Recently, while driving out of a busy parking lot, a man nearly collided with my car and honked angrily. I let him pass, and then I noticed something that made me sigh. “He must be a supporter of that controversial politician,” I thought to myself.
“What’s a supporter of that politician?” my 6-year-old son, Max, asked.
Uh-oh.
I explained that it means someone who wants to elect that person for president. He knows what a president is, so he asked who this individual is. I feel it’s essential to be truthful with kids, which means going beyond just labeling him as a member of a particular political party.
I told Max that this politician is someone with an immense amount of wealth, but rather than using it to help others, he often says hurtful things about women and various ethnic groups. In fact, he wants to build a wall to keep certain people out of the country, which is not a kind thing to do. He has made statements suggesting violence against his political opponent—a notion that is absolutely unacceptable. And honestly, I think he’s not a good person. He has a tendency to bend the truth.
I continued by sharing that his supporters sometimes behave even worse, gathering in large crowds to shout hateful things and use derogatory language towards people of color. They even advocate for extreme measures against his political opponent, with some wearing shirts that call for violence. They claim they want to “take back” the country from those of us who believe in using government funds to support vulnerable populations like children and low-income families. Their anger stems from feeling powerless.
I let Max know that we support another candidate—anyone but that one.
He seemed to absorb this information and nodded, indicating he had no more questions. I felt a sense of relief but also a desire to delve deeper into the specifics of why this politician’s views are harmful, his questionable business dealings, and the shady tactics he employs. However, I know that there’s a limit to what children should be exposed to.
While I want to foster an understanding of political processes in my children, I also believe in protecting their innocence. I won’t burden my 6-year-old with every detail, such as the time the politician made crude jokes in a debate. Humor at his expense is one thing, but I don’t want to drag my kids into the muck of harsh political discourse.
It frustrates me that I even have to address such absurdity with my children. If a different candidate had been nominated, I could have provided a more balanced explanation about differing political perspectives. But that is not the case.
We have lost a chance not only for a respectable candidate but also for meaningful political conversations with our kids—because there are some things that simply can’t be explained. Just like the entire campaign surrounding that politician, it’s a troubling situation.
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In summary, it’s vital to communicate political views to our children while also recognizing the need to protect them from the more chaotic aspects of political discourse. We must find a balance between honesty and age-appropriateness.