Disclaimer: I aim to keep this blog totally apolitical so I'm not actually discussing the candidates, the issues or anything related to that. That being said...
Everyone loves to hate an election.
The news is non stop. There are people who love to follow every detail and others who are totally disinterested and just want it over with. But wherever you fall on the spectrum of election interest, you will probably agree that this year the election is different. In the midst of a global pandemic, where the anxiety levels are so incredibly high, the issues at the forefront seem more pressing. The people who used to discuss apocalyptic scenarios and were seen as conspiracy theorists are now mainstream opinions. The fantastic which seemed like contrived fiction has become reality.
It is easy to panic.
What we don't realize when we talk about these topics at home is how we come across to our children. Are the discussions we are having causing them additional anxiety? I think its easy to overlook the impact of our outlook, discussions and worries have on our children.
Lets look at things from their perspective. We are their world. We shape their views. We impart either confidence and stability or a total lack thereof. When we take a positive attitude towards events and situations, they are likely to follow suit. If we see this world as falling apart, they are inevitably going to feel anxious and troubled about what is happening around them.
Now lets look at how their lives have changed during this pandemic.
If they go to school, their in-school experience has completely changed. Where there used to be rules about not running in the hallways, there are now rules about their every move. They are now kept in separate spaces, masked all day, given directions about when and how and where to be at all times. And that is for the lucky ones who get to go in person. Many of them spend their school days on Zoom - rarely leaving their houses and trying their best to learn when the conditions are far less than ideal. I imagine these things are already making their anxiety levels high. Carefree just doesn't come to mind when you think of our kids these days. Playdates are carefully orchestrated. Shopping is complex. Every outing is a maneuver.
If on top of this they are going to worry that the world is falling apart, we are setting them up for some serious issues as they develop.
For those of you who are feeling panic about who will lead our country and if we will ever overcome the current issues - you are not alone. But believe me, history has shown over and over that somehow we will get through. No matter who wins - we are not on the verge of a civil war, we are not on the verge of collapse, we are not going to implode. At some point, maybe, but not the day the election is won or the day after (and not likely any time soon after that). Remember that the world goes in waves. We have ups and downs. We usually come out on the other side of the tunnel. Hopefully there will be lessons learned, outlooks readjusted. Hopefully one day soon we will see the end of this pandemic, the end of racism and bias and hatred. But no matter what happens, no matter who wins, these things won't be fixed in a day or a month or even a year. It takes time to fix what is broken.
But from the perspective of children - they need to see a stable world, they need to see us confident that things are going to be ok. I advocate making them part of the political process. My kids always vote with me, its exciting and instructional. I definitely think we should be talking about the issues at hand, what the parties stand for, what they are passionate about and who they feel is the best option to pick. Try to remain objective. Focus on the issues. Do your best not to make the election solely about moral character or personalities (as hard as that may be). Remember, from passionate to panic is not such a large leap. Stay calm and vote on!
No comments:
Post a Comment