Ramesh Ponnuru, seeing parents in his neighborhood encouraging their kids to be Obamatons, rightly says he doesn't get people who delight in politicizing their children. Completely agree. For some reason, though, my two boys -- ages nine and four -- are crazy for Barack Obama, and have been for a long time. They're put out with their mom and dad for not being for Obama. It has nothing to do with policy, of course; they just think he's the coolest thing. It's actually kind of cute, and as young as they are, I'd rather encourage them to be excited about the political process rather than engage them in tit-for-tat over who's the better candidate. (Though Matthew did ask me once what the difference between Democrats and Republicans was, and I told him, kind of flippantly, that Democrats believe that the government should give you whatever you want; "I'm a Democrat, then," he said).
Weirdly enough, Nora, who turned two this week, knows the faces of Obama, McCain and Biden, and remarks on it whenever she sees an image of one of these candidates ("There's Sarah Palin!"). All of this is a reminder to me that kids pick up a lot, and are paying attention even when you think they aren't.
I was kind of weirdly into politics as a little kid. I well remember standing barefoot on our green naugahyde couch in November, 1972, telling my parents that they had better vote for Nixon for president and McKernan for governor. I was so worried that they wouldn't. I was five.
Anyway, Ramesh is absolutely right, I think, to be creeped out by parents who insist on politicizing their young children. It's one thing to encourage any natural interest they have in the political process. But stuff like this I find extremely distasteful:
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I agree that parents shouldn't indoctrinate their children or use them as political props (or billboards). At the same time, I don't think parents should try to discourage any natural interest their children might take in the political process. I've struggled to find a balance in responding to the interests of my nine-year-old son in this election. For example, I decided to deny his wish to attend an Obama rally because 1) I knew that Obama wasn't going to begin speaking until WAY past his bedtime on a school night and 2) I knew that he really wouldn't be able to handle six hours of waiting in lines and stadium with 15-20,000 people, then sit through 5 or 6 speeches leading up to the main event, all in order to hear a 40-50 minute speech that was going to happen WAY past his bedtime! :-)
On the other hand, I have let him watch speeches and debates online (bedtime objections overcome that way). NO ads, though, from any candidates. Since he can't visit any sites where ads are linked without me present, and since he doesn't watch any TV where political ads are shown, this isn't an issue for him. My son reads the news (in kid news outlets like CBBC & Scholastic), and I'm happy for him to form his own political opinions. I always let him initiate, though - I would also be perfectly happy if all of this "election stuff" were completely peripheral, at least until he's in his teens. Still, children are products of their zeitgeist, which extends beyond the home. The fact that kids are interested in politics (perhaps more so than usual this cycle) does not necessarily mean that it's been pushed on them by their parents; it could just mean that we, as a society, are more interested than usual in politics right now.
It took me a long, long time to decide whether I would get him the Obama T-shirt he wanted, precisely because I don't think people should use their kids to advertise their own political choices. But I finally came to the decision that he has his own reasons for "supporting" Obama, which are less complex than mine, perhaps, but no less real and no less meaningful. So, in the end, I decided that he could wear a T-shirt. It's as close as he's going to get to voting for the next nine years.
How is this "politicization" of kids any different than "religious-izing" of kids? Christian parents (my husband and I included) dutifully enroll our children in Sunday School, Vacation Bible camp, the church youth group, etc., etc. Our kids end up wearing the t-shirts which inevitably result from each of these church associations -- which we of course approve, participate in, and sponsor. In many Christian circles, it is considered admirable that a child will have memorized Bible verses or finer points of the catechism prior to confirmation. So why is it "creepy" for children to absorb their family's political values?
My husband and I are also enthusiastic volunteers for the Obama campaign. Just as when one of us leaves for a church meeting and must explain to our children why the other parent will be tucking them in that night, our kids of course note our participation (and occasionally accompany us to meetings and one rally), and notice that Obama campaign literature is piling up inside our house -- alongside our bible study materials. When my Obama t-shirt shrank too much (from constant washing and drying after much wearing), and became too small for my own standards of modesty, my daughter commandeered it, and she now wears it. It's too bad that some other parents find our and our children's hope and enthusiasm to be "creepy."
Our commitment to Christian faith, and our participation in the political process and support for the most inspiring progressive candidate in my lifetime, are all part of this family's "family values."
I find it deeply creepy. I think anyone who was a child in a totalitarian state (Cold War Europe, Cuba,etc) would find this video reminds them of their school days. Conservatives are deeply skeptical of the of the potential of the state. With Obama the disappointment and dashing of hopes will arrive when he passes the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act within the first 30 days of his presidency. Lots of kids will then never get the chance to sing for anyone.
Just an observation---all of us whose children have embraced our candidate on their own---we see it as a positive. All of those whose children aren't the least bit interested in their candidates---it's creepy or negative or going to be traumatizing. Give me a break.
Conservative homeschoolers "politicize" their kids all the time - they take them door-to-door campaigning; take them to "homeschool lobby days" at the state capitol (including visits to state representatives); involve them in political mailings, etc. There's nothing wrong with this - kids who grow up being involved in the political process will be active (probably) as adults (although perhaps not in their parents' political party.)
Or is it just Obama supporters who are doing wrong by "politicizing" their kids?
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