Things The Media Always Gets Wrong

The following is a list of all the things that triggered my anxiety, both because the actions were wrong to do, and because I've looked them up to see if they were true, they were also inaccurate.   

1. Siblings being adopted separately and unaware the other exists.

 

There are State AND federal laws that adoption agencies cannot completely sever ties between biological siblings and are required to inform adopting parents about said siblings. Thus, parents cannot unknowingly adopt only one of a set of twins. And if they do only want one, the authorities recognize the importance of sibling relationships and strongly encourage foster and adoptive parents to keep siblings together whenever possible, as this has been proven beneficial for stability, security, emotional well-being, and resilience. Not to mention, it can lead to better permanency outcomes.   

2. London Blitz evacuees were usually separated from siblings and parents.

Many parents actually arranged for their children to be evacuated together, and host families were strongly encouraged to take them. I'm pretty sure that the resources to do this were easier to find after a while, because many families were more than willing to help when things got really bad. Also, many mothers, especially those of kids under five, were also evacuated. 

3. Lincoln freed the slaves.

Actually, President Lincoln originally wanted to deport freed slaves, not integrate them into American society and was more focused on winning the Civil War. His views evolved towards ending slavery much later. 

4. Not eating sugar will prevent tooth decay.

Tooth decay and plaque are also caused by bacteria that feed on fermented carbohydrates and starches. 

5. When smart people display vast knowledge or correct people, they're always showing off.

Sometimes, smart people just like to share information, or as in my case, because it makes them feel special.

6. A disability is the most important thing to acknowledge about a person.

While, yes, it is important that special accommodations are provided to those who need them, it's unfair to label someone as something because of one thing about them. Just because someone has the same or a similar disability or condition doesn't mean the same solution works for everyone. For example, in the second and third grades, my Special Education teachers made me study kindergarten-level phonics. I get that some Autistic kids my age might've needed help with that stuff, but I actually learned to read in preschool. In fact, my first word was from Green Eggs and Ham. 

7. A Tyrannosaurus couldn't see you if you remained perfectly still.

Actually, the T-rex had very impressive eyesight and a strong sense of smell, and yes, it could likely catch up to a jeep. The original Jurassic Park book said this particular dinosaur couldn't see you if you didn't move was because they used frog DNA to fill in the sequence gaps.  

8. Adults always know best.

While I agree that you should always listen to an authority figure, you need to remember that just because someone older thinks one way about something doesn't automatically mean they're right.