Take your child’s interest level into account, too. If your kiddo is super interested in this, feel free to expand on things a bit. If they just want the bullet points, keep things short and sweet. This is an understandably difficult conversation, so enlist help from a partner or teacher if you’d like.
Boys vs. Girls: “You know how you and your friends sometimes mess with the boys and they mess with you back? It’s really because the two groups just want different things…” Professional sport leagues: “Picture the National League like they’re the Republicans and the American League like they’re the Democrats. Both leagues compete within themselves until the playoffs decide the winner. . . ” Two principles: “Imagine there are two principals interviewing to run your school. One might want to dig deep into the curriculum your teachers cover while the other might care more about upgrading the building…”
Emphasize that the underlying tension here goes back to a difference of beliefs about what is best for the country—not that one side is good and the other is bad. As best as you can, keep it fun and factual. Make politics sound exciting, not like something your child needs to be weary of.
Use neutral language that your child will understand to break down your answers to their questions. If they have questions about the political process, keep it simple. If they ask, “How do Republicans and Democrats choose their candidate?” you might just say, “A bunch of people debate the issues and the public chooses who makes the best arguments. ”
If you want a middle ground, you can always just say something like, “I’m a Republican, but I agree with a lot of Democratic points, too,” or, “I’m in the middle. I sometimes vote for Republicans, and sometimes I vote for Democrats. ”
If you want your child to be an engaged, civic-minded citizen, take this slow. It’s great that your child is interested enough to ask questions, but don’t overload them with info.
“So, the Democrats are the blue guys. They use a donkey as their mascot and people will often say they’re ‘on the left’ or ‘liberal. ’” If you want detail, you can explain that Democrats are associated with the color blue because of how news outlets displayed election results on TV and that they’re on the left because of where liberals sat in British parliament. The donkey is the symbol of the democrats due to a slick ad Andrew Jackson used in the 1800s. [8] X Research source
“Democrats believe in higher taxes for people who make more money. They want to fund social programs, expand healthcare, control guns, and protect the environment. They think we should spend more money on schools and less money on the military. ”
“Democrats believe in the power of government to be a force for good. They think that unregulated business and corporate interests get in the way of people’s freedom and happiness, so they think it’s the government’s job to get involved. ”
“Republicans are the red team. Their mascot is an elephant and people often say they’re ‘on the right’ or ‘conservative. ’ If you see the letters ‘GOP,’ it’s the same thing as Republicans. ” If you want to be specific, you could explain that Republicans are red because both words start with “R” and TV crews used the color as shorthand for the party. Explain that they’re on the right because of where they sat in British parliament and that they’re associated with elephants because of political cartoons from the Civil War. [12] X Research source You should also note that people call Republicans the GOP, which is an acronym for “Grand Old Party. ”
“Republicans want lower taxes for everybody so they have more money for themselves. They think individuals should be in control, not the government, and they believe it’s important to maintain a strong military to protect America. ”
“Republicans think that government often does more harm than good, and they believe that private businesses and individuals accomplish more when they’re given the most freedom possible. They think the government should have a minimal role most of the time. ”
You likely want to avoid any political protests or rallies. These events can be especially charged and may spook your child.
Make election night fun if your child is old enough to be interested. Grab a pizza or make a big dinner, let them stay up a little later than normal, and watch the results trickle in together. Election night can have the same energy and tension as the Super Bowl for a younger kid!
Even if your child isn’t young enough to read books like this, you can print out an informative coloring page for them of a Democratic Donkey and Republican Elephant! Duck for President by Doreen Cronin, F is for Flag by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, and If I Ran for President by Catherine Stier and Lynne Avril are all popular books for young children that will teach them about the political process.
