Do Children and Politics Mix?

Why Our Children Need to Learn About Politics

As homeschooling parents, we carry a unique responsibility: not only to nurture our children’s minds with reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also to prepare them to be thoughtful leaders and faithful citizens. One subject that often gets pushed to the sidelines until high school or even college is politics. Many parents hesitate, worried that political discussions are too complex (or too divisive) for young minds. But the truth is this: our children need to learn about politics from a young age if we want them to grow into adults who understand their freedoms, value their responsibilities, and can defend what is good and true.

Politics Shapes Daily Life

Politics isn’t something far away in Ottawa or Washington. It impacts our families, our communities, our schools, and our churches. From school policies to local taxes to laws about free speech and religious liberty, political decisions shape the environment in which we raise our families. When our children understand this, they begin to see politics not as abstract debates on the internet, but as real decisions that affect their daily lives.

A Religious Foundation for Civic Duty

People of faith everywhere know that God calls us to love our neighbors and to seek justice. Part of fulfilling that calling is by being engaged citizens. Teaching our children about politics is not about instilling cynicism or partisanship; it’s about training them to wisely discern truth from error, to recognize good leadership, and to participate in preserving freedoms for future generations. When young people learn about politics from a biblical and moral foundation, they will be far less likely to be swayed by the shifting winds of popular culture when they grow older.

Preparing for Adulthood

By the time our children turn 18, they will be asked to vote and to participate in decisions with long-lasting consequences. Isn’t it far wiser to prepare them years in advance than to expect them to figure it all out overnight? Just as we don’t wait until college to teach our children how to read, we shouldn’t wait until adulthood to teach them how their government works or why their voice matters.

Building Confidence and Guarding Against Indoctrination

In today’s climate, many young people are being influenced by social media, celebrities, and secular education systems that often promote ideas contrary to faith, family, and freedom. If we avoid political conversations at home, we leave our children defenseless against one-sided narratives. By openly discussing history, government, and policy in our homeschooling, we build their confidence, strengthen their discernment, and guard them from being easily swayed when they encounter opposing worldviews.

Starting Small, Growing Strong

Teaching politics doesn’t have to mean heavy debates about complicated legislation. It can start with:

• Reading the Constitution or Bill of Rights together and discussing what each part means.

• Talking about how the government is set up, and discussing the pros and cons.

• Studying historical figures who stood firmly for liberty.

• Explaining current events in age-appropriate ways and connecting them back to principles of freedom and responsibility.

Even younger children can grasp these basics if we take a little time to introduce them gently and consistently.

Raising Citizens Who Lead, Not Follow

Ultimately, teaching our children about politics is about more than elections. It’s about raising up the next generation of men and women who will think critically, defend their faith, stand for what is right, and lead with courage. If we want a future where truth, freedom, and family are upheld, it starts with training our children to value and understand these things today.

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Family Discussion Questions

With Younger Children:

• Why do you think we need rules in our home? How do you think a government uses rules?

• What does freedom mean to you?

• Why is it important for leaders to be honest and fair?

  
  

With Middle School Students:

• What might happen if our government was set up differently?

• How can our faith guide the way we look at laws and leaders?

• What are some freedoms you enjoy every day? What might life look like without them?

  
  

With High School Students:

• What is the difference between freedom and license (doing whatever you want)?

• How do religious principles apply to government and civic responsibility?

• What role should we as individuals play in shaping culture and politics?

• How do modern issues relate to principles of liberty and limited government?

• How does our government compare with that of other nations, now and throughout history?