Do you let your kids watch the news?

crimzy

Active Member
I often wonder this as I sit with my kids in the early evening. The news can have graphic content, language or violence. What are your thoughts?
 

reefraff

Active Member
At your kid's age I'd probably not let them watch the news or about 80 percent of what's on TV. I'd be filling the DVR with shows I love but wouldn't let a kid younger than 14 or so watch.
 

dmanatee

Member
I can remember watching the News with my mom and grandmother as early as five years old. that being said, at the commercial break, they would talk to me about what I saw and discuss what it meant. why something was bad, or what was causing the problem. and I think that is part of the problem now, parents don't want to or are afraid to have these conversations with children.the tv, won't tell all, and as adults we have to walk our children into some dark tunnels every once in a while or they will always fear the dark. it's up to you s to what age the child can watch the news, but with the increasing speed of technology, be prepared to be discuss what they have already heard at school or read on their computers.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I'm slowly phasing TV out of my house.
First, we never got digital cable after the antennae stopped working.
Second, we only re-watch the movies that I have bought at pawn shops for $2 each.
Third, we only have netflix on the tv and that isn't used a lot.
We mostly read and are on the computer and doing work - not really any time to sit and watch TV. Especially with a 10 month old and house chores.
I haven't watched the news in six years now. The information I get is from these forums and my wife. Everything else is... not important to me. It didn't happen to me, it didn't effect me and my loved ones,... I don't care. Bad things happen every single day - but that doesn't mean I have to watch it and know about it. There are more than 309,000,000 people in the US - there's plenty of bad, evil things going on. I just don't want to know it all. I'd rather live in my own personal world and deal with the problems that I face on a day to day basis.
 

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmanatee http:///t/394135/do-you-let-your-kids-watch-the-news#post_3507767
I can remember watching the News with my mom and grandmother as early as five years old. that being said, at the commercial break, they would talk to me about what I saw and discuss what it meant. why something was bad, or what was causing the problem. and I think that is part of the problem now, parents don't want to or are afraid to have these conversations with children.the tv, won't tell all, and as adults we have to walk our children into some dark tunnels every once in a while or they will always fear the dark. it's up to you s to what age the child can watch the news, but with the increasing speed of technology, be prepared to be discuss what they have already heard at school or read on their computers.
They were probably trying to explain Conrad Burns' hog report
Assuming you lived in MT at the time.
 

crimzy

Active Member
Most of my news has to do with crime and murder in Detroit. It's not really appropriate and could scare them.
 

meowzer

Moderator
How old are your kids? I know most news reported is bad....BUT.....kids need to know what's out there....be careful how much you shelter them
 

sepulatian

Moderator
I agree with Meowzer here. News is life. If they are babies then they probably don't need the latest on all of Detroit's fun. Also remember that kids see things way different than we do. My teenaged son was home sick today. He caught a Tom and Jerry cartoon. He was horrified that the St. Bernard found Jerry in the snow and gave him liquor from his barrel around the neck. Eh, we all grew up on those cartoons. Its a totally different perspective. He watches Family Guy and all of those like it is nothing. Tom and Jerry was offensive though.
 

reefraff

Active Member
IME young kids wouldn't pay attention to the news anyway. When I had a young one I usually only watched the 11 O'clock news anyway and he was long in bed so it wasn't an issue. I got my news by reading the paper. God I miss good newspapers.
 

crimzy

Active Member
My girls are 7 and 5. They understand basically everything on there. I get that they need to be exposed to things but there are limits. By 11 I'm either working or sleeping...
 

reefraff

Active Member
All kids are different. You just gotta make sure at which point you are comfortable explaining things like what rape and sexual abuse are because they are sure to hear it on the news at some point.
 

crimzy

Active Member
Just wanted to point out sep posted and you bastards didn't acknowledge it.
Darth (noticing the little things) tang
You scared her off.
 
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