Talking With Kids About Elections

27 Oct Talking With Kids About Elections

Dearest Calvary parents and grandparents,

We’ve got less than a week until the election, and it cannot come soon enough. No matter where your vote lands, you’d be hard pressed to escape the calls, polls, signs, debates, and advertisements. If you have little ones, you may be trying to shield them from the constant stress, but this is an opportunity to model your faith in action. As always, put your own oxygen mask on before diving into a deep discussion (if possible.) And try to remember to present information calmly so that children feel safe enough to come to you with questions, form their own opinions, and even (maybe, eventually) disagree with you. 

This is also an opportunity to model and practice the “Four Keys to Growing Faith at Home.” (And an opportunity to remind you of how much you are already doing to nurture faith and relationships in your home.) For example, making time to discuss “hard” issues falls under the category of “Caring Conversations.” Author Marilyn Sharpe writes that “Listening deeply, respectfully, and with great care, and speaking with love and gentleness helps children experience the love of God.” Turning your worries into prayers, praying about the outcome of the election, and yes, praying for the “opposite” side, politically, falls under the “Family Devotions and Prayer” key of growing faith. When you discuss the social justice aspect of the election and how it aligns with your family values, you are tapping into how faith and service intersect. Discuss how Christ would call us to treat and speak with people who disagree with us. 

And finally, we’ve gathered the following links to help guide some of your discussions:

• Five Easy Ways to Talk to Kids About Voting
• How to Talk to Kids About the Ugly Side of Politics
• Discussing Politics and Elections With Your Kids

As always, let us know how we can support you. We miss you and we love you!

Miss Jenny