Politicising our children.

Urmstongran

Let children be children for a while. Why worry little minds? Let them play and laugh. I was concerned yesterday Sago to hear the Children’s ‘word of the year’ (well 2 if we are being pedantic) was ‘climate change’. The second was ‘war’.

I see no problem with children learning about climate change if it comes along with information about what we can do to reduce it such as recycling, saving electricity and water and generally sustainable living. War is something they will probably hear about but we should try to avoid them taking sides where there is no direct involvement of them or their families. My childhood was pretty free of knowledge about 'The News' probably because we didn't have a TV until I was a bit older. I remember the first time I was confronted by any sort of disaster in the news was Aberfan. I guess that was when I started to grow up. I was 12 at the time. These days few households are without a TV and children may hear about things that are difficult to comprehend but many will take little notice and political views should not be forced on them too soon.

The Palestinians are indeed suffering the consequences. Collective punishment is illegal, which is one reason why Israel faces charges of genocide. Nobody in their right minds supports the Hamas attack but the same applies to the mass slaughter happening in Gaza. There can be no justification for the terrible death toll of innocent Palestinian civilians, including thousands of children. It seems that we're witnessing the complete obliteration of Gaza.

I don't believe in either the religious or political indoctrination of children but it's inevitable that they will pick up on things that happen in the world. You can't raise them in a vacuum, particularly in an age of mass media. I would like my grandkids to be shielded from every distressing fact, growing up in a world where everything and everyone is kind and good, but it's not realistic. You also have to remember that it's possible that kids who are agitated about the war in the Middle East might have family living there, and might even have lost relatives.

NotSpaghetti

I think the Biafra famine was late 60s to 1970, silverlining - I might be wrong..

You're right! I remember talking about it in my early teens, so late 60's.

It was in the 80s so probably Ethiopia

let's not forget how the Nazi Party deliberately and officially targeted children of 10 for indoctrination and belief in anti-semitism
A bit off piste, but loosely related to this thread, I watched Jo Jo Rabbit this week. Yes, Junior aged children are often impressionable and vulnerable because they aren't mature enough to understand the complexities and the historical background.

IMO these parents are being highly irresponsible and at 9 their child should be more concerned about her friends, her hobbies and being a child!

Far from children growing up “uncaring” introducing children to “real life” and the awful world around too soon and too bluntly can lead to desensitised children therefore lacking in empathy.

Secondary school is fine for introducing politics and real world events, children can very naturally become empathetic and caring via a nurturing upbringing.

Mollygo

So do you agree that children being told to keep things secret from their parents is unacceptable?

Absolutely not, ever! This is how both grooming and radicalising start and is dangerous and unacceptable.

The only “secrets” my children were ever told to keep us when a surprise event or gift was being planned for another family member or close friend.

There seems to be a lot of concern about indoctrination on here. All parents 'indoctrinate' their children in some ways, be it gender biased activities/clothing, ways to eat or, Goddess forbid haha, religion! One could argue that school should enable children to discuss other views, in an age appropriate manner. Teachers are after all trained in such things, parents (and grandparents!) are not.

Dinahmo

Children are very knowledgeable these days. Surely it is better that they are aware of world events rather be worried about stuff on social media, such as not looking like Taylor Swift etc - or much worse - coming across pornography. the latter are reasons for anorexia or anxiety, rather than world events.

Firstly, nothing wrong with how Taylor Swift looks, she’s relatively natural, no plastic surgery, no eating disorders, I took both my daughters to see her when they were mid teens.

Secondly, open minded honest parents bring their children up to be open minded and honest, my parents were very right wing, & a bit racist, however the biggest gift they gave me was to be a free, independent thinker, I changed my political views radically in my early twenties, and have never been discriminatory towards anyone else for any reason.

Sadly, children can be very shaped by their parents views and beliefs and we need to be very careful about enforcing our own moral compass on impressionable little humans.

Germanshepherdsmum

Should any 9 year old be told about women being raped and babies being killed? I sincerely hope not.

I could not agree more GSM! Well said.

There’s a massive difference between explaining, in a very age appropriate way, about war and famine and that other children aren’t always as fortunate as our own children and GC, and going into graphic details or expecting them, at primary school, to take sides!

Honestly, I really do despair sometimes, I haven’t seen anyone on here advocating keeping their child away from facts etc but explanations should be factual, two sided and age appropriate!

Perhaps people have forgot to what happened to three impressionable teenage girls? Let alone a primary school child!

That any adult would knowingly expose a nine year old to the graphic details of war is beyond belief. Simple age-appropriate facts if they are asked for expressed without bias are quite sufficient. I hate to see children dragged along on marches. How much have they been told which they can never forget? ‘What does ‘from the river to the sea mean, Mummy?’.

Nine year olds in Gaza are deliberately being exposed to the realities of war every day and our government is doing nothing. If you care about children being allowed to enjoy their innocence for as long as possible, channel your outrage into somewhere it will actually do good rather than being appalled that young people are growing up with news literacy.

News literacy should be age appropriate. Neither I nor anyone here can have any effect on what is happening in Gaza or anywhere else outside our direct control.

My DS & DDiL turn the news off when my Grandchildren (8 & 12 yrs) are likely to be in the room. I do agree with them. There are more ways than enough for children to find out how wicked our world is! When we had a discussion at school in the 60’s we were told to go home & read the Bible as a History Book then we would realise the Israelites had been fighting since before Jesus to try to keep their land & the fight still goes on today! Maybe our children & their children could try this & then decide who is right?

I have a book called The Bible as History which I confess I've never read all the way through.
Perhaps I should look for it.

Doesn’t really excuse the genocide though, does it?

I agree with you wholeheartedly Sago.

Who is trying to excuse it? The fact that it happens doesn’t mean that young children should know the details.

AmberSpyglass

Doesn’t really excuse the genocide though, does it?

Nothing excuses genocide but it doesn't mean my young infant/junior children need to know about it.

Germanshepherdsmum

Children of 9 being taught at school about the Palestinian cause? Good grief.

I just hope the teach the children what the matter looks like seen from the Israeli side of the discussion, not to mention world Jewry as well,

But no, not at the age of nine or anywhere near it!

15 or 16 is time enough.

I really don’t want this thread to become Isreal v Palestine.
No matter what our views are on this topic, this is about our children and grandchildren being used as pawns in the political games of adults.

Sago

I really don’t want this thread to become Isreal v Palestine.
No matter what our views are on this topic, this is about our children and grandchildren being used as pawns in the political games of adults.

Agree Sago.

Agreed Sago.

Sago 👍

Children are worried enough about their futures with all the publicity about climate change and which is also taught in schools.

Part of the stress and mental health issues that children have today is because adult issues become part of their lives too early. Before they are mature enough to have a balanced view, it’s not just politics it’s welfare, environment or any other cause that they become fixated on.