Never Too Festive: Parenting with More Joy & Less Mom Guilt

29. 5 Tips for Talking to Your Kids About Politics and the Election

• Elizabeth Hambleton

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Ever wondered how to make politics less intimidating and more engaging for your kids? Join me, Elizabeth Hambleton, as I transform daunting political discussions into approachable and meaningful conversations. We'll explore practical tips that empower parents to create a respectful dialogue with their children about politics and government. By sharing strategies such as discussing political topics with your partner first and encouraging children to lead with their questions, we aim to help you model respectful listening and understanding. This episode is all about turning what might feel like an overwhelming task into an opportunity for connection and learning.

Through our journey together, you'll discover the importance of honesty and how to use your children's curiosity as teachable moments. We'll navigate topics like the Electoral College with age-appropriate discussions and the power of researching answers together. By focusing on tangible experiences like voting, we illustrate the real responsibilities of citizenship and the importance of diverse opinions and compromise in democracy. Listen as we inspire you to embrace creativity and style in motherhood, reclaiming joy in everyday life while preparing your children to engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

Speaker 1:

If you live in the US, there is no doubt that you have seen lots of election signs and activities everywhere you go. And even if you live somewhere else, this is a great topic for you, because if you have felt unsure when talking to your kids about politics or governance, this episode is for you. Hey there, mama, and welcome to Never Too Festive, the podcast where we celebrate the extraordinary in everyday motherhood. I'm Elizabeth Hambleton, your host and fellow mom, on a mission to help you rediscover your sparkle, redefine your style and reclaim your sense of self in the midst of motherhood mayhem. Do you ever feel like you've lost touch with the stylish, confident woman you used to be before kids? Are you tired of living in yoga pants and feeling like you've gone from thriving to just surviving? Well, mama, it's time to reclaim joy, creativity and style, while embracing the fabulous mom you were meant to be. So, grab your iced coffee and join me as we embark on a stylish adventure together, because here on Never Too Festive, there's no such thing as too much sparkle, too much flair or too much celebration. Get ready to shine bright and live your most fabulous, joyful life because you deserve it full life because you deserve it.

Speaker 1:

It's not uncommon to feel a little bit daunted by broaching some of these more adult topics with your kids. So if you feel nervous, don't worry, you're in good company. A lot of us are a little hesitant. We don't know where to start, and that's why we have five quick tips for making those conversations a little bit easier. I think number five is especially important, so be sure to listen all the way to the end. Number one I think that if you are married or in some sort of committed relationship, it is really important that you talk to your spouse or partner first before you bring this up with your kids. You don't want to blindside that person with this topic. And this is probably especially important if you and your partner don't tend to see eye to eye politically and that happens in almost every relationship about at least a few topics. There are things that I make fun of my husband for thinking or doing, and so you know it's fine. We have a good natured relationship about it. Largely he and I are on the same page, so our discussions are fairly smooth. But if that's not true for you, that doesn't mean that this isn't still an important topic that you want to bring up around your kids. The main thing you're doing is not trying to convince your spouse or bring them over to your side. It's more just that you're setting the groundwork, that you're going to talk to your kids respectfully, that you're going to be fairly neutral, that you're going to share your opinions and give each person maybe a chance to talk, just so that each person comes into the conversation expecting it and feeling on board and feeling respected. That's really important. If the adults aren't modeling respectful behavior, respectful listening, and that's going to make this way harder for your kids. Kids Number two.

Speaker 1:

I like to let kids lead this discussion. You can do this by asking them what have you heard about the election? What do you know about current politics? You can ask them about specific things like do you know which presidential candidates are running? Do you know when the election will be? You might be surprised at their answers Surprised either at how much they know or, conversely, surprised at things that they don't know, that you would have thought they would have heard, maybe around school or just listening to other adults talk around your family. It's hard to anticipate what each kid knows, so I think often the best option is just to ask them. This is also a good way for them to have a safe space for discussing anything they've heard about the election or about politics that maybe feels confusing or overwhelming, or maybe even a little bit, you know, anxiety producing. Not everyone talks about politics or the election in a way that is, shall we say, productive. You know, people can be pretty strongly emotional. It's totally possible that your kids have heard things around that they find confusing or they didn't know how to bring up, and this is a great way for them to have a safe space to lead that discussion. You can actually just ask them straight up is there anything you've heard about the election that you're concerned about or you'd like to discuss Anything you've heard that's confusing? This is a great way to start and then, when you kind of have a sense of where they are, maybe they haven't heard anything and you're starting from scratch. Maybe they did have something and it leads you into the discussion. Either way, you know a little bit more about where they are and then you can meet them in that place instead of making assumptions about what they do or don't know or what they have or haven't been taught.

Speaker 1:

Number three hopefully this goes kind of without saying, but honesty is the best policy If your kids happen to ask you things that you just don't know the answers to. Maybe they have a really specific question around something like the electoral college. If they're a little bit older, or they've heard of a certain issue and they want to know more about it, maybe they're asking something a little bit more historical, like when was the first election or when, how did this get started? And if those are details of American history that have slipped your mind, it's OK. It happens to all of us. This is a great way to make it a teachable moment. Just be honest and say you know, that's such a great question.

Speaker 1:

I don't remember exactly how the Electoral College got started, and let's look that up together. This is a great chance for us to learn. Showing them that you don't have to have all the answers is, I think, really authentic and approachable, and it makes them feel comfortable learning with you. I personally can't say that I remember exactly how the Electoral College got started, so I'm right there with you and you know. You can even bring up stuff you don't know and say did you know that every state doesn't get the same number of votes? There's actually something called an Electoral College. Let's look it up and read about it together. Or, you know, check out some books from the library about American history and use this as a chance to teach more about our country in a way that feels really positive.

Speaker 1:

I think that elections can feel negative, but you, as the parent, have power to control the narrative in your own home. There's a lot of things that I think people like to focus on that aren't positive about the current state of, you know, america or the economy or various issues, but there is a lot that we can be proud of and that we can teach our kids, and it's up to us to kind of control that narrative and steer it in a way that's more productive. That kind of brings us into tip number four. Stick with age appropriate issues and maybe think about those before you start the discussion. Depending on the age of your children, this might not be the right time to get deep into the world of abortion or immigration or the details of the economy or interest rates or some of those things that just might be a bit over their head still. Or interest rates or some of those things that just might be a bit over their head still.

Speaker 1:

I would take some time to think about an issue that is relatable and approachable for your family, maybe something that affects things that you like, like my kids, really like nature and animals and national parks. You could talk about different environmental policies, potentially, or things that the US government has control over. And why is it important who's elected? Will they make decisions about this, this and this? They you know past presidents are the ones who started national parks. You know, bring in some history.

Speaker 1:

I would do a little bit of that legwork before I start the discussion because, kind of like I said before, I know a lot of us don't have those facts just handy right off the top of our head and if you go in a little prepared for ways that you might like to steer the discussion, or at least you have that stuff ready, then you're going to feel more confident and you're going to get more out of the discussion. I also think that it's okay to let it be very free form and just bring it up. But if you are feeling anxious about how to talk to your kids or you know there's something kind of controversial that you are wanting to stay away from, then having some wording in mind is never a bad idea. This kind of even relates back to the tip number one talk through it with your spouse, especially if you don't agree. If there's a topic that you think is going to come up or that comes up a lot in your family, then it's good to kind of have some agreed upon wording or an agreed upon stance so that you aren't blindsided when it comes up.

Speaker 1:

I do think that if you have a family in which people can talk about politics in a friendly way, let's say, this is a good chance to have your kids talk to other people about their views. If your family is comfortable and I know not every family is but if you have someone in your family who would be comfortable sharing about their views, you know, use this as a teachable moment. It's important that our kids learn how to listen to information, listen to facts, listen to opinions and then distill it all and formulate their own opinion. It's important to know that adults don't always agree. There's not always a clear right and wrong about every single thing. Sometimes you know we move the country forward with compromise. So there's really a lot that you can teach here if you want to take the time to talk about it. And tip number five I think that it is really important to take your kids with you when you vote, if at all possible.

Speaker 1:

The idea of governance, government entities like that can feel very intangible to kids, especially if you've never been to maybe your state capital or you've never been to Washington DC. They don't really have a clear picture in mind, perhaps, of what a government is and what it does. Taking them with you to vote is an easy way to make politics feel more relatable and tangible. It also shows them other Americans working together to complete a goal, and I think that's cool. Right Like you stand in line with people you've never met. You're all there to express your opinions. You're doing it peacefully. This is what our country was founded on the ability to do this. So take the chance to involve your kids, show them what it's like and tell them why it's an important responsibility. If you're not American, then you know you can involve them in something in your own country, and I think that it's a great way to connect them with who you are and your values and what your responsibilities are as a citizen. So let's hope that the election is peaceful and successful and hopefully this helped you to know and feel confident talking to your kids about politics.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for joining me today on Never Too Festive. I hope you are leaving feeling inspired and refreshed. If you've loved what you've heard, don't keep it to yourself. Share this podcast with a friend who could use a little extra sparkle in her life. And hey, while you're at it, why not leave a review on your favorite podcast platform? Your feedback helps us continue to grow and inspire more women like you. Have questions or feedback you wanna share directly with me? Simply click the link in the show notes to send me a text. I'd love to hear from you. Until next time, remember all we have is today, so let's choose to live our most fabulous, joyful life together.