Does modern parenting hinder brain development?

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

18 yos vote. I sure would prefer they were thinking and forming their own opinions prior to voting.

That's all the more reason not to have the news media selecting priorities for them and telling them what to think about things.

Originally Posted by maciesmom

I think watching, listening and discussing (and yes, even occasionally discussing presentation) is a vital tool for teaching children to become independent thinking adults.

I don't disagree, and we certainly do this sometimes. But in my experience living by the daily news cycle has the effect of displacing more important things in the lives of young people. Furthermore their intellects have not been fully formed. They are still learning how to unpack ideological assumptions, detect logical errors, and recognize when they are being manipulated. The older children are in the rhetorical stage of the classical trivium (grammatical, dialectical, rhetorical) which, if they master their studies, will give them the necessary tools. But inflicting the daily news upon children, even teenagers, is putting the cart before the horse.

[WesternPilgrim]

I will admit, though, that some children may benefit from earlier exposure than others. One of my sons has a very political bent - my 14 y/o. He asks lots of questions during election campaigns, has a very keen mind and understands much more than I did at his age. Very interested in law enforcement issues, too. But he's also the kind of kid who would be a news junkie (and a mediocre student) if we just let him run with it.