Election season is a time of year that consumes the adults of the nation every year. Men and women listen to debates, go to rallies, and spend a large portion of their time learning about all of those who want to run for office. They do this not only for their benefit but or the welfare and future of their own children. In all of this commotion, many adults are forgetting that educating their own children on the way the nation runs is just as important as making the right choice at the polls on election day. While one does not want to spoil a child’s youth with the worries of adulthood, people must understand that political awareness and social consciousness must start early.
One of the most important things to remember about children is that they are curious by nature and very perceptive to what goes on around them whether adults like to acknowledge that or not. In this age of technology, kids have access and are being exposed to the elections and politics in some form. Whether it be through television, radio, internet, or just a conversation they overhear their parents having at the kitchen table, children who are old enough to go to school and comprehend lessons from their teachers are also old enough to be aware that this election is like no other the United States has seen before.
While the kids of the United States have enough access and smarts to at least get some exposure to the elections and the political system in some form this time of year, adults need to be aware of the strong influence. Statistics have shown that children often follow in the footsteps of their parents when it comes to political beliefs. This not only results from the upbringing of a child but also what parents say (directly or indirectly) about certain political parties and the politicians that represent that particular party. Furthermore, children are taking the ideas and concepts they are learning in their own home and transferring them into social structures created to help them transition into the adult version of that when they get older. Teachers often report playground debates on elections and political beliefs. Popular television networks like Nickelodeon are also introducing politics to children and even give them a venue to participate in a mock election.
Light exposure to politics for the children of the United States is not a bad thing. Parents and adults just need to be aware of exactly what they are exposing their children to. The goal should not be to make a child pick a particular political affiliation, but to make sure a child will grow up smart and aware enough to make an informed and respectable decision. As election day draws closer, adults should not only worry about making the right choice for the nation, but they should also be concerned with making sure their children will be able to make their own informed decisions in the future.
