Every election, when I head to the polls, I try to bring my kids with me. They love to get their “future voter” sticker. Well, maybe not my oldest anymore.
My kids are 11 and 9 years old now, which means they’re old enough to understand that something important is happening when we vote, and curious enough to ask plenty of questions.
I want them to ask those questions.
I’ve spent nearly 30 years at the League of Women Voters, helping people understand how they can shape our democracy, participate in elections, connect with elected leaders, and make their voices heard. I care deeply about this work. Becoming a parent made my work feel even more personal. I want my children to understand they have the power to influence the decisions that shape their lives.
My kids can’t vote yet, but the consequences of democratic decisions already affect nearly every part of their lives. Those decisions shape the funding available for their schools, parks, playgrounds, and pools, as well as the libraries and community resources available to them. They determine the safety of the bike lanes and roads we use daily. The choices our elected leaders make today will shape the opportunities available to all our children tomorrow.
Kids don’t vote for the officials meant to represent them, but that doesn’t mean kids shouldn’t understand how decisions are made—or how, one day, they can have a say in them.
That’s why I bring my children with me when I vote—and to rallies and community meetings. In nearly three decades at the League of Women Voters, I have seen how powerful it can be when people understand that democracy belongs to them. I’ve also seen why we can’t take that understanding for granted.
I want my kids to see democracy in action: something people do, not just something they learn about in school. When we walk into a polling place, they see neighbors and community members showing up. They see me check in, receive my ballot, and make my choices. And they see that participating in our democracy is a normal part of being a member of a community.
For me, these trips also lead to bigger conversations. Both pre-teens, my kids are at slightly different stages in understanding how government and elections work. Their interests are different, so their questions are different. But both have very clear ideas of what is fair and just, and they recognize when something happening in the world affects them, our community, and the people they care about.
I want them to know what they can do about it. Voting is important, but it’s not the only answer. Democracy gives us many ways to use our voices. We can learn about issues. We can ask questions until we’re satisfied with the answers. We can contact our elected officials. We can speak up at a school board or city council meeting. We can organize with other people who care about the same thing.
And, when we’re old enough, we can vote for those we want representing us. No one wakes up on their 18th birthday automatically knowing how to participate in democracy. We have to teach it. More importantly, we have to model it. Our kids watch how we treat people, how we respond to problems, and how we care for our communities. They watch how we participate, too.
Let me be clear: this doesn’t mean telling our children what to think or whom they should someday vote for. In fact, I want the opposite for my kids. I want them to grow into people who ask questions, seek out reliable information, listen to others, and reach their own conclusions.
When they exchange their “future voter” stickers for “I voted,” I hope that, in addition to being momentous and exciting, the experience also feels familiar. I hope they know how to find reliable information. I hope they ask questions. And I hope they understand that they don’t have to agree with me—or anyone else—about every issue.
Most of all, I hope they understand the power of their voice and how to use it.
Decisions being made today will have consequences our children will have to live with tomorrow. And part of teaching kids about democracy is about reminding them that they don’t have to be passive observers in their own lives. They can learn, participate, speak up and, eventually, vote for the kind of world they want to live in, not one they were handed.
That’s why I bring my kids with me to the polls. There may be extra questions, and it may take me a little longer to cast my ballot. Someday, these decisions will be theirs to make. And I want them to be ready to use their voices when it’s their turn.
Leave a Reply