Kids and Politics

Ok, I know I keep commenting on how small kids' world views are. Because of that, I think it's actually a little silly that we have events and organizations such as "Kids Voting." I find it interesting how kids talk about politics because generally they are just spouting off what they've heard at home. I know I did; I probably even voted in my first election based on what my parents told me. (Honestly, I probably still vote very closely to the way my parents do, but now it's because I've adopted those same values as my own since I've been an adult.) My respect goes to those families, though, that do discuss the "issues" with their kids, even if it's at the level appropriate for that child. At least that way the kids are somewhat informed.

The following are just a few political conversations I've heard from kids these last couple of days.

My nine-year-old niece who is very smart and grown-up for her age had to vote in her reading group at school. First she told us (her mom, Nana, and me) that she had heard that McCain had pushed a kid...over a cliff...but she's pretty sure she just heard that from another kid. However, she did Google McCain and has decided that he's not the man for the job because "he called a little kid a jerk." (This made me wonder what's out there on the wonderful World Wide Web...but I haven't verified the story for myself.) I also thought it was funny when my sister (her mom) told us that my niece M had been concerned about John McCain having been in jail...until my sister explained to her what a prisoner-of-war is!

Now take kids who are just a few years older than my niece, my 8th graders. They had to participate in the Kids Voting at school on Friday. I heard some kids teasing one girl for voting for four presidents. When I asked her how that happened, this is what I heard:

Girl: Well, I didn't know. Plus I thought "Libertarian" said "librarian" on the ballot.

After a few "looks" from other kids, same girl: *In her most defensive tone* The White House might need a librarian too!

I was so glad I didn't have to set her straight (especially because I was laughing so hard). But just leave it to another kiddo to tell her, "Do you really think we'd get to VOTE for the White House librarian?!?"

Seriously, though, thank God for the innocence of these kids. I know that they are so impressionable and many will just go by what they are told for the next few years. But it just reminds me how much they still need the guidance of adults like me, and how much responsibility that is for me to teach them not only how to read and write each day, but to teach them about good character and citizenship in the ways I can at their level. And I hope and pray those lessons I can live out in front of them now will follow them into their future.