

www.bbc.co.uk/radio/waystolisten/digitalradio/index.shtml#dabcoverage

Pure 107.8 FM did not do news at 10pm.
Your DS will need to listen to it at his bedtime to determine if they do news at that time, but they certainly don't seem to do it hourly.
Broadcast Area: Stockport and surrounding

Looking at the Pure schedule, they seem to vary what is on between 19:00 and 22:00 - so each day your DS will listen to something different. Monday has Rock'n Roll, Tuesday is Sport, Wednesday is Funk and Reggae.
Pure107.8 Schedule

For those not in the Stockport area, you can Listen online - that is how I know that at 10pm today they didn't do News.

Just to correct - Radio 7 isn't a children's radio station - it has a lot of children's radio in the day but at night it's mainly audiobooks and comedy sourced from radio 4.

Most of it is fine for kids but some of the readings are from books that are a bit too scary for 7 IMO - there is a crime and thriller hour from 8-9pm which is often cosy (Agatha Christie etc) but sometimes more violent.

But do get a digital radio anyway - they are great - yay!

I think audiobooks from the library might be a better idea for your DS though, I used to listen to some great ones while falling asleep as a child - I liked children's stories but also cosy adult stuff like Gerald Durrell, PG Wodehouse etc.

My DSs love listening to Dads Army Cds at bedtime, cue loads of hysterical giggling, though DS2 has taken to copying the parrot from one episode and wanders aroung saying " get your knickers off and get upstairs" in a parrot like voice

Would second getting a DAB radio, there a fantastic station called birdsong, its like being in the countryside, very relaxine for going to sleep to.

Tricky one. I have Radio 4 on a lot (am a journalist so need to keep up with the news) but I do worry about 5yo ds overhearing distressing stories. He usually asks me about anything he doesn't understand, though. Would be worse at bedtime I think, as that's a time to wind down and feel safe.

Digital radio tuned into a station without news sounds like a good idea, although I warn you all those claims about better reception are crap.

Record the full shipping forecast at midnight and play it back for him at bed time. I think it's fab and it has always worked for me to get me to sleep when I needed to. It has everything - sophorific voices and then of course at the end Sailing By.... Have to fall asleep before the National Anthem though

Mind you, since I've had children I have not had the chance to listen to the shipping forecast as I go to bed too early. Perhaps it too is now full of sex and violence?

my 9yo likes R4 (to wake up to ) but we have similar problems with content of news stories - I bought some audiobooks from iTunes and these are working out well for bed time if she hasn't already read herself into a stupor

Dogger and German Bight do sound a bit like dodgy sex practices broguemum

I think at his bedtime, it's unlikely that there will be a live radio station to listen to that would not risk news (at the very least) or other potentially worrying/upsetting content.

I would second the recommendation of podcasts - he could choose programmes he likes from the day and then build up a collection to listen to at night. Wow, that actually sounds great, I want to do it for myself!

Otherwise, definitely try books on CD - I like going ot sleep listening to voices too. I'll use R4 (as I'm 35 ) but also like books on CD. Again he could choose his own, the library will stock stuff so it could even be fun for him and would require no extra expense for you?

awwwww... now you've gone and RUINED it for me!!! I will not be able to listen to the Shipping Forecast without sniggering!!!