No News Is Good News

 

 

You, me, and our sweet angelic children, are living in a society of unethical, immoral, savage barbarians.  Or so the news would have us believe.  Story after cliched story, day after bleak day, the top news is bad news.  Our mind's are saturated with man's inhumanity to man.  If there's a photo or video to accompany the mayhem, well then - we've hit the motherload, mama!  And, of course, there are the celebrity reports which apparently warrant  "Breaking News."  Will Britney keep her kids?  Did Angelina adopt again?  Did Octomom get lip injections (well, did she?).

 

Most of the time, I catch the news by accident - the TV is on, I'm walking by, and BAM - I'm suddenly witnessing the third high-speed police chase this month. So, you can guess that if I am not normally watching the news, I'm not letting my child watch it either. 

 

How then do we educate our children on important worldly events, in a language they can understand, and with details that are age-appropriate?  Like anything else, with a little help. 

 

Scholastic News Online is a gem of a kids' website that I introduced my 2nd grader to recently.  It provides children with in-depth reports and activities on the latest in news, entertainment, and sports.  This means I can spend  a little less time fumbling and stumbling, as I attempt to come up with my own explanation of world events.  The website covers National News (scientists at the University of Southern Florida unveiled a robotic arm that is controlled by a person's thoughts!), International News (mummy chamber unearthed!), Special Reports (economy for kids).  And no, it's not all good news, because the world isn't all good.  But, it's not unnecessarily graphic and terrifying either.

 

Scholastic News Online also has games and quizzes, and sections written by kids, for kids -including book reviews and interviews.  My favorite column is "Sticky Situation," where kids solve a weekly ethical dilemma.  And my favorite little feature: the site's Word Wizard - click any word on the page, and you get a useful definition. Genius.

 

Now maybe you and your child can learn a little something about the great world we live in (barbarians excluded).  

 

 

 

Comments

[Milly]

Thanks for the intro to Scholastic News Online. I just checked it out and there is some great content there. I wish there was such a site that wasn't so US oriented (perhaps there is?). Of course it is written for the US market, but it makes it pretty slanted for anyone else :)

[Stacy]

Another great find Nina! Thanks for sharing!!

Smooches