So that's a question that came up at the dinner table recently. My seven-year-old asked, and then I set about trying to explain what Congress is, why it exists, how government works...
It got out of hand, and the subject was changed. It got me to thinking about - well, a lot of stuff. I wondered when children really needed to start learning about voting and the election process and how government works and what decisions are made and what ones are left behind.
So now, on #totallyrossome, we're going to be playing a game:
It'll work like this:
How old should a kid be...before we talk about marijuana legalization? After all, here in the great state of NJ, one of the most prominent cases was about a 3 year old girl. Children relate to children. How do you have the conversation?
How old should a kid be...before we talk about how women are still fighting for equal rights - a hundred years after campaigning for the right to vote?
How old should a kid be...before we talk about the trend of being born rich counting more than the hard work you put into your education?
How old should a kid be...before we talk about the dangers of guns? After all, 1st graders are no longer safe from attack. (I'm not challenging the 2nd Amendment. A look at the gun violence (injuries and deaths) in the last 72 hours supports this claim.)
How old should a kid be...before we talk about the fact that any company that has more money than them has more influence in an election?
***
There's a lot about this world that we try to protect our children from. We need to eventually teach them what's out there and be honest about how it's impacting them.
This is not going to be an easy conversation. It's not an easy world.
I do hope that you come by and share your views in an open, respectful way. Our young people are counting on us having these conversations and getting better so that our world can continue to do the same.
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