Top 3 Tips: Talking to Children about Current Affairs (Part 1)

My Family Care asks Oliver: How do you discuss news and current affairs with your children? How important is it for children to have a grasp of the wider world? And how do you draw the line when it's too much?

How should children learn about the news?

It's a good question. I am desperate to move our family meal times on from conversations about manners, eating vegetables, and simple instructions such as "don't knock over your water" and "no, you can't feed the cat from the table". But I also remember being utterly bored at home when my parents brought up politics. Does that mean we shouldn't try?

The importance of sparking conversation

I think Brexit has been amazing for stirring family discussions, pitching young against old, and for sparking heated debates amongst grandparents, children and grandchildren. I think it's vital to have debate about current affairs.

Apathy is possibly the worst of all worlds, and without sounding like my parents, some of the newsfeeds and information disseminating from social media should give anyone good cause for concern. Equally, I think we live in very interesting times and, looking beyond our borders, I think most people would have some concern for the next generation and the world they are going to inherit. Without sounding boring or like my parents - again - I think it's vital that we motivate our children to take an interest in current affairs and the world around them.

My top techniques

But how do you do it? Well, naturally I don't have any magic answers... But we have done 3 things in our family. My children are 9, 7 and 7, which may be part of what makes this work, but here goes:

1. The Week Junior Magazine: I have been a subscriber to The Week from its inception and I love it. The Junior version is a great way for our children to read up on what has been going on in the world. They all have a read, take it into school and we try and discuss some of the bigger issues of the week. There is a deal to try it, so you have little to lose.
2. Newsround: I still remember the John Craven moments... But we record and have a watch of Newsround together and try to use this as a point to discuss some of the issues going on.
3. A Balloon Debate: With the US Elections in full swing, we had our first weekend balloon debate. Everyone had 2 minutes to plead their case and candidacy for president. We have only done one debate so far and it was good fun. There wasn't much scrutiny for how my children were going to pay for houses for everyone and make sure the NHS worked brilliantly, but there was no doubting their huge sense of 'looking after those less fortunate'. I am not sure what the next one will be - but the format worked quite well, and we're all looking forward to it.

So, I think it's very important. Are there any easy ways? I don't think so, and I expect it comes a distant third to Scooby Doo, but we're trying and having some fun doing it.

Oliver Black, Business Owner, Father of three