Has your child declared his party allegiance, yet? As our country prepares to go to the polls and elect a host of leaders, including a president for the next four years, it’s a great opportunity to talk to your kids about what they think of the candidates, what voting means, and what it has to do with them.
Kids hear lots of political rhetoric during an election year, and they need parents to explain what it all means. This is a great opportunity for you to underscore what your most fundamental values are, and how that guides or influences your choice of candidates.
1. Establish your values. Your kids need to know what you believe, because trust us, the rest of the world is working overtime to capture the hearts and minds of your children. Consider their ages when deciding which topics are appropriate, but let them know what you think is right and wrong, and why.
2. Listen well. We live in a culture of non-stop spinning of facts (and lies), and only the discerning listener can learn to separate truth from fiction. Teach your children to spot inconsistencies and listen with some degree of skepticism to any candidate.
3. Character matters. Character and integrity—even in their personal lives—can tell us a great deal about how trustworthy a candidate is. Teach your children that character counts for elected officials.
4. Study up. The only way to make truly informed choices is to take the time to read and research the candidates’ positions on the issues that matter most to you. Don’t rely on the news media to give you all the facts you need to make a wise choice. Spend some time online reading a variety of trusted sources to get a good picture of a candidate’s record and goals.
5. Vote with your pocketbook. The voting booth is not the only way you can make a difference in our country. If there’s a particular issue or candidate that is near and dear to your heart, consider giving financial support. Explain to your kids what those extra dollars will enable the recipient to do, and how it might influence our world.
6. Vote with your time. If money is tight, you can also make a difference by volunteering for candidate’s campaign or to lobby for a particular type of legislation. No race was ever won without a lot of envelopes licked, phone calls made, and doors knocked upon. Some campaign jobs are even kid-friendly!
7. Avoid the negative talk. Train your children to passionately advocate for what they think is right without engaging in hurtful personal attacks or hateful speech. Unless we raise the bar of civility in our own lives, we’re doomed as a nation.
8. Be a patriot, no matter what. So your candidate didn’t win…now what? Well, it’s not the time to become bitter. It’s time to help America get better! Do what you can to support our leaders for the good of our nation, and make your voice heard again when election time rolls around again.
