Can kids and politics mix?

Parenting the election process

Young but savvy: Although their children are young—Emily (left) is 4, and Anna is 5—Chattanooga parents Amy and Darryl Thomson say the heavily publicized presidential race grabbed their daughters’ attention. The Thomsons says they have used the high-voltage event as an opportunity to teach their children about the political process and respectful civic discourse. Photo by Bryan R. Scott

By Janis Hashe

On Jan. 20, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Throughout the long, eventful campaign, both parents and teachers found many “teachable moments” to involve kids in learning about American democracy, our election process—and being respectful, even under highly charged circumstances.
Here in Chattanooga, kids engaged in mock elections, tried to understand the complex issues facing our nation, and, as a recent student letter-writing campaign to the local daily underscores, continue to learn from the process.

“Teachable moments”

One local mom, e-mailing the day after the election, told Chattanooga Parent, “My 9-year-old was so excited about the win that she cut Obama’s head out of the morning newspaper and safety-pinned it to her shirt, then wore it to her school—politically hostile territory. Hope it’s still there when she gets home. . . . My 16-year-old spent yesterday afternoon standing on the corner of Georgia & 3rd, waving Obama signs and getting flipped off by some drivers. Lots of teachable moments. . . .”
Anna and Emily Thomson (ages 5 and 4, respectively), became interested in the election when the family was driving past a house that had a political yard sign. Parents Amy and Darryl Thomson explained, Amy says, “that people who support someone who is running for president sometimes put up signs in their yards. They asked me who I was voting for and why. I told them and explained, ‘Because I believe the same things he believes.’
“We discovered that it was really important to emphasize that the other candidate is not a ‘bad guy’ or a ‘mean guy.’ At one point, they were going around their schools, saying, ‘I’m voting for so-and-so, because so-and-so doesn’t understand the issues!’ And while that was funny, we knew we really needed to emphasize that some people don’t like to talk about their voting choices because it’s private, and that we can all make different choices.”

Raising critical thinkers

Parenting experts concur. Maureen Brown and Maura Ridder, co-hosts of Mom’s the Word, a radio show airing nationally on Castle Rock Radio, are emphatic about the importance of teaching children respectful discourse:
“A recent study reveals that if kids get involved in election issues early, and we show them how voting matters, it can be good for them. Research shows that if they are engaged in society, they are less likely to experiment with risky behavior like drugs or violence, and more likely to feel better about themselves and their community. Our show focused on kids and elections. Our message is clear: Stop brainwashing your children! We have found that kids are aware of the candidates and the parties, but are merely spouting their parents’ political views. Often, kids are fighting at school over issues on which they are ill-informed. We have heard people telling their kids that Obama is a Muslim terrorist. We have heard kids yelling to others that Barack Obama is a ‘baby-killer,’ or Sarah Palin is ‘stupid.’ This is completely unacceptable to us.
“Our message is to inspire your children to be involved in the electoral process, but give them the facts. Do not just tell them your political views. Try to remain neutral. Talk about the election process in general. Discuss the three branches of government and how they work together. Keep it a factual discussion of how our government is set up. Discuss the issues that dominate this election, and as they show an interest in a specific issue, encourage them to research it and discuss it with you. Work with them to discover where the candidates stand on the issues. Encourage them to form their own opinions, and respect that opinion
“On election day, take your children to the polls with you and explain the process. Explain that it is your duty to be registered and vote in every election. Inform them that women did not even get the right to vote until 1920! Tell them what we had to go through to get it!
“Finally, teach your kids to respect their friends’ opinions. Teach them tolerance. Remember, our goal is to foster critical thinking in our children, and teach them to be independent thinkers. We must not only allow our children the right to disagree with us, but we must respect their opinions. To raise our children to think for themselves is one of the most valuable gifts we can give them.”

Hearing both sides

Says Amy Thomson, “I grew up around a lot of people who voted for the same people their parents were voting for. We want our girls to be able to choose for themselves. We were listening to a speech by my candidate on early-childhood education, and they said, ‘Did he say “child”?’ and I explained yes, he was talking about education, and this is what he thinks, but the other candidate thinks this. . . . You need to listen to what both people say.”
Anna’s classroom had a mock election with pretend candidates, while Emily’s voted for the real candidates, Amy says. “Younger kids idolize their teachers, so the more objective and factual they are, the better, especially if they emphasize issues like education and health care, that kids can relate to,” she notes.
The Thomsons watched election returns as a family until the girls’ bedtime, Amy and Darryl explaining what the numbers being flashed meant. Anna and Emily went to bed not knowing the results. “As soon as Emily opened her eyes the next morning, she said, ‘Is [our candidate] president?’,” Amy laughs.
Writer and columnist Jamia Wiley Stokes wrote in the November 16 Chattanooga Times-Free Press: “In the months preceding the election, my stepdaughter took an active interest in understanding the differences between the top two candidates. It became obvious that the kids at school were also talking about race and politics because she came home from school with questions on a weekly basis.
“My husband and I took advantage of these opportunities to talk about racism and to explain the importance of voting, but it heightened our awareness of the racial views still thriving in some Southern homes.
“Following the election, she decided to wear her Obama ‘Born to Lead’ shirt to school. I encouraged her to wear it, but I was concerned about how some of her teachers might respond. After dropping her off, I wondered if her T-shirt choice would have mattered if the results would have been different.”
Anna and Emily Thomson continue to have questions, according to their mom, asking, “‘Where is George Bush going to live?’ And they are very interested in the whole dog issue,” she says. Amy believes their interest will continue throughout the new president’s term.

Beyond the parade

The inauguration itself, with all its hoopla, provides yet another chance for parents and teachers to involve kids in learning about our political process.
Walter McKenzie, writing for the well-known educators’ website EducationWorld.com, recommends the following sites for teachers and parents to find more information prior to the inauguration:

The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden
AmericanHistory.si.edu/presidency/home.html
“The section ‘The Campaign Trail’ includes inauguration information, and ‘Life and Death at the White House’ offers a more human view of presidents and their wives. Round all this out with teacher materials, and you have a great tool for exploring the people who have held this highest of offices.”

The American President
PBS.org/wnet/amerpres
“Based on the PBS series, this site offers historical insight and perspective on the men who have served in our highest office. From ‘accidental presidents’ to national heroes, this site presents them all with unique points of view sure to stir up discussion.”

The Chief Executive Club
Home.Comcast.net/~chief.executive.club/
“This page is packed with presidential trivia and well-researched biographies, facts and links on all of our presidents. The separate section on vice presidents who have become presidents is equally valuable and filled with information. This site is great for fascinating information and student research.”

I Do Solemnly Swear
Memory.loc.gov/ammem/pihtml/pihome.html
“The Library of Congress presents this significant collection of materials on past inaugurations, including such sections as Words and Images, Presidential Oaths of Office, and Precedents and Notable Events.”

Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States
Bartleby.com/124/
“This site presents the text of every inaugural address, from George Washington’s onward. Help students consider the historical context of speeches by Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Kennedy. By analyzing the speeches, students can identify major trends in the evolution of American politics and the American identity.”

The Inaugural Classroom
PBS.org/inaugural97/letter.html
“PBS offers this set of lessons and activities for celebrating the inauguration, created by high school teacher George Cassutto. Special sections include The Inauguration and the Media, Steps in Selecting a President, The People and Their President, and The Constitution and the Inauguration of the President.”

The White House
WhiteHouse.gov
“Use the official White House Web site to check on the transition of power. The site will offer a fascinating media study in the way one administration presents itself online and the way the next administration will choose to portray itself as it comes into power.”

Source: EducationWorld.com

Visit Walter McKenzie’s own site, SurfAquarium.com, for a whole list of suggestions specific to the 2009 inauguration.

More great Web resources

In researching this article, we discovered more places for parents, teachers and students to go for information about democracy and the election process, including:

• CRF.USA.org
• PBS.org/independentlens/classroom
• Teach-Nology.com/themes/social/voting
• KidsVotingUSA.org
• PBSKids.org/democracy
• BrainPop.com