Teaching Children to Become Democratic Citizens
As US citizens, we pride ourselves on being part of a democracy. However, what is the best way, as adults, to help our children and adolescents gain the skills to become competent in the practice of being democratic citizens?
In both home and school, we teach children how fine a political system democracy is. We talk about how much better it is to have personal freedoms than to live under dictatorship or authoritarianism. We examine the lives of Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, Lincoln, and others. Yet we often fail to give our youth the attitudes, skills, and practice they need to become thoughtful and competent decision makers. For the most part, neither our homes nor schools have as a prominent goal the creation of skilled choice makers and skilled democratic citizens.
How can we expect our democracy to survive when, for the most part, parents and teachers not only fall short in educating youth to be skilled choice makers, but continue to model for youth largely authoritarian interpersonal and political styles? The message too many parents and teachers give the next generation is that true power is earned and maintained through authoritarian control, rather than democratic means. As a result, our democracy will be at risk until our homes and schools realize it is time for a change.
Encouraging Children to be Curious
Children, by nature, are full of verbal and nonverbal questions.
Often, adults provide answers to these questions instead of
encouraging young children and youth to find out on their own.
Research has shown this practice can have a deleterious effect
on a child’s motivation to learn. It causes children to cease wondering and asking questions. It inhibits their exploration and discovery, and stops them from developing the skills of critical thinking. However, adults continue to do it. Adults—parents and teachers—continue to be didactic when they could encourage children and adolescents to be more curious and thoughtful.
What strong need(s) do we have as adults that drive us to squelch
curiosity in a child, even if that’s not our true intention? If you think you might do this, I suggest you look inside yourself and examine why. Whatever the reason, make the effort to stop yourself from automatically giving answers to children and instead create ways to show them how to find their own answers. When you do this, not only will your children benefit, but—and this may come as a surprise— you
will enhance your own curiosity and ability to take risks and
learn something new.
Most Parents Aren't Given Accurate Child-rearing Information
Do parents get all the information they need to raise their
children? Think about it. Most research about child development
and child rearing in the US is reported in English. Few parents
read the academic journals that publish it. Some parents read
parenting magazines. However, most of these magazines don't
adequately report the research. Parents who do have the time
to read tend to be middle class and speak English. Does the
empirical research about the growth and development of children
and adolescents reach the vast majority of parents? The answer
is a resounding NO.
Perhaps the biggest mistake made by those competent in the
fields of human development and parenting is relying on the
written word. Why not create short videos or songs about child
rearing that are sensitive to parents' ethnic, social, cultural,
and language preferences? Consider the value of songs developed
with parents, sung by kids and parents, for kids and parents.
If we think outside the box, music is a powerful way to reach
all segments of our population about the most important task
of adulthood—sensitive, loving, responsive parenting. These efforts
could light a beacon that would shine throughout the world. Peace
between nations, after all, to a great extent is determined by
how each nation raises its children.
