Involved Parents, Involved Kids

In February, my husband and I went to our first caucus as a married couple. We brought our 10-month-old son. We joked with our fellow attendees that we had intentionally brought him to teach him the importance of voting. I realized that since there were people ranging from 10-year-olds and seniors in high school to young parents and retirees, plenty of other parents had, at one time, taught their kids the significance of civic engagement.

Growing up, I learned to understand and love politics through my dad’s valuable teaching and from talk-radio gurus. Working some school breaks and summers for my dad, I regularly listened to the radio with him to break up the day. Inevitably, the radio hosts would mention a concept I didn’t understand. My dad would pick up where they left off and explain it in a simple, memorable way.

My adolescent primer turned into an effective fascination. As an adult, I’ve been extensively involved in politics, written about social issues and married a man who is similarly active. It’s unlikely I would have done any of these things had my father spent more time working or dabbling in a hobby rather than patiently passing his values — or the defense of them — on to me.

During an election year, it’s common to encourage people to rally around a specific leader and tell people not only that they must vote, but also for whom. While such activities are important, many times they can be indolent substitutes for what should actually occur during both presidential elections and off years when other officials run for office.

Passing on your worldview to your child or grandchild is not just about voting but about helping children become informed and involved early in life. Voting is to a nation’s conscience what love is to the core of a relationship: the transformation of information and action. Without information and action, a Christian lacks the ability to adopt biblical principles of personal and civic responsibility.

What if, instead of taking me to city council meetings and teaching me what he believed about taxes and abortion, my father just told me to vote? I would have been forced to form my beliefs from school, friends, TV and the Internet. If you grew up in a home with little dinner-table discussion about public policy, the responsibility of passing on your beliefs might seem intimidating. Since I’m a young parent, the task looms ahead of me as I prepare for my son’s older years and endless questions. There is no foolproof way to ensure that a child adopts your beliefs, but you can communicate them. Here are some suggestions based on what my parents and others have done with their children or grandchildren.

First, know yourself. You won’t be able to tell kids your values if you don’t know first what you believe. I remember moments when, after I asked a particularly pointed question, my mom would look at me and tell me she’d have to get back to me on that one. Difficult questions from your children are a good opportunity for you to figure out, once and for all, what you think about that topic.

Second, inform and impress. When my parents were confident in their beliefs, they started telling me what they were. Pure and simple. I also learned about what others value through teachers, professors, friends and institutions such as Summit Ministries, which often made my beliefs stronger.

Third, show, don’t tell. Mark Twain said about the art of writing, “Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on, and let her scream.” The same is true for civic responsibility. Bring your son to a city council meeting, and ask a question. Show him how the process works at the most basic level. Don’t tell your daughter to vote. Bring her to the voting booth as you fill out your form.

Election Day isn’t just a chance to vote; it’s one day out of the year when you can make a decision based on your worldview. Will you pass that on to your family the other 364 days?