Americans under 30 voted in the largest numbers for midterm elections in at least 20 years, and may have made a difference in the many close races. Young people favored Democrats by 22 points, nearly three times the Democratic margin among other age groups. Some say this indicates a rising Democratic bloc that could be decisive in 2008.
It seems more important than ever to bring up our children with an understanding of the political process and a desire to take part. Politicians and their staff are competing for young people’s attention on MySpace and YouTube, as well as through traditional channels. The impact of such outreach is still unclear, but I think it’s safe to say our children will have access to news and opinion in a faster and more constant manner than even we plugged-in bloggers can dream possible. They will be leaving childhood already exposed to a wealth of political messages. It is our role as parents to make sure they are prepared to evaluate them analytically and in keeping with their values. Here are a few resources to help out:
- The American Library Association has a long list of political and government sites for elementary and middle-school students, some kid-specific and others not. It’s a good place to start if you’ve forgotten the details of how laws are made or just want to find some interactive games to start your preschooler on the road to involved citizenship.
- The U. S. Government Printing Office also maintains a list of U. S. Government Web Sites for Kids & Students. (Their list includes military recruiting sites, to which you may or may not object, but they’re few among many in either case.)
- The Democracy Project from PBS Kids is one of the better-designed sites. Kids can be President for a day, find out how government affects them, and step inside a voting booth.
Of course, most of these resources pale compared to the enduring classic “I’m Just a Bill [link to online lyrics and audio]” from the 1970’s Schoolhouse Rock. (The DVD also contains other catchy civics tunes like “The Preamble” and the oh-so-apt “Three-Ring Government.”)
Despite the wealth of information online, however, I think the key is not just pointing our kids to the mouse, but discussing with them what they have found and making issues relevant to their lives, while also giving them room to form their own opinions and forge their own paths.