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~