By Don Grant, PhD, National Advisor of Healthy Device Management
Elections are highly charged experiences for everyone. And kids can be especially impacted, due to the influences they receive from parents, family, friends, and social media. It’s important for parents to help their kids navigate any emotions, questions, or concerns surrounding the election process and results.
First, remember that each child is different. Be thoughtful about what is appropriate to share and discuss. Keep the focus on listening and anchoring conversations in information rather than emotions, without becoming frustrated or angry.
Below are some tips to support children and teenagers to cope with post-election stress.
Key Takeaways
- Kids can experience post-election stress as a result of not knowing if or how their lives will change.
- Parents should be aware of their own biases and their own stress and anxiety when talking with their children.
- In responding to kids’ questions about the election results, be thoughtful about what is appropriate to share, given their age.
- If post-election stress doesn’t get better over time, it might be masking an underlying mental health disorder that requires treatment.
1. Know your own biases.
Be mindful of your own potential frustration, stress, anger, fear, and/or other reactions to the election results, and resist imposing your own ideas or beliefs onto your child.
Kids are our “always audience,” picking up, recognizing, and reacting (either externally or internally) to our emotional responses. They are highly sensitive to the emotional state, opinions, and behaviors of their caregivers.
2. Search out the facts with them.
Investigate the platforms, channels, sites, and sources from which your child harvests information about politics and about what the election results might mean. If you feel any are inappropriate, anxiety inducing, or delivering misinformation, don’t shame them or forbid their choices. Instead, calmly and respectfully ask them why they feel that source is appropriate, legitimate, and valuable in terms of information sharing.
Parents can utilize this experience as an opportunity to discuss the dangers of misinformation, including how to spot it and the importance of fact-checking. This is especially relevant with news shared on social media.
If necessary, help your child identify more appropriate news sources. And be sure to take this opportunity to discuss the importance of taking breaks from news and social media, to maintain our mental health and well-being.
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3. Be age appropriate.
Whenever engaging with kids about charged, controversial, or sensitive topics (including politics), frame your conversations and discussions with age-appropriate vocabulary and concepts. Only share and talk about what you feel is okay for them to hear and discuss.
You know your kid, and each child is different in their abilities to process, understand, and react to the topic at hand. Try engaging your child in conversations which can be used to help them develop critical thinking skills and respect for other’s opinions.
4. Ask, don’t tell.
Involve your kids in honest, open and non-challenging conversations regarding their thoughts, beliefs, and concerns post-election. You can share why you hold your beliefs without imposing them onto your child. And you can remain open to their questions or challenges regarding them.
Be sure to ask what your child already knows or has learned in school. They may be confused or have questions about the election and voting process and how decisions were made. If you don’t know the answers, you can look them up together on a reliable site.g with major depression. If they’re still able to get through most of their daily obligations but are clearly struggling, minor depression may be the culprit. Assessment and treatment are crucial for understanding and improving your child’s mental health.
5. Demonstrate healthy democracy within the family.
If parents/caregivers/family members are on opposing sides, do not attempt to polarize your kids or make them choose a side. Allow them to make their own decisions based upon calm, non-shaming, factual and democratic discussions surrounding individual choices. Although it may be difficult, don’t demonize the opposing side regardless of what your own political beliefs may be—or your child’s. And resist the temptation to debate politics with your child.
Finally, there will certainly be times throughout their lives when your children will be challenged with a situation, decision, or response (maybe even from you as their parent!) other than the one they hoped for. You can use this election season experience as a teaching opportunity, and discuss how to navigate unfavorable outcomes with grace, maturity, and acceptance.
Need support with your teen’s mental health?
If you have taken steps to help your teen with their anxiety and fears, but symptoms persist, they may be experiencing an anxiety disorder or other mental health issue. We can help. Newport Academy provides integrated mental health treatment to children ages 7–11 and teens 12–18 at locations across the country.
Our multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, licensed therapists, and more develop individualized treatment plans that get to the root of what’s causing the anxiety. Contact us today to schedule a free mental health assessment.
About Don Grant
Don Grant, PhD, MA, MFA, DAC, SUDCC IV, is the National Advisor of Healthy Device Management for Newport Healthcare. An internationally recognized and award-winning media psychologist, author, published researcher, and educator, he designs and facilitates Healthy Device Management and Good Digital Citizenship workshops for clinicians, practitioners, educators, parents, and academic communities. Dr. Grant’s current research includes a large-scale study, in partnership with the Newport Healthcare Center for Research and Innovation, investigating his theories surrounding the impact of a caregiver’s device use on attachment bonds. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), he has served as an expert source for the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and New York Times, as well as Time Magazine, Forbes, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and The Daily Show.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I tell my child about the election?
Should you try to convince your child to agree with your politics?
What should I do if my teen is getting misinformation from social media?
How can I help a teen who can’t get over the election results?