It may be a sign of the Trump administration’s lack of transparency mahatma buddh ke bachpan ka naam, but it’s also a sign that children need to be made more aware about the world around them. And given the current political and social climate, there has never been a better time to expose our youth to what is happening in the world.
1. The news is a highly important aspect of our society.
It’s not just an important aspect of society, it keeps us connected and informed. The best way to keep children from becoming ignorant about current trends and global affairs is to have them love the news and be interested in it.
2. There are positive stories about all different cultures, races, and ethnicities
When people of different backgrounds don’t get a fair shot at success, kids should understand why that’s wrong, what can be done to fix it, and how they can help make it better.
3. There are good things happening all around us.
Kids need to understand that, if there’s something you want, you can make it happen. They should learn from their own experiences, as well as those of others, to identify the things they want and work towards them to show everyone what they can do when they put their minds and work into something.
4. It is important to be informed about what is going on in the world.
There are serious and important things happening, but there is also fun to be had. Kids should know that there is a wide variety of good stuff in the world. They need to see that not everything is doom and gloom — their world has a lot to offer!
5. News teaches kids about real-life problems we all face.
The news may include stories about crime, drugs, poverty, greed, pollution, discrimination, and more. These things are unfortunately very real in our own lives — it’s best if children can learn about them as early as possible so they can prepare themselves for them if necessary later on.
6. There are many misconceptions about the media itself.
Kids shouldn’t hesitate to call out false information. This is a valuable skill that can help them become more conscious about what they’re reading, watching and hearing.
7. The news is not biased.
It isn’t supposed to be biased — it’s supposed to report the facts, no matter how they are, and let the reader make his or her own decisions.
8. If children don’t know anything about an issue, they are not qualified to have an opinion on it
Kinda sorta like the fact that if you don’t get enough sleep for a few nights in a row then you show up with weird insomnia symptoms? (Sidenote: this is actually how I’m handling my insomnia at the moment).
9. The media has a tendency to sensationalize the news, and our society’s problems are often made out to be worse than they are.
However, kids can learn from this, especially when they see terrible things happening and they don’t know what to do because of it. Seeing kids from all walks of life doing something inspiring can help make a child feel empowered and show them that their problems aren’t the worst in the world.
10. Parents should talk about their children’s education with them and their teachers.
It’s important for parents to help their children understand what’s going on in the world so that they can prepare for it as much as possible before it happens in their lives.
11. Children should get to decide when they are old enough to watch the news and what they can see.
Every child has different interests. While kids might in general want to learn about what’s going on in the world, they also want other things like sports, cartoons, and important videos like a Backstreet Boys comeback concert. Point is: make sure that whatever channel you pick for them makes sense for them and their world. If a child doesn’t understand something, if it doesn’t fit their life or interests, then it might not be best for them to know about it at that time.
12. Children need to distinguish between fact and fiction in the news.
It’s important for kids to understand that some things aren’t true. If a child believes everything he or she sees on TV, then it can be all the more difficult for them to know what information is true when they get older.
13. Children can learn from the news just as they learn from school.
The two should be treated similarly — they both have the potential to teach kids about what’s going in the world, what’s right and wrong, why certain things are happening, and how we can all work to make a positive difference in our own communities.
14. There is no such thing as too much information for children.
They need to know about important things that are happening in order for them to do better for themselves and their families when necessary.
