******************************************
Recently I was at a function and a group of parents were discussing the upcoming elections. One of the parents joked, “We don’t discuss politics in our family. We even consider it rude at the dinner table to get into political discussions. After all, we want to be able to enjoy our meal.”
Look, I realize this parent isn’t doing anything wrong and I’m not here to serve up a heaping dose of Mommy Guilt because the last thing I want to do is spike any one’s Guilt-O-Meter. I also know not everyone grew up in a household like mine where generation after generation family members talked Politics as a way of learning about each other. At our table during Passover, you could always count on hot moist brisket and heated juicy political debates.
I’m just going to put out a spread of ideas, and you can saunter over and take a look. If something seems appealing, and you might like to try it, put it in a doggie bag and take it home. Some suggestions are sweet, some more savory. The idea is to add some political seasoning to your table without ruining any appetites, leaving a bad taste or giving anyone indigestion.
How about political gastronomy the whole family can stomach?
Kids really enjoy hearing “Once upon a time when Mommy/Daddy/Grandparent…” Why not tell your children the story of how you developed your own political views? Are they a family tradition or have they changed based upon what you’ve experienced as you’ve become a grownup?
Have a delicious debate. Bring up a topic and have family members take different sides. If you like you can make the topic traditionally political, like health care or the war in Iraq, or it could be something silly, like “Should the United States Outlaw Homework?” The idea is to expose kids to what it means to have a political platform.
Play Name That iTune as you eat dinner. Candidates and their campaigns are making their iTune playlists public. See if your child can match the tune to the candidate. You can even check out if your musical taste is an exit poll prediction.
Have a cook-off. Candidates post family recipes, or have family recipes on their websites. Elect to try a new recipe and vote for your family favorite. If you are meeting some resistance, do what everyone in DC does, sweeten the deal for your little lobbyist. Go ahead, do it.
Any one of us who has tried to offer something new at the dinner table know it’s not always a success the first time around. After all, the politically epicurious are used to a menu chock full of re-counts, re-elections and, lest we not omit, a hefty helping of campaign reform.
It is entirely possible you will discover a picky eater who isn’t going to take a bite and refuses Obama, maybe you will learn Clinton is an acquired taste your child’s palate just isn’t mature enough to appreciate, or you might realize McCain just isn’t going to give way to McDonald’s. Keep trying, keep sampling, keep offering because one day your child may surprise you and ask you for a second helping.
In addition to finding her at Parentopia, Devra also likes to hang out at D.C. Metro Moms blog! Thanks again, Devra!
And if you liked this topic, I’ll be a guest on tonight’s Motherhood Uncensored podcast with Kristen discussing how to get our kids involved and interested in politics. Devra, give us a call!
April 9th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
The ass kicking is merely a reinforcement of what you’ve already expressed you want to get done. It’s not conditional upon what I think. An example of this would be,
Joanne: “Devra, I want to go to BlogHer.”
Devra: “Joanne, I will kick your ass if you don’t go to BlogHer.”
Now, I need to go figure out what I’m serving tonight and need to go to the store. If I don’t get to the store? Feel free to kick my ass.
April 9th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I was teaching 5th grade during the election and follow-up in 2000. We collected newspaper headlines about the election. I never dreamed it would go on so long before it was settled! The kids were curious and fascinated.
April 9th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
My daughter was 8 years old in 2000 and on Election Night her teacher – like Daisy – engaged the class in politics. For homework, she had them color the states red or blue depending on election returns.
When 11 pm rolled around and still there was no clear winner, I woke my daughter (who had fallen asleep on the couch) and said, “Mommy will take over from here. You go to bed.” (Famous last words.)
Like the saying, “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime,” if you deliver your opinions unto your children, they’ll be like the casual acquaintance I wrote about who said, “I know nothing about politics. You should be having this discussion with my husband,” when I tried to talk about the presidential race.
But if you give your children articles to read, sit down with them and watch clips of the candidates, and show them that politicians are people too – mothers and fathers like the rest of us – you enable them to form their own opinions.
My now 16-year-old made herself momentarily unpopular when she expressed her support for Hillary to her friends, who are all for Obama. Sure, she picks it up from me to some extent, but at least she’s talking about it.
And the casual acquaintance I mentioned earlier? She gets her political opinions from her 14-year-old son. Now that makes me sad.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
These are some great ideas on how to kids engaged in politics as well as share our own political views with them. Very cool.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Devra I’m SO with you! My dad was hard of hearing and we used to get threatened with being thrown out of restaurants for arguing too loud when I was a kid. We raised our kids with political discussions (Seders, by the way, are especially useful for this because of the “liberation” theme…) Political decisions now will change their futures and it’s great for them to be empowered. I urge also taking kids into the voting booth with you, even if they’re late for school. THERE’S A REASON PEOPLE ASK YOU TO GIVE SPEECHES MY VA. VIXEN!
April 10th, 2008 at 10:11 am
My grandparents use to grill me about politics over dinner at their home.
Hmm… I wonder how I developed a love for politics?
Awesome ideas!
April 10th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Devra, great post. And I love Linda’s comment/story. Dinnertime for us is a time to share our days, current events (yes, we do try to explain things in non-scary ways) and of course politics. Education politics especially have a voice at our table as my nine-year / 4th grader experiences first hand the issues everyday (can you say SOL’s).
Anyway, great post as always and I’m feeling no Guilt for bringing the conversation to the table.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
This was a wonderful blog. It is extremely important that children have a point of reference on everything. If you can’t share your thoughts, agree or not, with your family then you haven’t learned to properly manuever through difficult conversations. It is important to teach our children how to think through a discussion even when they have an opposing view. It is also important that our children know how to disagree but still love passionately.
Wonderful post, I really enjoyed the suggestions.