--- title: Government Shutdown: How to Explain It to a Kid | TIME description: What exactly happens during a government shutdown? TIME's Katy Steinmetz explains the basics. canonical: https://time.com/video/La4Q2NPy/ og:title: Government Shutdown: How to Explain It to a Kid og:description: What exactly happens during a government shutdown? TIME's Katy Steinmetz explains the basics. og:url: https://time.com/video/La4Q2NPy/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/La4Q2NPy/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Government Shutdown: How to Explain It to a Kid twitter:description: What exactly happens during a government shutdown? TIME's Katy Steinmetz explains the basics. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/La4Q2NPy/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Government Shutdown: How to Explain It to a Kid > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Government Shutdown: How to Explain It to a Kid [Watch (HLS stream): Government Shutdown: How to Explain It to a Kid](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/La4Q2NPy.m3u8) (3:25)  _Published 2013-09-29. What exactly happens during a government shutdown? TIME's Katy Steinmetz explains the basics._ --- Jul 27, 2023 3:48 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [House Votes to Avert Government Shutdown](/video/zd36wwdi/) ### House Votes to Avert Government Shutdown [President Trump Says Government Shutdown Could Happen Saturday](/video/4ZthabDF/) ### President Trump Says Government Shutdown Could Happen Saturday [Government Shutdown Looms](/video/xoBF23aD/) ### Government Shutdown Looms --- ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] Why would the government ever shut down anyway? Government programs need money to operate, and if congress can't agree on how to fund those programs then they have to shut down. So far law makers haven't been able to compromise. Until they do the government won't be able to do certain things, like run the country's National Parks. Does the President still go to work? Yes. The President will still get up in the morning, put on his shoes and go be a Commander in Chief. So will may other government officials who have very important jobs. What about the members of Congress? Senators and representatives certainly also have important jobs, especially right now because they're the ones that have to come to an agreement in order for the government to get the money that it needs. Technically they don't have to go to work, but the American people want this problem solved, so they're going to be heading to the office too. Do I have to worry about Canada invading, with all the American soldiers on vacation? The Canadian people are generally peaceful, unless you're speaking American English in the heart of Quebec, in which case, [ FOREIGN ], you're in trouble. But don't worry, even if the government shuts down, soldiers won't go on vacation. The military will keep operating and so will the Border Patrol. So there's no reason to fear an invasion from the north or the south. What about the Mars rover? Though many employess of NASA will be furloughed, that's a word you'll hear a lot. That means they'll be forced to stay home from work. The Mars rover will continue to explore the red planet. What about my parents or my friends' parents who work for the government? Will they get paid? It depends. Each agency, like the Department of Defence or Department of Energy has to decide which jobs are most important. The people who have the most important jobs will keep going to work. Those with less essential jobs will have to stay home because the government doesn't have money to pay for their salaries. But they might get that pay back after the government shutdown is over. Will I still have school? I'm afraid the answer is yes. You will still have to go to school. Teachers of private schools aren't going to be affected by problems with government funding, and teachers of public school are typically paid on the state or local level, meaning they won't be affected too much by this problem either. An exception would be if you're part of a program like Head Start which does depend on money from the federal government. Those kids may be spending a little more time at home then they had planned. Does this mean I can buy Legos without sales tax? If only. Sales tax is dealt with at a state level so I'm afraid Lego prices are going to hold steady. Do I still have to take out the garbage? Mostly that's between you, your parents and your chore chart. Garbage collectors like teachers and police officers are generally dealt with at the local level, so they'll still be in operation. Can my grandma still fly in an airplane to visit me? Yes, Nana can still come see you. Air traffic controllers, the people who keep airplanes safe in the sky and on the ground, will still be going to work. So will security officers who check your bags at the airport. How long could this last? It depends. The government has shut down almost 20 times in the past 30 years. In 1995 it lasted 21 days, which starts to feel close to a month. Another time a shutdown lasted only about a day. So it just depends on how long it takes lawmakers to come to a compromise. We'll have to wait and see. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Government Shutdown: How to Explain It to a Kid","description":"What exactly happens during a government shutdown? 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