I do NOT watch the news in front of my kids. In fact I read most of it online. I have a DVR and record everything so we can ff through commercials. Even programs I think are child appropriate have commercials that are not.  For example the news stations cutting advertising SEX SCANDAL>>>> TUNE IN LATER.  That isn't anything my kids need to hear, not hearing it, they don't ask, it really is that simple.
I'm sure it will different when they are older but for now, it works well for us.

Another plus it save ME a lot of annoyance. I don't have to hear at 1 pm something like "tainted water supply... tune in at 5 to find out where". That super annoying advertising that all news stations do.  I am perfectly happy to be a few minutes behind. AT 11 you have 11 at 11, and then at 11:12 you start over with SAME things, and then comes sports (snooze) I can read it all online in under 5 minutes as opposed to sitting in front of the tv for 30 minutes.

I think it's a shame we should have to tell our kids anything about this at all. The investigation is still ongoing... and because we live in a day where there is 24 hour news coverage stories come out much too soon.
I thinks it's disgusting how the hooker in this case is getting so much press and now apparently getting money out of this. isn't prostitution still illegal??? What does this say to our young girls of America???? Sad, very sad indeed. That is something we definately shouldn't have our children see.

Personally, my only child is 18.  However, he was much younger during President Clinton's sex scandal, and as I recall we had a very difficult time explaining that to him.  When public officials, especially elected politicians, do these sort of things they are doing damage to our young people by stealing their trust.

You can only protect your kids so much.  They have friends, and quite possibly are talking about this in school.  I do have many children in my family that I care deeply for, and I resent these perverted politicians for bringing this sort of garbage into our children's lives.

Paula F.

I'm telling my kids that the state of NY has a long history of high taxes, corruption, and dishonest partisan politicians -- and they should move out of state as soon as they can.

My" kids" are adults and can judge for themselves.  

Part of the challenge of explaining situations like these is that the mdeia have become more open about the causes and behaviors involved.  That places parents in the untenable position of having to explain behaviors that aren't even part of the typical "birds and bees" discussions.  

Forty years ago, there might have been hints at a scandal, but the details would have been something you'd have to dig for.  Now, they are being shoved in front of everybody, whether appropriate or not.  At least in Sptizer's case we haven't had to endure discussions about his particular preferences with the young lady(s)...at least not yet.

I suppose the currently best explanation is that (soon to be former) Governor Spitzer was breaking a law, and was caught, so now he must resign from office.  If that's not enough information, just say he was keeping company with a young lady and married men are not supposed to do that.  If your child gives you the "Yeah...right" look, you might as well go fro broke and tell the rest of the story.

what do you tell a child[ mine are grown up too], ; expain the matrix of poiltics in the US; A GOVERNOR, worth close to 400 million, his own money; both spouses from wealthy families, both spouses lawyers, and he was paying 4000 dollars a crack[no pun intended]; this is a novelty [yeah right]. in todays media drowned society, lacking privacy for anyone except insignificant humans like myself, the best thing to do is raise your children as their own role model; good humanistic values, and to find a niche in life where these kind of sordid events have no meaning.l  just for the record , prostitution is legal in a coulple of states, which means were' talking about a law thats flexible ; how many sex scandals in NEVADA lately; answer NONE. i live a quiet life and dont overjudge sexual mores; they change every twenty years; hi facefurney

Arrogance and pride have been Mr Spitzer's trademarks for many years. A man who thinks he is above the legal law, moral code and especially God's laws is a man that will sooner or later have his downfall. We are all guilty of sins committed against a righteous God and fellow human beings, but people that are in a position  of authority - wether it be govenor, president, CEO or even a husband/father of a family - have the duty to be of excellent character and live honestly before God and man. Mr Spitzer has failed miserably. I feel sorry for his wife and three daughters.

I told my kid that the man has an addiction - one that isn't talked about much in school classrooms as part of the health curriculum. I followed that with a lighter comment that it was just as bad as the article regarding the man in the vehicle in the parking lot at the Walmart store - the only difference was that obviously, one of them did not have $80,000! Both are public, Both are shameful. As far as the Lt Gov being legally blind - have you considered he may really have the best "vision for New York"? Maybe the rest of us are blind?

Thankfully my kids are all grown up and can think for themselves. They know the Government in this country is a mess and there is corruption running amuck. These officials should be proscueted to the fullest extent of the law. If it had been a 'citizen' with no government ties, there would be no room for deals. Off to jail for breaking the law. As for his hooker, she lives in a posh $1,000.00 a month studio apartment, poor thing she is so hard done by! She'll go on moving up the ladder and end up with 6 figures, how ironic! I feel the new Governor is a kind hearted person who wants and will do what is right across the board. He has my support.

welcome to politics...business as usual !! why vote ?? either way you`ll get some crook like spitzer in office so why waste your time??  new yorkers are blind as a bat,sara !!

My children are young, but I did not tell them anything.
Don't believe it really impacts them in any significant way.

However, I do believe it was good for the state.  Spitzer had a lot
of goofy (arrogant) ideas.  Giving licenses to illegal aliens for example.

my kids dont need to no. when they get older, enough to understand they will see how messed up the world really is. in the mean time try and protect them and guide them in the right direction.... :)

I have blamed the media for years for what is happening in society.    I don't watch the news regularly because I don't wish to be depressed, and that seems to be all that is reported.   I do watch Tuesdays, Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays to get the lotto and Mega ball #'s, but I suppose I could get that on the internet,  where I only watch or read what is relevent to my life.   Watching Mrs. Spritzers face breaks my heart.   I'm sure she was forced to be there for political and selfish reasons by her scum sucking husband.   Leave the innocent alone.    Be kinder in your reporting.

Corruption like this has been going on since before the Constitution was implemented, and it's not going to go away by covering our kids ears and eyes.
I've never lied to my kids nor have I ever candy coated a subject just so that it didn't seem too horrible.
I think that what is going  on right now in NY is just a sample of what really is going on, on a daily basis with our country.  
The only way we can fight corruption and put an end to it is by standing up for our rights, know the law and for God's sakes, stop letting people control our lives for us.
We need to have Joe Consumer reread the Constitution in it's original form, you know, the one before all the ammendments for our "own good" started.

My kids are sheltered quite a bit, thankfully so. Most of what goes on in the world is filtered by what I think they need to help them be well balanced human beings. But as a Christian, I think it's important let them see both sides of the world to a point. They know that our Governor messed up his marriage. But in our society, that is no shocking news. Unfortunately, that kind of thing seems to be happening in our communities every day. I just want my boys to clearly see the fruits of sin. The law of sowing and reaping in action. (Proverbs 7:6-27)

First of all - this isn't a sounding board for your ranting it was a legitimate question and I assumed people would actually answer it.   I guess I was wrong.    I told  my young (elementary age children) that the Governor made bad choices that were illegal and that meant he couldn't be governor anymore... and that now we will have a new Governor.      They asked if he would go to jail and I said that I didn't think so but that everyone knew about his bad choices and he said he was sorry and he lost his job.  We talked a little about bad choices and having to live with the consequences, and that even grown up people make mistakes.    They were fine with that.   If anyone else has any CONSTRUCTIVE answer to the question - I'd love to hear it.  

hi chris m , where have you been. as i said earlier, if this country was media oriented when it was born from 1776, we wouldnt have been born. infedelity is wrong ; but in honored positions like governor or president, the policies implemented and the direction of the country,is not going to be influenced by paying out of your own money a call girl.  you have to be role models for your own children, the country itself is on a slide downwards with economical problems , foreign affairs[war, low imports , high tarrif] , ; take a good look in history , the best decisions were made while presidents personal life are less than honorable ; look to the quality of the man in his position  to implement policies for the betterment of our country; cast out myths about the pure presidents or governor ; it never existed ; except for fantasy land

Indeed, there are flaws in human character -- and not a single person is excluded.  That's not an excuse for wrong behavior, but rather a potent demonstration of our fallen state.

Sadly, sexual scandal in high office is nothing new: consider a particular king who got over-comfortable with his position, was somewhere he had no business being, and had an affair with a married woman who became pregnant.  This king tried a coverup, manipulating her husband into a situation where he would assume the child was his... but it didn't work.  Finally in deparation, he conspired to have the husband killed, and married the woman himself.

This king?  Israel's second... David.  You can read the account for yourself:  2 Samuel, chapters 11 and 12.  Better still, read it with your kids... and keep going through chapter 13.  It's an excellent object lesson:  there can be recovery from failure... but there are still consequences, both for yourself and for the people around you.

If nothing else, use this whole sorry episode to help your kids learn a valuable lesson that might spare them -- and those around them -- untold pain.

I couldn't agree more. I don't like to shy away from the facts. Truth is truth and we need to be honest. Even though our new Gov. admitted adultery already within the last decade, I respect his honesty. Unlike past presidents who lie about it. If you did it, confess it and don't be a skunk about it.