Be real, get personal and take action

above: Gordon’s library is filled with stories that provide children with context for elections, debates, disagreements and group decisionmaking

Gordon has an explicit mission of producing graduates who will go on to change the world. At every grade level, students learn to use their voices, and they learn to listen with compassion. Conversations about identity and belonging are always welcome and real-world issues are brought into the classroom, addressed in age and grade-appropriate ways so that each student may better understand the world and their place in it.

Gordon’s teachers have a particular knack for helping young students identify and make sense out of important issues that they see the adults in their lives grappling with. As parents, caregivers and educators returned to school in September with a historic and complicated presidential election ahead, Gordon seventh grade humanities teacher Tamar Paull generated these tips on how to talk to young people about the election.

Six election season talking points for parents and caregivers

Check in with yourself
What emotional baggage are you carrying into this election season? Many of us have powerful memories of recent political races and their aftermaths. Recognize and honor whatever you are feeling. Don’t waste your energy hiding your feelings from your kids, but also don’t assume they are carrying the same weight that you are. 

Name your values
Embrace conversations about the election as a chance to talk about your values with your child. Try to complete this sentence: “I believe __________ because ___________, and that’s why I support ________.” Explaining why you hold your beliefs can help your child understand that we all base our values on our lived experiences. This framing can help us stay away from “right versus wrong,” “us versus them,” thinking.

Model critical thinking
Depending on your child’s age, consider watching news coverage or listening to radio or podcasts with them. Get ready to hit the pause button to clarify points, ask questions, and engage your child in dialogue. As they raise questions, remember you don’t have to have all the answers. Look for reputable sources together, and help your child recognize bias in reporting. 

Be real
Use this opportunity to build emotional vocabulary by using feeling words: hope, fear, anger, anxiety… these are all feelings your child has experienced and can relate to, and using these words can help them feel connected to the election and to you. When I asked my seventh grade students last year what they remember about the 2016 election, many of them talked about parents and teachers crying and hugging each other. As kindergarteners, they may not have grasped the details, but they understood the grief and support they were witnessing.

Get personal
Talk to your child about the political issues that impact your family the most. Explain why these issues matter to you, and ask if the same issues matter to them. Let them know that they don’t have to feel the same way you do, and invite them to explain their perspective. Listen without judgment, and model curiosity: “Tell me more about that.”

Take action, and take them with you 
It can be frustrating to kids and teenagers that they can’t yet vote, but there are things they can do! Talk to your kids, explore opportunities in your area, and help them get involved. Kids can make campaign crafts to display or share; they can door-knock with an adult; they can write postcards; and they can join you as you cast your ballot on Election Day. Involving your kids in the process will give them the hope that comes from taking action, plus they will be more comfortable with the voting process when their time comes.

 

ABCD VOTE: two recent lessons about making choices and making change

Democracy, dissent and decision making: an evening for parents and caregivers, October 1st