I have been hearing the children talk and process with each other about politics and the election over the last couple weeks. There is a lot of distress and worry. Some things I’ve heard:

• “I might have another teacher soon, because he might get deported.”
• “You can’t vote for Donald Trump! He’ll kill you!”
• “I wonder if God loves Donald Trump, probably not.”

So, please check in on your kids. They may be metabolizing things they've heard in scary ways. They may be carrying a stress-burden larger than they know how to carry. 

Here is a great article I found about talking politics with children. 

And here is another one I liked about post-election stress in households with children. 

And here are Barbara’s tips and tidbits:

• Remember that, developmentally, children under 8-years-old have an underdeveloped sense of time, anything that “might” or “will” happen, might or will happen tomorrow or right now. 
• Kids are pretty powerless already, and as powerless as you might feel, they’re feeling powerless times ten. Especially if ALL the trusted adults in their social circle voted for the same person, only to lose. Who, then, has the power? How can we put power back in their hands? Ideas might be: lighting a candle for hope, drawing a picture of how they feel, or the world they want to live in, washing dishes or watering plants as an act of sadness or lament, praying for someone, or having a vicious dance party.  
• Children may avoid conversations that make their parents and caregivers feel strong emotions because they love you, want to protect you, and don't like it when you seem out of control. So, guard your reactions and lean into an emotion-less and listening posture to create a space for children to bring what they are hearing and wondering about, even if it hurts you to hear it in their mouths, pause, and ask them follow-up questions, before you answer. A good one is, "What do you think?"
• Co-process, however you process stress, teach those methods and practice with your children: say your strategies out loud, do them together, let them lead you in one. 

About truth…

• Children from 7-11 years old are in the concrete stage. They are really into truth, that is, what is real. And political rhetoric is ripe with hyperbole, stereotypes, and half-truths. This can be very disorienting. Talk through your own process of deciphering the truth in digital media, political ads, and in conversations. Ask children what they think. Let them practice reading their own truth-detector inside them and encourage this. 
• We have the power to prove what is true about us and our country by our actions and over time. Many of us can also see the truth about the "other side" in people we know and love and may be related to. God always has the final word about who we (and they) are.
• Avoid phrases that children know are well-intended, yet, untrue, like, “Don’t worry, I will not let anything bad happen to you,” and, “You will always be safe.” (They will not always be safe. They have already experienced pain and hurt that you could not save them from. They know you want to, but they also know that it is not true.) 
• Instead, chose truths, like, “We will never stop working to make this world safer for you and our neighbors,” and,“Life is hard, and you are loved.” 

And on being Jesus-followers…

• God loves everyone, no matter what. And it is important to say this to children because this means that THEY, “YOU, can do nothing that will put you outside of God’s love.” There will be times when telling the truth about yourself will include ugly and mean things you have done, but telling the truth about yourself will always include you are loved, because that is the truest thing about you. 
• As Jesus-followers we love our enemies. Love is patient, kind, and always hopes that you become the best, most-healthy life-giving version of yourself. Love also speaks truth to power, invites people to the table, and restores people to community. Love never fails (never fails to win, never fails to work change, never becomes not-true.) 
• As Jesus-followers we pray for those who persecute us. Light a candle, speak the names of those who work against you, speak your hope out loud. (If all you can do is light a candle, start there.)
• As Jesus-followers we turn the other cheek, which means, we don’t fight (in the ways we are taught to fight), nor do we flight. We stand with those who are most harmed and most vulnerable. We act on their behalf in ways they cannot. We do not cancel because, while Jesus does tell the truth, Jesus doesn't cancel anyone. Instead, we remain, and work within ourselves to be ready to embrace. (phew!) We speak truth and listen for truth in others.  

Finally, as “Saint” Fred Rogers said, “look for the helpers.” Awe is firstly inspired by watching other humans commit acts of moral beauty (I just started reading Awe by Dacher Keltner!). One of my favorites is the story of Corrie Ten Boom. If you are familiar with her story, you are probably familiar with the extraordinary bits about her working for the Dutch resistance during WWII, moving over 800 Jews through their house, surviving a concentration camp, and forgiving the guard that killed her sister. 

But my favorite part is the way the story begins…

Corrie Ten Boom was a forty-eight-year-old unmarried lady living with her parents. She was a tutor for mentally disabled children and adults and ran a girls club for her church where she taught sewing. She helped take care of her aged aunts and helped her parents host a prayer group in their house. When the Nazis invaded the Netherlands her first ordinary act was to continue to work with her group of mentally disabled people after it had become illegal. Every extraordinary life begins with ordinary every-day acts of moral beauty. One step, one day, one choice at a time. 

Good luck as you work out those parenting muscles every day. May your ears listen wisely and deeply. Your children are so lucky to have you. 
Blessings on all the bodies and all the feelings, 
Barbara and City Church Children's Ministry