The election and its aftermath have posed challenges for many. One particularly difficult question that has come up is this:
What do we tell our children?
The task of explaining to children the complex feelings and ideas around the election is significant. On one hand, there is an understandable, deep desire to shield children from the burdens and divisiveness of the world. On the other hand, one of the joys and burdens of parenting is to equip children to face that very world. How to express the anxieties and worries that exist?
I would like to clearly point out that this is an issue for parents across the political spectrum. For those who supported Secretary Clinton, the fears and concerns are obvious. But for those who supported Mr. Trump, there can be a very real desire to ensure that, even in victory, they convey the right attitudes and values to their children. Not wanting to raise a child to be racist, sexist or hateful toward others is not a political stance, but a position on basic human decency. These parents may also be stymied by the perhaps even-more-difficult conundrum of inculcating these values in the face of a president-elect who has not always respected these concepts.
In that spirit, I offer some counsel on how to work with children in developmentally appropriate ways — but keep in mind that children are different and you should adjust based on your knowledge of them as well as their response. Also, begin by asking what they’ve heard or what they’re feeling — what you think may not actually be the case.
[For more of this story, written by Dipesh Navsaria, go to http://host.madison.com/ct/opi...64-afd30af879c2.html]
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