How do you teach your kids about current events?

[wdwiala]

I have two kids, ages 12 and 9. I would like to begin making them more aware of the world around them.

I was moderately suprised to find out that DD12 had not even heard of the Chilean miners until they became front page news the day they were rescued. I guess that I assumed at her age that school would be spending a few minutes on current event through the day. I guess not...

DD9 was excited to hear at school that one day they would be making electric cars. She had no idea that the neighbor across the street drives one!

Soooo, I've realized that there is a big ole' hole in my parent/child training. I'm thinking of pulling out a newspaper story here and there for dinner time conversations.

What ways do you teach your children about current events?

 

[snowy76]

We have the news on each morning and in the evening... so the kids are always hearing about things that are going on. It's the same way I learned about world events - my mom had Tom Brokaw on every night as I was growing up! I remember the Pan Am 103 bombing and the fall of the Berlin Wall, both over my math homework.

 

[DawnCt1]

Our kids were "Rush babies" from the time they were in car seats. . Also, we always had to news on in the morning and in the evening. We then would talk about the news.

 

[laurie31]

Our kids were required to bring in a newspaper article for "current events" at school each week, starting in 3rd grade. They had to find an article (could be from another source if the family did not subscribe to a newspaper) and write a short paragraph telling why they were interested in the article and why it was newsworthy.

You could do something like that with your kids with whatever source you use for news. Let them say what story interests them and why (they wouldn't have to write it down, just talk about it).

I didn't let my DDs watch the evening news at age 9 as I thought it was too sensationalistic and would be too upsetting for them, but at that age they can read the paper or the internet (with supervision) to know what's going on in the world. Most 12 year olds are ready for evening news, depending on the quality of your local stuff.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm a CNN junkie, so they're just naturally exposed to a lot of stories and that starts many conversations. My 12yo is very interested in politics and current events; my 9yo not so much, but at least she's not completely oblivious to the world outside our little town.

 

[wdwiala]

The problem with talking heads is that I have a really low tolerance for them. I used to have the Today show on every morning but I can't stomach it more than 5 minutes these days. I feel like they ask the most obvious, sensationalistic questions possible without giving any "real" information.

I actually enjoy news and information but prefer to read it in print or online. Which is possibly a reason my kids are in a little bubble.

 

[wdwiala]

Our kids were required to bring in a newspaper article for "current events" at school each week, starting in 3rd grade. They had to find an article (could be from another source if the family did not subscribe to a newspaper) and write a short paragraph telling why they were interested in the article and why it was newsworthy.

You could do something like that with your kids with whatever source you use for news. Let them say what story interests them and why (they wouldn't have to write it down, just talk about it).

Good idea.

 

[AustinTink]

I was moderately suprised to find out that DD12 had not even heard of the Chilean miners until they became front page news the day they were rescued. I guess that I assumed at her age that school would be spending a few minutes on current event through the day. I guess not...

The kids at DS's school watched the rescue on TV in all the grades. Current events are covered at the school. They work it into social studies and religion class. We follow up the conversations at home. We don't make him watch the news. I can barely handle it most nights with all the violence and stories of abuse. The national news is better than local for easing your kids into current events.

 

[LiberalPrincess]

Our kids were "Rush babies" from the time they were in car seats. . Also, we always had to news on in the morning and in the evening. We then would talk about the news.

Do you mean Rush Limbaugh? How do you explain to them comments like what he has said about kids. When he criticized the school lunch program, and he suggested that if kids have no food at home and can’t afford McDonalds, they should dumpster dive, “There’s another place if none of these options work to find food; there’s always the neighborhood dumpster.”

How about when he said talking about an incident in which a white student was beaten by black students on a bus, said: “I think the guy’s wrong. I think not only it was racism, it was justifiable racism. I mean, that’s the lesson we’re being taught here today. Kid shouldn’t have been on the bus anyway. We need segregated buses — it was invading space and stuff. This is Obama’s America.”

I am a Republican, but I would no sooner have my kids listening to Rush than I would have them watching porn. I would rather have them learn to make their own decisions about issues rather than having it screamed at them with such derisive terms. And if you think kids pick up on the nuances of sarcasm, I don't even know what to say.

For current events, we have set up time at dinner where we talk about our days, then everyone talks about a current event for the day. Some from actual news radio and some from various projects they have had with current events at school. All of my kids started reading the newspapers pretty early on, it was great reading practice!

 

[houstonbch]

My DGD14, DGS12, and DGS7 (those would be my GodChildren) have always been open about asking questions, including questions I was too shy to ask as a child. Their mom and I always encouraged them to develop their own ideas and opinions and this has hellped them figure out a lot of things on their own. They still seek guidance, but normally to back-up what they already knew.

As far as current events are concerned, we are saturated with so many different sources of info. My parents method of removing the TV from the house no longer works. There is the internet, cell phones, chatting with friends while playing games on the XBox, etc. They will find out what is going on anyway, at least enough to make them curious. To avoid letting them pick up bad information, I find talking honestly to them, but on their level, works wonders.

 

[Hannathy]

You expose them to them!!! how else would they learn. We always have news shows on at our house. We have the radio on , we read the news or news papers and we talk about them! we discuss things as they are going on and things that happened in the past. If something big is going on the the TV is on that for the duration.

My kids have listened to Rush enough also and they are not scarred, if you don't like something he says then discuss it with them, tell them your point of view and how it differs, ask them their point of view on the subject and why.

 

[DawnCt1]

Do you mean Rush Limbaugh? How do you explain to them comments like what he has said about kids. When he criticized the school lunch program, and he suggested that if kids have no food at home and can’t afford McDonalds, they should dumpster dive, “There’s another place if none of these options work to find food; there’s always the neighborhood dumpster.”

How about when he said talking about an incident in which a white student was beaten by black students on a bus, said: “I think the guy’s wrong. I think not only it was racism, it was justifiable racism. I mean, that’s the lesson we’re being taught here today. Kid shouldn’t have been on the bus anyway. We need segregated buses — it was invading space and stuff. This is Obama’s America.”

I am a Republican, but I would no sooner have my kids listening to Rush than I would have them watching porn. I would rather have them learn to make their own decisions about issues rather than having it screamed at them with such derisive terms. And if you think kids pick up on the nuances of sarcasm, I don't even know what to say.

For current events, we have set up time at dinner where we talk about our days, then everyone talks about a current event for the day. Some from actual news radio and some from various projects they have had with current events at school. All of my kids started reading the newspapers pretty early on, it was great reading practice!

In response to the bolded part, Sure you are.
They learned the difference between serious news and satire from the time they were little. They are young adults now and are on the right side of the issues, if you will pardon the pun.

 

[golfgal]

We never really actively "taught" our kids about current events but reading the newspaper, watching the news or listening to talk radio is just something we do and the kids do as well. In various classes in school they have had to bring in newspaper articles, etc.

 

[LiberalPrincess]

In response to the bolded part, Sure you are.
They learned the difference between serious news and satire from the time they were little. They are young adults now and are on the right side of the issues, if you will pardon the pun.

LMAO! Sure, they knew about sarcasm versus racism from birth. I want lower taxes for all, I want a strong military, I want judges not making laws, I want less government in my day to day life -- but I would also like parents to accept responsibility for making their kids crazy. Is that so much to ask for? If you think your "babies" listening to Rush is ok? I want laws against that.

 

[LiberalPrincess]

Of course you do! You only support free speech as long as it agrees with you!

No, I am with the Justices about not yelling fire in a crowded theater. And not teaching kids about hate and nastiness before they need to learn. I want my kids to make their own decisions. Not be dictated to. You have a different view,. Fine, but don't lie about what it is. Or delude yourself.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Bring up things you hear about. Subscribe to a paperr since that might be easier then online. Listen to NPR in the car. Leave the news on in the house. Have a tradition where they talk about one current event article per week at the dinner table. I'm a big believer in teaching fact versus opinion to our children. Both are valid but you need to be able to spot the difference. Help them to recognize a valid news source versus a talk show. If they're old enough they can watch colbert and the daily show.

 

[handinpocket]

We watch Fox News to go to sleep and we listen to talk radio. My personal favorites are Neal Boortz, Rush, Glenn Beck and the Black Avenger. Of course liberals would want a law against that!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

We watch Fox News to go to sleep and we listen to talk radio. My personal favorites are Neal Boortz, Rush, Glenn Beck and the Black Avenger. Of course liberals would want a law against that!!!

Fox and Friends, first thing in the morning!

 

[handinpocket]

No, I am with the Justices about not yelling fire in a crowded theater. And not teaching kids about hate and nastiness before they need to learn. I want my kids to make their own decisions. Not be dictated to. You have a different view,. Fine, but don't lie about what it is. Or delude yourself.

Yeah, that is why we are teaching them early, if they love the life they live, to vote, VOTE, VOTE, and LISTEN to the talk radio, they speak the truth.

 

[handinpocket]

Fox and Friends, first thing in the morning!

Me too, with a cup of ginger spice coffee, mmmmm.....love mornings.