Paul and I have made a point to avoid talking politics in front of our children, for the simple reason that we didn’t want them parroting our opinions.  Neither of the big kids was very interested in the electoral process until this election.  Lydia is 11 and Christopher is 13 and Eden…well, Eden is Eden.  Early on she decided to “shout” for John McCain.  Christopher was for Obama and Lydia reserved judgment claiming that she didn’t know enough to make a wise decision. 

With the older two we have begun to discuss policies and politics using a civil and respectful tone.  We want our children to know what we believe and why and we want to teach them how to conduct themselves when they exercise their civic duties some day.  

It’s so easy to get all het up and to shoot off your mouth, but who and what does that serve?  I am working every day to teach my children to honor and respect others, but if I am dishonorable and disrespectful of political figures and their supporters I negate my teaching.

We were playing a game the other week called “Apples to Apples”  where the dealer turns over a card with a word on it like “nasty” and the players, who have seven other cards each, choose a word that matches best.  Each round there is a new dealer who is also the judge of which word wins.  When nasty came up, three of my cards were “Democrats” “Republicans” and “Barbara Walters”  I can’t remember the rest.  I had an amazing hand.  Regardless of my political persuasion I could have scored if I knew Paul’s.  Of course I do, but I didn’t want to make that sort of snarky statement in front of my kids.  

I was thinking about it later and decided that if I really want to teach my children well, I need to live it, which means never making snotty comments.  If I want to ensure that my kids learn to be civil then I need to make sure I am even when they aren’t around.

So I’m working on it.

With that in mind, I found this interesting.  

Neither side owns the moral high ground.  And yet, each one of us gets to take a stand for respect, civility and graciousness.