We do shield our children from the harsh realities don’t we, and perhaps as you say this may not be the best way forward for them in terms of their life expectations and drive! Coincidently, last night for the very first time I looked at my 11 year old daughter and my cerebral goblin suggested that perhaps the day had come for her to be allowed to watch the 6 O’Clock News. She has little concept yet of the grim side of life and is still blissfully unaware of how difficult things can be for anyone who has suffered terrible loss, continuous unemployment, poverty, sickness or of the tremendous responsibilities and potential pitfalls of life on planet earth. My belief is that pre 11/12 yrs old (depending on the child) the human brain is not up to intelligently absorbing some of the horrors that we see on the nightly news; plane crashes, bombs and their consequences, violent protests, armed robberies, mass shootings, knife crimes etc..which is why I do not allow her to watch the evening news, a young child can so easily personalise everything which in turn makes them worry so. However, having said this I’m not sure that even at her age the gruesome details of sex murders, rape and particularly paedophilia will benefit her widening knowledge of how the world really goes round. I do think that she is still too young for those nightmares, the stories can be so overwhelming; perhaps another year or so and we can deal with the more sensitive news issues together. So Mr BBC in order that I might prepare my daughter for the huge difficulties that will inevitably follow her mainly worry free childhood and so that she might lower her expectations and up her game to get on in life, could we please ask for a new news programme to suit the 11-14 yr old market, a programme that is perhaps a little more depressing and realistic than BBC Newsround, but not so terrifying as to scare the living daylights out of the young and unsuspecting viewer.
Ellie xoxo
P.S Aswell as all this the hot flushes are still with me in superabundance, however on This Morningtoday they ran a great piece on the subject of menopause and I gather that a hugely informative website has now been launched.Healthtalkonline,is specifically aimed at helping women to get through the minefield that is the inevitable “next stage”. I’m off to look for some answers …..Oh horrors! Perhaps they need to mention that little delight on our new BBC News programme for youngsters too!