For parents, this is literally a good news-bad news situation. On one hand, cable television offers an enormous diversity of current-events programs to helps us all be informed, responsible citizens. On the other hand, it is more important than ever to know what kind of news programming is appropriate for your children. Much of what is covered on television news involves the most negative aspects of human behavior. If programs that send skewed and harmful messages about how people behave are a child's first cultural impressions, then the child will most likely compare all future accounts, no matter how realistic, to these inaccurate ones.
Kids can also become fearful when information is presented out of context.
Children and teens are also attracted to the hype and glitz that drive today's news shows. Yet if they are exposed to too much sensationalism, they may come to believe that hype must be present for information to be important. Here are some steps parents can take to encourage children to think about what they see. Limiting viewing to age-appropriate programming and discusssing a program with your children can help ensure they perceive news accurately and respond appropriately. No News is Good News Preschoolers definitely are not ready to watch TV news or talk shows.