It’s been a really busy election year and you can bet your kids are hearing things at school, home, friends’ homes, and even on the street. Even though you may think they’re too young to understand, it might be the perfect opportunity to open up dialogue about the way our government works.
Monday night Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump participated in the first presidential debate and if you were watching it at home, it’s quite possible your children might be interesting in learning more. Dr. Stephanie O’Leary shares some advice on how to talk to your kids the right way about such a complicated topic.
How to Talk to Your Children About Politics
Listen to your what your child has to say about politics. The easy part will be opening your ears. The tough part will be holding your tongue, momentarily, but it’s crucial to give your child a chance to share his or her ideas and questions without immediately launching into a lecture (or possibly a rant). Creating a judgment-free zone for your child will send the message that you really value their point of view.
2. Guide, but don’t push. If your child cites misinformation or parrots headlines without a solid understanding of the issues, take time to review facts and give your child space to draw his or her own conclusions. While the urge to have your child see things from your perspective may be strong, raising a thoughtful consumer of information is the goal. This protects your child from buying into ideas just because someone else tells them to.
3. Send the message that respect is non-negotiable. Undoubtedly, campaigns involve some degree of mud slinging. This is a hard concept for kids to accept, especially as they are held to high standards when it comes to combating bullying and treating peers with kindness. Explain that even well educated adults sometimes behave poorly and that communicating respectfully is the best way to be heard. And don’t tolerate below-the-belt commentary during family conversations.
4. Focus on empowerment. Even though your child may be years away from voting, it’s never too early to talk about being active and involved. Discuss issues that are important to your family, neighborhood, and culture. If possible, take your child with you when you vote at least once. That experience makes a lasting impression and will send the message that participating in the process is something to look forward to.
5. Just say no to hysteria. Adults say all sorts of things out of emotion and most of them are taken with a grain of salt—except if you’re a kid. Kids interpret things more literally and, despite what you might think, they believe most of what their parents say. Be ready to explain that people (maybe yourself included) don’t always mean what they say. So, Aunt Rose is not moving to Canada if this one wins and the country will probably not be destroyed if that one wins.
