Tip of the Week: Use Your Words

When children are frustrated, they often throw tantrums, at least that’s the way it was when my children were growing up. Sometimes to bring order and calm, we’d say, “Use your words!” Sometimes it worked, and sometimes other means like “time out” were necessary.

So the election didn’t work out the way you wanted? It didn’t for me.  My second worst nightmare came true (second only to Hillary becoming our next president).

How to respond? Definitely not the way some in the Northwest did- by throwing tantrums and doing property damage.

When I read the list of names and ages of those who were arrested during the protests, there seemed to be a pattern. Most were in their teens and twenties. So what? I have to wonder if this particular age segment wasn’t primed for not knowing how to handle disappointment.

Over the years there’s been an attempt to soften or do away with distinctions. More than a decade ago when my youngest daughter played basketball, new rules were mandated which eliminated score keeping.  That way, there would be no winners and no losers. Just participants and lots of participation trophies.  This kind of thinking has been spreading throughout our culture for a long time.

But in this election someone did lose and someone did win, and it was hard to take.

Here are three ideas on how to use the election results and the aftermath with your children.

First, appreciate and affirm what President Obama said about the election. He emphasized that The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy. Thankfully, our country is unlike other nations where machetes come out to permanently silence the opposition. We’re a constitutional republic.

Second, take some time to read and explain the Bill of Rights to your children, especially the first amendment.

Finally, emphasize the need and privilege to “use your words.”

That’s the tip of the week.

Thanks for reading!

Curt Bumcrot, MRE