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Scary News: 12 Ways to Raise Joyful Children When the Headlines are Full of Fear
A comforting, practical guide for parents and educators filled with realistic suggestions forprotecting and nurturing a childs inner spirit during challenging times. The author uses scientificresearch to explain why it is important to protect children from the frightening realities of todaysheadlines, while encouraging parents to realize that their intuition is their greatest asset.
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 7, 2022
My two sons are in their late teens, and the advice in this book is more focused on parents of younger children. But I found a lot of the author's tips and information useful even for helping older kids deal with the upheaval of 2020-2022. Covid, political and civil unrest, cancel culture, and racial animus are confusing not only to kids but to adults, too. Lorna Knox's common-sense and faith-based approach was helpful.
July 31, 2007
This was not quite what I was hoping for. What I am looking for are guidelines for helping Arthur (and other kids) learn about current events, local, national and global, without fear and horror overcoming him. This was more of a guide on protecting and shielding him from the scary headlines.
Now, on one side I don't disagree. A three year-old is ill prepared to cope with and understand casualty statistics from an overseas war. These statistics have little (or no) actual bearing on their lives. ___ suggests listening to the news from a child's perspective, so I have. Often it is really scary. Even on safe, liberal NPR (my only consistent news source) words like attack, urgent, threaten, and other alarming words are thrown about very casually. Now, this is to make grown-ups pay attention and to hook our brains. But do I want my ever-absorbing sponge of a child to hear this daily? And often have it be some of the first noise he hears in his day? And what does that do to my brain when I wake up (or sleep through) the NPR alarm clock?
Sorry. I'm back on track now. The point is that kids probably do need some protection from the excessive violence and sensationalism in the media. So much is forced into our days (news, billboards, magazine displays, etc.) that we (adults) barely notice that it is probably wise to try and filter, even limit, the things that our children see and hear.
On the other side, I don't want to absolutely shelter my kids. Rather I want to help them understand how and why media works, and how to look at it with a strong, discerning mind. Tips and ideas for doing that were not the books strong suit. There was some, but ____came down mostly on the side of keeping kids a safe from media as possible.
On a last note, ___ is a homeschooling mom who (reading between the lines) chooses to homeschool for religious reasons. She does a good job of not forcing Christianity into her writing (though I got a great bible quote from the book) and being clear that she is advocating spirituality with kids, but not in any one form. I happen to agree with her, but can think of a couple of deeply secular parents I know who would be rubbed the wrong way by this attitude.
All in all. . . it was an okay book and I will likely recommend it to others. I will also ask Sam to read it as we continue our parenting adventure. But the books real power and focus is on raising kids to find joy (this is good) and not so much about teaching them to deal with the media.
Now, on one side I don't disagree. A three year-old is ill prepared to cope with and understand casualty statistics from an overseas war. These statistics have little (or no) actual bearing on their lives. ___ suggests listening to the news from a child's perspective, so I have. Often it is really scary. Even on safe, liberal NPR (my only consistent news source) words like attack, urgent, threaten, and other alarming words are thrown about very casually. Now, this is to make grown-ups pay attention and to hook our brains. But do I want my ever-absorbing sponge of a child to hear this daily? And often have it be some of the first noise he hears in his day? And what does that do to my brain when I wake up (or sleep through) the NPR alarm clock?
Sorry. I'm back on track now. The point is that kids probably do need some protection from the excessive violence and sensationalism in the media. So much is forced into our days (news, billboards, magazine displays, etc.) that we (adults) barely notice that it is probably wise to try and filter, even limit, the things that our children see and hear.
On the other side, I don't want to absolutely shelter my kids. Rather I want to help them understand how and why media works, and how to look at it with a strong, discerning mind. Tips and ideas for doing that were not the books strong suit. There was some, but ____came down mostly on the side of keeping kids a safe from media as possible.
On a last note, ___ is a homeschooling mom who (reading between the lines) chooses to homeschool for religious reasons. She does a good job of not forcing Christianity into her writing (though I got a great bible quote from the book) and being clear that she is advocating spirituality with kids, but not in any one form. I happen to agree with her, but can think of a couple of deeply secular parents I know who would be rubbed the wrong way by this attitude.
All in all. . . it was an okay book and I will likely recommend it to others. I will also ask Sam to read it as we continue our parenting adventure. But the books real power and focus is on raising kids to find joy (this is good) and not so much about teaching them to deal with the media.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews