GainesvilleMoms.com

Are you using this election year as an opportunity to teach your kids about politics?

Here's a story about how some kids are getting involved and learning locally.

I remember doing an election in my elementary school too -- only we were voting for either George Bush Sr. or Bill Clinton!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RaisingBoys,

This is really great! One of the good things it can do is to encourage parents that may not be planning to vote to cast their vote this election. If mom and dad see and hear their children discussing politics they may be encouraged to learn more about the candidates themselves. Once they start learning about them they would be more encouraged to vote!

My three year old is not too involved in the candidates but my older kids are. They are 15 and 16 years old and have been carefully following the election news coverage. They will both be voting in the next(2012) presidential election so this one is really significant to them both.

Karen

Funny! We were watching some of the Republican convention and one of the speakers was saying (very loud) "Obama was Wrong" he said it a few times and was pointing his finger. My son said "that is not a good word, Obama is not wrong". My son (4.5) has watched some of the coverage w/ us and has been filled in on the basics. He seems interested too!

As a former journalism major, I analyzed the Sun's coverage during both campaign weeks (titles, tones, omissions, repetitions, etc) and put it all down on paper. I then tallied my findings.
Then our teenage read thru it with her younger brother. NOW they watch the news (and read it) with a much different perspective. This had made them anxious to vote, which they've been told is a not only a right, but a duty. In order to be free, they need to exercise their freedom to vote for our future. And they cannot allow themselves to be influenced by the media, which has become so bias (over the past year especially).