Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy To NPR or not to NPR?

Hi All,

I'm looking for your thoughts on listening to NPR (in this area, KUOW) with DS4 around. I grew up in a house that always had the radio tuned to NPR (WHRO!) and I don't remember being so affected by the news. DS4 has a lot of questions. With so much reported violence I'm wondering if it's just a bad idea...

Thoughts? Your experiences? Alternatives?

Subjecting children to controversial topics such as religion and politics, which may be discussed in the media, have appeared in previous threads on the forums.

Providing children with tools for understanding, and equipping them to respect differing beliefs have been keys for success in many families.

Parents tend to know their children best, and may be the best judges of whether their children are ready to process information and violence which the children may be exposed to through the parents' media usage. Parents may also wish to evaluate whether they are prepared and comfortable at this time, as parents, to guide their children through the maze of questions that may arise.

Not in my house. I have a son who is extremely sensitive and gets upset for days due to many of the topics flooding current events. I cut off all NPR - listen when I drive alone. When DS is in the car and t home, it is our local community funded classical music station that we listen to. We also stream classical music from amazon prime. My household is happier because of this choice.

usually for the truly scary stuff they have a warning, don't they? I often take advantage of that, myself, to turn off the radio.
but yeah, the news in general can be scary for kids under 7ish...and every child is different of course.

science friday, imo, is usually a good bet, if you get that program on your npr station, though some kids could still get upset if the subject turns to research on disease. but it's usually a pretty happy place, even then (like cool new things that are helping people).

We are big fans of NPR here. DS10 said as a toddler that our local NPR affiliate was his favorite radio station "because it was the only radio station that tells good stories." He still begs to listen to NPR instead of listening to music.

They usually provide warnings for objectionable content. I switch the station if that happens or if the content seems inappropriate.

He is so enthusiastic about certain stories that he will applaud at times, especially when they discuss organizations that are working to promote social justice.

Totally depends on the kid. If you have it on and find that it is affecting him, turn it off. You can also learn the schedule to find out when the less "newsy" stuff is happening... like ask me another, or the 21.

Up here in Canada we have CBC radio - like the OP, my parents had it on all the time when I was a kid. I don't remember being scared by any of it. However, my DS8.5 finds the news too intense sometimes (although my kids are curious about political news - and we discuss a lot at home).

So, DS has asked me to turn off CBC in the car. Instead we are listening to station that plays pop music.

We don't have nearly so many interesting discussions now on the car ride to school. :-(

I do turn on CBC when the kids are around when I know less sensitive material will be on (we have a very good science show on the weekends)

my DD7 is highly attuned to NPR and requests not to listen. I think your children will give you clues as to what he or she wants to be exposed to and you will know it when you hear it. For example it pains my DD7's heart that we don't welcome all refuges into this country she gets very distress and voices not wanting to hear about it by say things like "this is all too much mom" it was the pain in her tune that clued me in. However she is very interesting in the death and dying process and wants to freely speak about it and shows no real distress around the subject at all. I do believe its our job to listen very closely to these clues and adjust accordingly. We listen to the BBC more often mostly because my DD7 thinks it is so funny. She has an odd fondness for British humor.

I think it depends on the child. I was one that had a hard time letting go of injustices or scary news as a child. I think my oldest will too (she's 5.5) so we do not listen to the news w/ her around. Anxiety is one of those things that can come along w/ high IQ - I've got it and I suspect she is at risk too so we try to parent accordingly.

I don't watch the news when my kids are awake.

Thank you all! We got a little kitchen radio that can't really be heard beyond the kitchen. If DS4 wants to hear something, he has to stand in there. Our kitchen is pretty boring and it seems to be a self limiting arrangement.

When I was growing up in the U.K. back in the Seventies/Eighties, the media tended to report events and background information only, leaving it to the listener to draw their own conclusions.

The BBC news (radio and TV) domestic and international was playing constantly and it gave me great general knowledge and an understanding of current affairs.

Nowadays the media is horrifically opiniated and biased tending towards sensationalism. I have reservations about exposing my own child to such pap TBH.

NPR tends to be better than most but the reporting of events leading up to and immediately after the recent election really showed how shallow the veneer of their 'impartiality' is.

Having said all that, outside of the oblivious politicization NPR carries some really neat stories so I do listen to it with my DD in the car, especially. But I am also quick to point out the hypocrisy of some of the more egregious examples of liberal bias in reporting. Those neat and eclectic stories provide an invaluable window that opens to the wider world.

My job is ensuring that my DD leaves our home as a fully functioning and contributing independent adult one day and I know that her having high resolution and appropriately calibrated BS filters will be an essential part of that.

This brought to mind,The Rest of the Story,by Paul Harvey.I guess I am showing my age,this was on radio in the 60's and early 70's.Can probably find him on YouTube for free or old time radio on cd's.

Thanks atticcat! I'm going to look for that.

Well said.