With election season comes a wave of often heated political debates on social media, delicate and tense conversations in real life, and attack ads on TV and radio. Politics will permeate the daily lives of most of us between now and election day.
For me, this also meant that my children had a surprising interest in politics.
While I was standing at the stove making dinner, my 9-year-old was in the kitchen watching a YouTube show. He asked, “Mom, how could someone steal an election?”
I didn’t immediately turn around to answer, because I wasn’t sure if I should answer, or if I did, what I would say. “There are a lot of different election crimes that can amount to stealing an election,” I said. “There’s disenfranchisement, there’s polling place abuse, there’s campaign fund abuse…”
Before I could say a word, he said, “Sheesh,” put his headphones back on, and the conversation was over.
As I was cooking again, I realized this was a valuable opportunity to engage my child in a conversation about politics and help him understand the world around him.
But I’m not sure if he understood what I said. It could also be that he lost interest because I used terms he had never heard before.
As I spiraled into thinking about elections, parenting, and education, I realized that having these discussions with my kids was going to be tricky. What do I tell them about Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris? Or Republican candidate Donald Trump?
Through conversations with my kids and research, I learned that it’s not just me. Many parents struggle to talk to their kids about politics. I decided to share a few ways to talk to your kids about politics in a thoughtful and age-appropriate way.
Don’t overwhelm your children with political terms
It’s always good to start with the basics. You need to explain what elections are, why they’re important, and how they work. For my 9-year-old, I used analogies like voting at a family movie night or a fast food restaurant. I wanted to make sure he understood that elections are a way for people to make choices about who will represent them and make decisions that affect everyone’s lives.
Kids are naturally curious, and that’s great. Their questions about voting and elections are a great way to teach them about civil rights. Encourage them to ask questions about what they’ve heard online or from friends. If you don’t know the answer, it’s okay to admit it and then take the opportunity to learn together.
My son has autism. Schools misunderstand him. I fear the police will too.
One of the biggest challenges I had when having conversations with my kids about politics was trying to be age-appropriate. I found myself using political jargon and words they didn’t understand, which left them confused or uninterested.
As parents, we need to tailor political discussions to our child’s age and maturity level. With younger children, focus on basic concepts like fairness, kindness, and the role of government in keeping people safe and healthy. Older children can handle more detailed discussions about political parties and the impact of policies on people and communities.
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I want to encourage my children to think critically about what they see and hear. I do this by talking about the importance of considering different perspectives and the difference between facts and opinions.
This may be a good time to introduce the concept of media literacy, so that children understand that not everything they see online or on TV is true.
Be honest with children about your political views
I teach my children about the values and beliefs that are important to my family and how they relate to politics. I explain to them that different families can have different values, and that is why there are different political parties and candidates to vote for. The most valuable lesson is to teach them to respect different opinions.
You can involve your children in the voting process by showing them your postal ballot or taking them with you when you vote if your polling place allows it. Explain to them why you are voting. This can emphasize the importance of community involvement.
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Above all, be honest about your own political views and why you have them. This can help your children understand that politics is complex and that people can have good reasons for supporting different candidates or policies.
Politics can be divisive; our children will hear strong opinions or even insults about certain candidates or groups. Let’s use these moments to teach empathy and respect.
By encouraging open, honest and respectful discussions, we can help our children become informed, empathetic and engaged citizens.
Marla Bautista is a military columnist at USA TODAY Opinion.
You can read a variety of opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion Newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to Talk to Kids About the Election: Be Honest About Trump, Harris
