Entry FeedI watch the news when I can. Unfortunately, we are often not home at 6 pm, and I am usually fast asleep by 11, so I don't get to watch the news that often. This, of course, means that I can seem a little ignorant of what is going on the world.
I don't shield my children from the news. I am a strong believer in that they will only understand as much as is age-appropriate for them to absorb. That being said, the news focuses so much on all of the trouble everywhere in the world, and that can be overwhelming for them to understand and compartmentalize. (WOW! A 17 letter word! Am I a genius today or what?)
The BP Oil Spill is one of those devastating news items that not only won't go away, but that severe and tragic consequences thus falling into a category of "hard stuff to talk about with your kids." But as a mother who is a firm believer of discussing it all, it has come up.
This is what I know about the BP Oil Spill:
- It was caused by an explosion on April 20th
- 11 people where killed in the explosion
- The explosion was on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico
- The spill has reached shore
- BP hasn't been able to cap it yet - may unsuccessful attempts
- Environmental devastation
- Many birds, turtles and dolphins already turning up dead
- Major financial impact for BP and its shareholders (pensioners in Britain)
- Obama taking heat because had just announced more off-shore drilling before the accident
There are probably about a million things going on for every one thing that I know about, but I am not CNN. I think that my kids are too young to understand the impact, just as I was likely to young to comprehend the impact of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (OK, so I was an immature 14).
Dave McGinn from The Globe and Mail called me on Friday to ask how I was handling the conversations with my kids. Thank you, Dave, for not making me sound like a bumbling idiot.
Check out Dave McGinn's article in today's Globe and Mail, Mommy is the oil spill going to kill that bird?