2016 Presidential Election
I have been extremely quiet on social media and in person with my friends and family about how I feel about this Presidential election. I have watched much spewing, I have listened to the nasty campaign, and have "hidden" some very forceful opinions and thoughts shared on Facebook about who is most qualified to lead our country for the next four years. I've been quiet partially because I am a business owner. I have been quiet partially because I didn't feel strong enough to banter or debate with people who had differing opinions. I have been quiet partially because I have no earthly idea how to explain our candidate options to our children.
But here we are, the morning after, and I have some things to say.
This morning, we poured OJ, flipped pancakes and packed lunches just like every other day. Except as I puttered around the kitchen, I struggled with how to talk to my children about what happened during the Presidential Election of 2016. Not just the previous 24 hours, but the entire campaign process.
With our two youngest being 10 and 13 years old, they have been fully exposed to this campaign and to all that has gone along with it. Because they knew both sides of the media story that we were being fed, it was important to talk about it, this morning after. They knew what he said, and they knew what she did.
On one hand, I wrestled with how to explain that someone who has said things, exhibited behaviors and acted in a manner I would never tolerate from the men in my life, is now the President Elect. On the other hand, I was bothered with how I would have explained that someone who lied and should be in prison had won the election, should that have happened.
Our daughter looked at the television when she woke up and after she plodded down the stairs, with her hair in a high ponytail and her favorite leggings on. Her face showed absolute shock. She turned to look at me and sadly said "Well, someone had to win, and half of us would have been mad either way." Later, the discussion turned to how people could vote for one candidate, when perhaps all they intended to do was NOT vote for the other candidate. We talked about how United States citizens could vote for one candidate when they couldn't support him, yet wanted his party to be in control. We also talked about why people who admitted to have never voted before, chose this election to show up at the polls. I didn't have answers for her, but what I do know is this:
I will continue to wake up every day and do something to remind this world why I am here. Each and every day. Some days it might be volunteering at a local soup kitchen. Another day it might be encouraging fellow female entrepreneurs along their journey, to act as a stair step to promote their future success. Perhaps I will jump out of bed and organize an event or otherwise be active in my community.
My husband and I will continue to raise our children to have an extremely strong moral compass. We are raising our children to speak their minds, but to also listen carefully. We are teaching them to respect, honor and support those that are running this country.
Our children will continue to be taught that diversity, true authenticity and kindness matters. They will be taught that it isn't hard to give of ourselves to others. They will be taught that we don't call names and we speak to each other with respect. They have been and still will be told that living a life they aren't ashamed of is important, and that keeping your nose clean isn't difficult.
We are going to work harder at educating them about the bigger governmental picture in the United States. From the very bottom in our schools (running for student council) to our Mayors, school board representatives, all the way up to our Presidential nominations. Our republic is important, and I believe it starts from the ground up. I heard too many rumblings from people that they had no idea who to vote for on the local level, so they ... guessed as they completed their ballots. Imagine a world where everyone votes (every election!), and knows their candidates when they go to the polling places. We can impact that change, by educating our children - from a young age - about the process.
It is incredibly important to me that we go back to basics in this country. It's quite simple actually. We are humans. We are tasked with loving others, leading with kindness and doing our part to make this country (and the greater world) a better place. We cannot do that unless we begin with our children.
We are their light and their torch. They follow our lead. We are responsible for our children. I can't say with any certainty that we are currently doing the best job we can in this arena.
I wonder what we will call the generation of children that I am raising (I've got one Millennial and two "to be determined" littles, as they haven't yet named their generation). In doing some research, apparently MTV ran a poll and the chosen name was Founders, but in a Forbes article, it was suggested they be called The Builders. The article is slanted heavily towards our technology future, but I think it also is appropriate here:
Millennials are ... pushing harder for continuing change and disruption across every aspect of their lives. MTV President Sean Atkins said to TIME that “…while millennials have disrupted society, it’s this new generation’s job to rebuild it. They have this self-awareness that systems have been broken, but they can’t be the generation that says we’ll break it even more.”
But this new generation to follow the Millennials cannot be Founders. Founders by definition are the oneswho willestablishsomething. But we have plenty of that already. What we need the next generation to be are The Builders; ones who will build on the foundation that the Millennial generation have sought to put in place through disruption.
The best way to predict the future is to build it.
This is a maker generation, a far more pragmatic and practical generation who must architect and build the future we are all trying to imagine living in. The world doesn’t need more foundational layers, it needs a generation to create.
I really like thinking of my two littles as Builders. I'll call them that from this point forward, this morning after.
Perhaps you do not have children of your own, so, find some littles to inject your energy into. Find some Builders to teach. Locate members of this next generation and help them grow up to be strong citizens of our country who can stand with everyone, even among different belief systems.
There is a lot of diatribe going on this morning about the vote. About who showed up, about who stayed home, about who wrote in their own names for President. Voting is SO important. We have been given the right to do it ... but the real "show up" opportunity is this morning after. We all get another chance this morning -- as United States citizens -- to love our neighbors regardless of what color their skin is or what gender of person they go to sleep with at night. We all get another change this morning to figure out what our talents and offerings will be to this world, and then we get to tie our shoelaces and go DO those things. We all get another chance this morning to look at the children in our lives and make a conscious decision and effort to be more present in their lives.
Last night, I said to myself that regardless of whether the country decides to "Make America Great Again" or "Stand With Her", we are all -- I think -- blessed to be able to do both. If you think about it, we are given the opportunity to keep doing our part as human beings - to continue making America great (not again) and stand with all of those who are in this together (not just with her).
President Elect Donald J. Trump will be soon in the Oval Office, and he will be my President, regardless of the fact that I didn't vote for him. That's how I roll as an American. That's how I'll continue to raise my children.
And in the meantime, our family will continue to live by this motto: Do something every day to remind this world why you are here.
(For a reallygreat book that offers a carefully curated reading treasury of the best children's literature to help introduce your children to each area of the globe, as well as books that offer practical parenting suggestions and inspiration, take a look at Give Your Child the World. We have a copy and it really aims to help parents raise insightful, compassionate kids who fall in love with the world and are prepared to change it for good.)
