Teaching my kids how to vote. I think it is vitally important to take your kids to the voting booth. It is equally important to have conversations about why you are voting for the candidates in a child friendly, age appropriate way
In the last few weeks I have done the following things to teach my children the importance of being politically informed. My oldest 2 have watched the debates with my husband and I. We have talked openly and honestly throughout the debates about the issues. I think we have fairly represented the issues and allowed our children to give their opinions to us. I have listened more than I have spouted rhetoric. This has been very difficult especially during Joe Biden's fiasco and disrespectful showing.
Kiley has come home spouting the teachers politics, which is so frustrating. She was so fearful of her mom voting for Romney when "everyone" at school was voting for Obama. Perfect time for a lesson on individual thought and bring a leader.Perfect time to make my lil democrat think about the issues. We talked about abortion (dont freak...it was age appropriate and matter of fact), coal mining, healthcare, war and taxes. It is possible to discuss these things and get your kids to think...THINK. What a foreign concept for our spoon fed lil sponges who get their information from unionized teachers
My boys were so excited to vote that they even stayed quiet and respectful.When we finished voting they asked loudly for all to hear, "why can't we vote?" They were so inundated with voting lingo while driving home and listening to talk radio, Keegan says, "is this about Obama again?!" They got to vote on their favorite cookie, drink and superhero. They learned how to vote today.
I grew up in a home where political conversations were par for the course. Heated arguments permeated every family gathering. My family had varying thoughts but was never shying expressing them.Our faith was a huge building block to how we voted. Today as I voted I thought about how lucky I was to be brought up in a house that valued voting and were passionate about their beliefs. Today as I voted with my kids, I knew I was teaching them the same thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment