Are you wondering how to talk to your kids about government? There’s never been a more important time to educate your children on how things work — and how maybe they should work. And with the government shutdown either still underway or in the rearview mirror by the time you read this, now is the perfect time to use current events to talk to your kids about the government. Books like the Tuttle Twins series can complement your discussions.
How to Talk to Kids About Government Using Current Events
While government shutdowns present some of the more widely publicized events in recent years, there are always things to talk about. All it takes is a little effort on your part to figure out how to work everyday events into your daily conversations with your kids. Talking about government-related current events will also help you as you learn how to teach liberty to kids.
Here are some tips to help you learn how to talk to kids about government:
- Drive insightful conversations by asking open-ended questions about current events. If they haven’t heard the news, start by explaining to them what happened and then asking them whether what is going on is fair and why or why not. In the case of the government shutdown, you might ask what they think the problems are with this issue and what could be done to resolve it peacefully.
- Once you have their answers, explain your view, taking them through your evaluation process. Tell them which sources you use for your news and why you trust the information they present and the way they present it.
- Instead of making broad generalizations about a particular group of politicians, call out the actions or public statements of individuals and explain your view on what they said or did.
- Encourage your kids to be curious and ask questions, verifying any information they receive. Explain why it’s so important to understand what’s happening rather than trying to win an argument about the current event you’re talking about.
As you figure out how to talk to kids about government, also beware your own personal biases, behavior, and the way you discuss politics with them. Keep a level head during these discussions because your kids will model your behavior. Display respect when disagreeing with viewpoints other than your own.
Incorporating Books for Liberty-Minded Parenting
Learning how to talk to your kids about government is just the first step. Next, you’ll want to add books to help support the conversations you’re having and reinforce what they’re learning. The Tuttle Twins books are an excellent example of a series that supports liberty-minded parenting and helps you learn how to teach liberty to kids.
The Tuttle Twins Learn About the Law teaches individual rights and will be sure to help you learn how to raise freedom-loving kids. The book explains where personal freedoms come from, whether the government should help people, and other important concepts about government.
Another title from the Tuttle Twins books that will help you on your quest to discover how to teach liberty to kids is The Tuttle Twins and the Fate of the Future. This entrant into the Tuttle Twin series tells how the world’s history is one of certain people bossing others around. The title also showcases how brave thinkers have shared ideas for a better future via persuasion instead. The twins learn that they need to help avoid coercion and come up with ways to work together peacefully and build a better world that doesn’t use coercion as a key tactic.
The Tuttle Twins series is the perfect way to support what you’re teaching through discussions about current events and will show you how to teach liberty to kids. When you understand the finer points about keeping your kids informed about what’s happening in the government and help them think critically about those events, you set them up for a brilliant future.
