News with the Kids

FINALLY! We're baaaaack! We sound better thanks to our new MacBook Pro (and goodbye to our pain in the ASUS Chromebook!). We return with a two-way discussion about the no-way flight Dr. David Dao experienced on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Louisville, KY on April 9. The tween and I tackle what would we do if we were passengers on that flight and other options the airlines and Dr. Dao could have taken. I confirmed from multiple reports after the podcast that Dr. Dao is a physician.

In light of the rash of bomb threats against Jewish community centers across the country and the 170+ tombstones knocked over at a Jewish cemetery in a St. Louis suburb (which the police are not calling a hate crime), the Tween and I talk about what exactly is a hate crime. We also delve into the meaning of the word prejudice and, to lighten the mood, terrible jokes. As Daughter put it, "This will be so offensive to blondes, though." We did talk about felonies and misdemeanors, too. For the record, there are various state and federal laws about hate crimes. That part had to be cut because of the dog's jangling collar in the background combined with the sound of family members opening and closing the fridge repeatedly in hopes that something other than spinach & cheese ravioli leftovers would magically appear on the shelves. 

We're behind a week. To make up for the news we missed, the Tween and Mom read aloud the SAT-word-intense Weekly News Quiz by The New York Times. This parent is not proud that she knew who won Best Rap Album at the Grammys but not where the President said he stands on "One China." In fact, if you asked this parent what exactly One China is, she would have guessed a David Bowie album that also won a Grammy. 

The teen and I tackle Trump's executive order on immigration and the proposed wall with Mexico. Sam questions people's reactions to the order, asks about other options for refugees, and notes that "a lot of things upset" his mother.

Last weekend, we did something that scared us: We drove several hours to Washington, D.C., donned pink hats and joined one million people to peacefully demonstrate with The Women's March. Traffic wasn't frightening and neither were the crowds. The crowds. Still searching for the right words. When I looked down a side street and saw still more thousands of people, my eyes teared up every time. So much diversity in age, race, and even gender. We lost count of the number of people participating in wheelchairs. At one point, a long chain of visually-impaired women weaved past us, with hands griping the shoulder in front of them. And so many different signs: For equality. For kindness. For the environment. Yes, there were plenty of negative signs and chants about the President, too. We didn't do that. In this podcast, the tween and I discuss why we kept quiet when we marched past The Trump Hotel.  This podcast runs shorter than usual. The reason: We recorded early in the week while the memories remained fresh. However, Daughter was tired from the exciting weekend. That's what happens when you take part of history and walk more than nine miles in one day. 

Tonight, the women in our family are packing for our trip to Washington, D.C. to take part in the Women's March on Washington. Teen son and I discuss who's taking part in the march, what's the purpose, and why men are invited, too. We also talk about our safety concerns. Correction and full disclosure:  The website is womensmarch.com. In the podcast, I incorrectly say womensmarch.org. I have not fact-checked what our teen son said about the high school clubs and organizations.

We explain the meaning of several words during this tween talk: Bipartisan, press conference, and Gaga ball. For those over the age of 10 who are unfamiliar with the game: Gaga ball is just like dodge ball, only you aim for hitting opponents below the waist. Just like Russia.

Time to tackle some lighter news about a kid who made national news. Seventeen-year-old Cal Marshall got grounded for dabbing while holding the Bible as his father, U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall of Kansas (R - the R is for Republican, D after a Congressman's name is for Democrat), was sworn in with House Speaker Paul Ryan. We describe the dab, its brief history, and its hilarity. We also discuss how long a teen should be grounded for such an offense and what that might entail.

The United Nations passed a resolution in December 2016 that basically says, "Hey, Israel, stop building settlements in disputed Palestinian territory. And you, Palestine, stop the acts of terrorism. Now both of you start talking, create two states and make peace like you said you would years ago." We go into more background about the Middle East Conflict, what U.S. Secretary of State Kerry said about the U.N. resolution, what President-elect Trump Tweeted, and Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu's reaction. We also read the United Kingdom's statement about the matter in an outrageous English accent. 

A mom-to-teen-son talk about what it means to be a U.S. Cabinet nominee, why some of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees are controversial, and why diversity works for superhero groups and presidential advisory teams.

The news about President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt, got our 10-year-old curious about what Trump meant when he said climate change was a hoax. We also talk about what climate change is, what's causing it and what people can do about it. Pop quiz at the end, courtesy of the EPA's website. 

The kids heard us in the car discussing the violent attack on the Ohio State campus that happened on Nov. 28. Like many people, they asked questions. In this episode, we explain to our 10-year-old what it means to be a Muslim, why many of them in the U.S. are afraid, and what to do if you are ever in a scary situation like this one. So much for starting out with light, easy topics.  

The Carolinas Panthers star linebacker suffered a concussion Nov. 17 in at Thursday night NFL game against the Saints, which got our family talking about the serious injuries players suffer while playing the game. Jeff Pearlman, author of the new book, Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improbably, Iconic Life of Brett Favre, discusses with us how NFL players have described to him what it's like to take those hits on the field, his thoughts on why NFL ratings are declining, and what Uncle Mike would do if Jeff showed up for the family Thanksgiving touch football game. 

Google and Facebook made front page news this week about their efforts to address the rampant fake news stories on their websites. Veteran reporter and former American Press Institute executive Carol Ann Riordan speaks with our teenager about why everyone needs to fact-check before believing or sharing stories and how to spot bogus articles. Our elementary school student asks the real burning question: Is Riordan related to the author of the Percy Jackson series?

Mom and 10-year-old Mallory discuss who ran for president, the reaction Mallory and kids at school had to Donald Trump's win and what it was like as an adult to vote in this historic election. We also talk about why Hillary Clinton lost her bid to be President. 

What prompted this podcast, what you can expect when you tune in, and why it's legit.