So. I want my kids to have a wider sense of the world than their privileged circumstances.......

[toomanysleighs]

I'm thinking about this all the time, but obviously it becomes a bit more acute during consumermass - we do oxfam unwrapped and all that, - but their lives seem so INSULAR. I've subscribed them to first news but they seem very disinterested in the world around them. I don't want to be preachy or naggy becuase I know this can have the opposite of the desired effect. Should I just go on doing the stuff I do and hope that it osmotically kind of drips down? I'm quite active politically but I have kept them out of it as they have their own stuff to do and I don't want them to get bored...but I think a sense of the world is really important. I hate worthiness though. They are 6 and 8. they won't even watch blue peter - which at least would teach them about turtles or whatever. What do others do?

Ditch the car and use public transport. Can't be insular like that
Come and visit me and they could entertain dd (3) who is severely disabled and non-verbal but oh so exhasuting
My lot were/are home educated so that got them mixing with all-sorts and we always go to Hesfes. Some of them came on anti-war marches with me.
as for other issues, mine are veggie and well into animal rights, recycle and tell everyone about sustainable transport and are well aware of conditions in places like Darfur. They are a bit older than yours but have always seen New Internationlist, The Ecologist and Ethical Consumer lying around to read. And now with dd2, they get good insight into disability issues and will point out inaccessible shops and places that should have ramps.
They are aware but it sort of happenend without me ramming it down their throats.

Almost 14, 12 and 9.

Nmc - we do use public transport, my nephew is severely disabled and we seem to have the same papers as you lying around..so maybe they are getting more than I think.. I did take them on a greenpeace action once but then realised that they didn't have the sophistication to contextualise it - they were going round saying people who drive SUVS are bad - well, no. I like Freckle's idea. NMC what is hesfes?

hesfes is a home ed summer camp (festival) iirc!

My boys are 8 and 10. I don't feel we 'drum' this into them, but they are fairly aware in the way some of their peers are not. We live in a geographically isolated area, though plenty of deprivation and poverty in the town itself.

The boys watched Newsround and Blue Peter for years, which helped (they don't watch it now though). They do read First News, and we chat about politics and issues from time to time: just in a natural way because dh and I would be discussing it - not to ram it down their throats.

We also sponsor a child in Zambia. I guess they pick stuff up from school and church too.

to be honest, if the parents are thinking of this, the kids will pick it up to some extent. Especially if you include them in what you do and think.