Girl Group Election Coverage
Hi friends,
As we move into the final throes of a particularly intense election year, we’ve been thinking about how we can use a discussion of politics to expand our ongoing exploration of identity. It’s a great time to encourage kids to listen to others with kindness, empathy and compassion. Because we’ve been mulling this topic for months, we thought we’d offer some suggestions for talking points:
- Explain “Democracy.” One vote equals one voice. Vote on family issues such as what to have for dinner, what movie to watch or where to go on vacation.
- At any age, kids are adept at gathering information. They are listening to the radio in the car, overhearing adult conversations and chatting with friends at school. Ask your kids what they’ve heard about the election. Answer their questions and address their concerns. Be clear about the difference between fact and opinion.
- Look up the defining tenets of the Republican, Democrat, Libertarian and Independent parties. Talk about the issues that are important to you and explain to your kids why those issues have led you to support one party over the other. Talk about the issues that are important to your children and find out what candidates are supporting these issues. Don’t stop at the presidential candidates. Look at state and local elections as well.
- While it’s very easy to have an “us” and “them” attitude, it’s important to remember that we are all part of one country and we are all working to solve problems in ways that make the most sense to us. Think of the candidates as “Problem Solvers.” This might lead to a family conversation about different points of view and how this world view might affect decision making.
- The election is a great time to talk about social issues that might be of interest to your kids. You might want to start a conversation with your older children about issues they’d like to address in the community or the world. Who knows you might have a budding “Problem Solver” in the house.
We're in this together!
Wes & Tanya