Do You Allow Your Kids to Watch the News?

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

22 Mar 2011 11:58 PM

The other day a friend of mine sarcastically suggested that certain cable news shows should come with a PG-13 rating.

If you have tweens or teens, you probably don't do a lot of news censoring. However, if your kids are 12 or younger, you might be hesitant to allow your son or daughter to flip on CNN, MSNBC or Fox News without your permission, or more importantly, your presence in the room.

Despite, or perhaps, because I spent nearly 10 years as a local TV news anchor/reporter, I never allow my 6-year-old to watch the evening news by herself. What's more, she has no interest in doing so. Problem averted... for now anyway.

Still, I realize that time is not on my side, and eventually my daughter will spend time watching televised news stories about child molesters, kidnappers, murderers and terrorists. Hopefully, by then I will have the means to clearly and succinctly answer any questions she has on the subjects without fueling any fear the stories may have incited in her.

I got a taste of this impending reality when I allowed her to watch some of the gut-wrenching video that has come out of Japan in the days since the earthquake and tsunami. My daughter has experienced earthquakes during our visits to Hawaii and she has seen tsunami devastation, but watching kids her age running from rushing waters to higher ground on CNN gave her pause for thought.

"Are those people going to be okay, Mommy?" she asked.

I knew what was coming next; however, before she could even mouthed the words: "Will that ever happen here?" I reassured her that tsunamis were not a threat in Wisconsin.

See seemed satisfied with the answer and walked away from the TV.

She had seen enough.

I, on the other hand, couldn't stop watching.

At what age do you think kids should be able to watch TV news alone?

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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