Being President of the United States was once among a parent’s highest aspirations for their children, but I’m not so sure that’s true today. The hostility and disrespect among politicians, and voters, these days is a turnoff. But, of course, we need to groom the next generation’s leaders. Civic service is an honorable and admirable goal. In the current toxic environment, how can we educate our kids about politics and leadership?
The most impactful thing parents can do is encourage their kids to put themselves into the shoes of political leaders instead of criticizing them. If the only thing kids see and hear is leaders being criticized and judged, why would they ever want to put themselves in a situation to receive such condemnation? This attitude discourages kids from stepping out in leadership roles.
Allow open conversations in your home where everyone can share how they would handle current situations in the U.S. and around the world. Teach kids to be critical thinkers and problem solvers versus passive complainers and blamers. As a kid, I used to love listening to my parents and their friends discuss politics at our holiday meals. I learned it’s OK to have strong opinions; I learned how to put them out there, and how not to take disagreement so personally.
Teach your children to listen to other people’s opinions and see the issue from a different perspective. How to understand what others see and feel, and why. Practice in understanding various perspectives promotes cognitive problem solving and enhances empathy, and it’s the only way to come up with true win-win solutions to disagreements. Research has shown that having kids reflect on victims who have suffered an injustice makes it more likely they will speak up to right wrongs done to others.
Encourage children to take action as well: have them go into the voting booth with you on election day, work for a campaign, or do fact checking and research on candidates. Urge kids to read history, especially the biographies of past presidents and world leaders so they can learn from history. Watch documentaries about world issues and then have open discussions about them. Teach kids how to debate with authority and respect. One father told me recently that once a week at dinner he has each of his kids give a 5-minute spontaneous talk on a topic of their choice, with the intention of persuading the rest of the family. What a great way to practice advocating for a cause.
It would be a shame if young people became dissuaded from entering the political realm because of the histrionics in our current political climate. We need brave, respectful, powerful and collaborative leaders to emerge from the ranks of our young adults. It’s our job to educate and inspire them to step forward and lead.
Tim Jordan, M.D., is a Behavioral Pediatrician who specializes in counseling girls ages 6 through college. For more information, visit drtimjordan.com.