I would love to hide my kids away until they are 25. Think of all the benefits! No need for allowances, sleepovers, sporting events, and no outside influence! To be honest, that’s the biggie for all of us, isn’t it—outside influence? Today’s world is much different than it was when we were younger.

Where in the world are we headed? I can tell you—straight into the strangest election I can remember in my lifetime! Uncertainty in our country’s government is high on my prayer list. Since I can’t tuck my wonderful children away and protect them from all the misconceptions and lies that accompany a society living far from Biblical truth, I need to get on the ball and begin guiding them through the muck!

Get Started

You may have paid attention to the particulars of this election thus far or prefer to wash your hands of the whole process, but you could use it to your advantage and make it a lesson in good citizenship for your children. As a citizen of this country, voting is actually a responsibility given to you. Embrace it and find a way to become an active participant!

To better understand where we are in the 2016 election process today, take time to look through the voter’s guide links on the WallBuilders website. There, you will find a host of resources that will catch you up on the process.

Involve Your Children

Even if you don’t like any of the options this year, there are still plenty of teaching moments for our families this election cycle. We have to involve ourselves and our children to take advantage of those moments.

It is impossible to guide your children with only words of instruction and hypotheticals. We must model how to navigate our reality, whether it is good or bad. We, as parents and educators, must lead them by example.

  • Take your children to the polling booth with you. Explain how we evolved to electronic voting and why.
  • Watch a debate together. By allowing your child to ask you questions about policies or a candidate’s platform, you ensure that your child is receiving answers founded in truth! The third and final debate is this Wednesday, October 19.
  • Choose two or three points of disagreement between the candidates and talk openly about the pros and cons of the issue. This is a great opportunity to discuss how even Christians disagree at times and how to overcome conflict.
  • Embrace this process while they are at home. If you have a student 14 or older, they will be eligible to vote in the next presidential election. Instill the importance of this freedom!

Finally, pray as a family for our country. Pray for the men and women God has already chosen to lead us, even if we don’t yet know they have been chosen. I once heard someone say that their first and second choices for the 2016 presidential nomination weren’t selected—thus, it was time to start praying for the one who was! God can do mighty things and you as a parent can do mighty things to help your child understand the election process. Embrace this season. Use it as an opportunity not to shield your children, but to teach them truth.

An additional way to involve your children in learning more about the political process is to plan a field trip to one of the THSC Capitol Days this spring. We’d love to see you there, as THSC trains students how to go about Keeping Texas Families Free!