One of the things I love about children’s books is that, more often than not, they are metaphorical. Children are so impressionable that in the early years, we are teaching them HOW to think, and not necessarily WHAT to think. Which is why I was inspired to speak out when I received a request to review a book that was determined to draw a dividing line for kids that we are seeing every day in the United States. Instead of accepting it, I decided it was time to rethink how we talk to kids about politics, and  to share a more inspiring book that gives kids a different look at people in power.

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post. I received a copy of the book ‘The Next President’ in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hate Filled Smear Campaigns

Recently, I received a request to review a children’s book about politics and political figures. Since I am always interested in teaching kids about big issues, I read the synopsis and press materials, but found that it was a hate filled smear campaign against real life political figures. I will not share the title of the book for two reasons:

1. I do not want to smear the author. Whether I agree with the book or not, I want to be respectful of others.
2. I do not want to promote it, even indirectly

While reading about the book, I was incredibly disheartened to find that even the summary was full of hateful mockery, name-calling, racist comparisons, and cartoon versions of real people (who were not well disguised).

Related Post: Overcoming Election Negativity with Positive Books about America

Balancing the Scales?

The author’s point in writing the book was to “balance the scales” against what they felt was indoctrination of their children by public schools and the media. However, all I saw in the book was an attempt to indoctrinate children in the opposite direction. Instead of providing kindness and listening and understanding, it was promoting mockery and nastiness. Where it could have offered a different perspective on socialism and capitalism, it instead focused on brutally attacking personal individuals.

Is this what we have come to? Promoting hate filled political rants to children and pretending it is about the politics and not our anger? When did we stop being able to separate the politics from the people and have thoughtful debates instead of personal attacks?

Related Post: Children’s Books about Being an American Citizen

Seeing Politicians as People

I feel like we as a people have gotten so used to seeing these political figures on all of the screens that surround us every day. They become figures that don’t seem like real people because of the way they are constantly shoved in our faces on our screens, in our newsfeeds, and everywhere else. But at the end of the day, they are still just people. They can’t be boiled down to one individual belief, and yet that is how people categorize them.

When I was a kid, I remember my parents teaching me that the office of the president was something to be respected. It didn’t matter who was in it and it didn’t matter whether they agreed with him. What mattered was that the office was respected. I have tried to offer the same lessons to my daughter. Partially because I want her to respect all people, and partially because there is nothing wrong with giving kindness to those that we disagree with.

Are there many politicians that I am happy with? No, probably not. But when was the last time we had a politician that made everybody happy? I don’t think such a unicorn exists. But I do try to show respect for the people in office. Even if I don’t agree with their beliefs or their actions, and even if they make it difficult to do so.

Presidents Were Kids Once Too

We recently received a copy of an awesome new book that does exactly this. The Next President was written by Kate Messner and illustrated by Adam Rex. This incredible book addresses the idea that there are several future presidents alive right now. It takes readers on a stroll through history, exploring where many presidents were when the presidents before them were in office. This not only humanizes the presidents that came before, but it also inspires kids to imagine what future presidents are doing now as well.

Related Books: Election Books for Kids

Teaching Kids to Think for Themselves

My parents also raised me to think for myself. I don’t think I knew who they supported when I was a kid. Now that I am older, I do know because we discuss and debate often. But I don’t make my decisions based on their beliefs. (Except when I pretend to be for the opposition purely to annoy my father). They raised my sister and I to recognize that nothing should be taken at face value, without turning us one way or the other. Can we believe this news station? Not completely. But can we believe this one? Not completely either.

Instead of raising kids to parrot our beliefs, it’s our job to raise them to think and reason for themselves.

If your child is for a specific candidate, I would hope that they can explain why. I know of a young person who didn’t like Hilary Clinton because her parents didn’t. When asked why she didn’t like her, the only reasoning she gave was the pantsuits. Is that really how you want your kids going out into the world?

Instead of smearing candidates and political figures, explain to them why you disagree. Teach kids that it’s okay to disagree and that you can do so RESPECTFULLY. Maybe if we start teaching our kids the right way to disagree and debate, then we can someday find ourselves in a country full of kindness and understanding.

How do you talk to kids about politics? Share in the comments below!

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