How to Talk to Kids About Current Events
When it comes to bad news, I have found that there are two kinds of people:
Those who talk about it.
And those who don’t.
Those who plow into conflict and chaos head-on, and those who prefer the way of the ostrich.
Neither is right or wrong, of course—everyone is wired in a different way when it comes to processing, absorbing, and compartmentalizing negative news. I, for one, have evolved in my approach over the years-- I recognize that acknowledging bad news is a vehicle for keeping informed, staying safe, and looking out for the interest of others.
As a teacher I have seen these perspectives play out amongst my students and their parents time and time again. One kiddo comes bounding into school spouting off about crime rates, political scandals, and gun control, while I am simultaneously receiving an email from another parent who is concerned that their own child is learning about violence from a classmate whose guardians are clearly playing fast and loose with what is streamed in their home.
Riiiiiight . . .
CNN doesn’t have to be running 24/7 in your household for kiddos to perceive that violence is up, random acts of kindness are down, and the economy is spiraling out of control. Social media feeds are flooded with the news. The internet is laced with current content. It’s common conversation on the street, amongst friends’ parents—children will repeat what they see and hear ad nauseam (as I describe in The Overly Honest Teacher, “Little pitchers have big ears (and eyes!”).
Current events remain one of my favorite vehicles to use in the classroom as a means of disseminating both the curriculum and common core standards. As conversation starters, as writing prompts, as illustration of fact-finding and proper citation. Plus, it’s crucial for my students—your children—to be aware of what’s going on in the world around them.
Tempered, of course, with details that are age-appropriate.
During the years when I taught Seventh Grade, some major global events occurred. The launch of the iPad, the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, the bombing at the Boston Marathon, Malala speaking before the United Nations. These, of course, were just a few of the moments that peppered the discussions we had in class. We talked about politics, elections, and what propositions stand for. We looked at ways to combat hate in our country and strove to find the positive in every negative news story. Students researched the current state of affairs when it came to poverty, rights of the disabled, climate change and immigration.
Understanding the news was crucial.
And, throughout the process, we were both informed and informing one another.
When your kids are informed, they are able to shape their own ideals, bolster their capacity for empathy, develop techniques for problem solving and conflict resolution. Current events help them understand that they can be the change, the catalyst, the mediator and facilitator of better things for themselves and their world.
There goes Meredith again with her overly honest optimism.
Perhaps. But I’ve seen it work time and time again. And, goodness knows, now more than ever, we need to generate humans who are deep thinkers and approach situations with compassion and inclusion.
So, I have to ask. . .
When something happens in the world, how do you handle it with your kids?
Are you inclined to talk to them about it right away or whisper it between yourself and your partner, out of earshot from your children?
Do you ever stop to consider where you get your news—online, CNN alerts, Facebook—and, more importantly, where your children get theirs?
I implore you to consider these questions. And, from there, think about how to better approach news media with your kids.
Here are a few of my tips and tricks for broaching the subject of current events with your children:
Communication is crucial. Approach conversations with your kids about the goings on in the world with transparency and authenticity. They are far more astute than we give them credit for, so even if you think you are doing a great job at sheltering them from the sadder things in life, they will learn about it somehow. And, it’s always so much better if those messages come from you.
When it comes to talking about hard stuff with my students, I always approach it using my own feelings as the catalyst, thereby giving them subtle permission to express theirs, authentically, too.
You can preserve childhood innocence while helping your kids understand that not everything is always ideal. You can foster joy while also instilling the importance of helping others. Children cannot be vessels for empathy and proponents of change if they don’t understand that there is always someone else with a journey that is harder and more arduous than their own. Compassion comes from getting kids out of their own bubble (post-COVID) and into the shoes of others.
Discussing current events helps your children develop communication skills—conversational, written, debate. Use current events at home much like I did in the classroom. Pick one as a part of dinner table dialogue, or in the car en route to grocery shopping or soccer practice. Subscribe to Time Magazine for Kids, Highlights (for our youngest students), or watch CNN10 to get current event content that is geared for your child’s particular age and development level.
Have them write about a news story, summarize the details or come up with an alternative ending. Or have them write a letter to a senator or local official about an issue or incident that they would like to see changed. For older students, you can even simulate a debate—where you or your partner or take one stance while another child/ren assume an opposing argument. Use their propensity for talking back to develop a skill and increase their knowledge about a particular subject.
The news may be scary, but talking about it with your kids doesn’t have to be. Remember—the more they know now, the better prepared they will be to tackle life’s challenges with knowledge, grace, and conviction.
