The Presidential Election with Kids: 14 Issues in 14 Days

My Kids!  We just happened to dress patriotically for our family pictures this year! 

With the upcoming election I have been so overwhelmed trying to sort out the truth from the false, the fact from the lies.  It has been mind-boggling and mind-consuming as I have tried to sort it all out this year.  Who to vote for?  (Don't answer that.  It's a rhetorical question.)

After a couple of discussions with friends about the trickiness of this decision I was somehow drawn to thinking about two things:  the policies and my children.  I want my kids to know what the ISSUES are in our country.  What are both sides really fighting about?  I want them to see what the prophets, scriptures and their parents believe in and have said about these issues.  And, because THREE of my children will be eligible to vote in FOUR YEARS  (crazy thought!), I want them to start learning and discovering how they stand on the major issues of our nation. Most importantly, I want them to learn the process of searching, asking questions and discovering truth. 

Soooo...I went a little crazy....

ELECTION LAPBOOKS

Maybe I'm missing my homeschooling days a little too much.  Or maybe I have too much time on my hands.  Maybe this is just how I needed to get a handle on my own stance on the issues. I don't know.  Either way, this is just one of those things I knew I had to do.  And every time I thought, "This is too much work," the tiny little voice inside my head would say, "But it's going to be worth it." 

This is the simplified version.

The idea's pretty simple.

A picture of each candidate.  A flip book telling their stance on the major issues. 

A picture of the child.  A blank flip book for them to jot down their own beliefs or thoughts. 

14 Issues will be discussed in 14 days...At dinnertime, in the car, at family night, whenever!  

Ta-Da! 

As I was working on the project one night my 14-year old daughter exclaimed, "Mom!  This is so awesome you are doing this!  I wanted to know what each person thought, but I don't want to look it all up myself."  Yes!  Confirmation of that little voice in my head (I love it when that happens). 

It's going to be an interesting two weeks. I'm really not sure what to expect as my children discuss the topics with us.  But, I know whatever we learn as a family...it will be worth it!

Some Final Thoughts: 

This election is fraught with so much emotion - - so many doubts and worries and fears and questions.  I'm confident that most of us are truly pondering our decisions as to who will lead our country next.  Democrat, Republican, Independent...Whatever your party or story may be I just pray that we can rally together as a nation to make our country what it was meant to be.  Good luck as you study, pray and seek for personal revelation in this season and always. :-)

 - - - - - 

"But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore you shall feel that it is right."  

Doctrine & Covenants 9:8