Thursday, August 29, 2013

why I won't watch the news

I used to love the news. Looked forward to 6pm so I could get all caught up on what was going on.  When I was a kid, I remember watching the local and world news almost every weeknight.  Always ABC.  World News Tonight with Peter Jennings.  His death in 2005 made me sadder than I would have expected, but it's because I associated his voice with a part of my youth.


As an adult, the local news became more interesting to me.  I wanted to know what was going on in my community. I follow the local ABC news station on Facebook and receive notifications of breaking news from their app on my phone.  But I don't watch the news anymore.  I'm more than a little embarrassed to admit that I don't know what's going on in the world.  I don't much care to listen to politicians arguing. Truthfully, I just can't do it. Not when the kids are awake.  Theo especially is to a point where he is really, really listening.  Questioning.  Thinking.  I choose to preserve his (and Dexter's) innocence and faith in people for a while longer.  I don't want to answer their inquiries about why someone shot his wife or what rape means.  Why someone would kill a baby or rob a bank.

A snippet of today's local headlines?
 - Vandals topple headstones in Southern Indiana
 - Police say man drilled into his own head
 - Truck crashes into home, driver flees
 - PD: 2 escape juvenile detention center; armed and dangerous

No. Thank. You.

The boys understand that there are "bad guys" and police are here to help us if we are in trouble.  For now, that's all they need to know.  Can we please have a kid-friendly newscast?  Like positive things people are doing for each other and fun events going on around the city?  Yeah...I'm sure someone's gonna get right on that.

Do you watch the news with your kids?

xo,
~C~

6 comments:

  1. I don't blame you at all. I can't watch the news for a lot of the same reasons. Kid awake or not. I can find out what I need to know on line.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can't really watch the news anymore either... especially not while pregnant - my emotions are all over the place as it is. While our 16 month old can't understand it, I just don't feel like it's something he needs to see. It's too depressing and makes me sad.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I refuse to put it on, too. I used to love it but now? I can't stand it for the same reasons you can't. Nothing positive to say ever. I have it out with my mom on the regular because she loves to watch court tv with emi around. And I'm like she doesn't need to hear this! Put it back on Andy Griffith! Heck, Days of Our Lives is preferable! ha.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't watch the news anymore either. It was also a big part of growing up. WE watched the news as a family and I remember watching 60 minutes every weekend! Now, I have the updates on my phone or facebook and that's enough for me. I usually just read the alert that pops up and rarely even read the article. News is just so sad/negative these days. I also want to keep Mackenzie innocent as long as possible....thankfully she's not to the age of Theo yet....but that day will come.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You need to watch the CBS Sunday morning news. My mom and I always watched it together and it's all human interest happy stuff. We called it the Happy News!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you!! Now I need something like this that is local.

      Delete