blondeviolin Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I know someone that had her young kids finding states as they were projected. If the state went one color, they got to pick a candy. If it went the other way, they got a hug. Her kids were clearly rooting for the candy guy. I know that kids are strongly influenced by their parents' political leanings. I've got no problem telling my kids my opinions and why I think that way. For whatever reason, the above just rubs me wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 That seems odd to me as well, perhaps because I think my hugs are way better than candy and wouldn't want to pit the two against each other. My dc might disagree, however. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Obviously, my kids were rooting for the guy I wanted. No help for that one. However, I used our electoral map as more of a geography lesson. Even my 5yo learned some geography. I made sure to tell them that even if the other guy won, the sun would still come up tomorrow and nothing would really, honestly change. I told my kids that we should always have friends who disagree with us. That makes us better, stronger people. I too would feel icky if a friend bribed her kids with candy to like a certain candidate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I would give the benefit of the doubt that assume she was trying to make it fun and keep her kids interested in what was going on. Candy and hugs? I can think of worse things. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I would give the benefit of the doubt that assume she was trying to make it fun and keep her kids interested in what was going on. Candy and hugs? I can think of worse things. :) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Shrug. Sounds like fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carina Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 That seems odd to me as well, perhaps because I think my hugs are way better than candy and wouldn't want to pit the two against each other. My dc might disagree, however. :D Same here :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Hard to say where the kids preferences lie.... Ds would pick the hugs (he isn't into candy) DD would pick the candy but would like the extra hugs almost as much We have candy in the house all the time, the kids don't really go gaga over it. It isn't a novelty here. Getting 4 dozen hugs in one night...now that would be novel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Depending on the age of the children, I really doubt that they would remember (at least for long) the name of the "candy guy" vs. the "hug guy". And I would doubt they'd really remember simply because of this game which political party each of them belong to. They will over the course of their lifetime learn how their parents lean politically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Well, if I wanted one person to win over another and was trying to brain was my child it's be easy. My dd doesn't want hugs or kisses AT ALL, but sure would love another round of Smarties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Yeah, that totally rubs me the wrong way, too. We had a mock election at co-op last week and it made me nauseous listening to all of those clueless kids parroting back the junk that they had obviously heard from their parents. I don't care who you (or your kids) are voting for, just know WHY instead of teaching them that we vote for the ___ party because the ___ party is who good Christians vote for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Meh, sounds harmless and fun. Especially compared to the creepy videos of kids chanting or singing allegiance to a particular person songs. Shudder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Obviously, my kids were rooting for the guy I wanted. No help for that one. However, I used our electoral map as more of a geography lesson. Even my 5yo learned some geography. I made sure to tell them that even if the other guy won, the sun would still come up tomorrow and nothing would really, honestly change. I told my kids that we should always have friends who disagree with us. That makes us better, stronger people. I too would feel icky if a friend bribed her kids with candy to like a certain candidate. bold mine I really like that statement and need to keep that in mind. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I know someone that had her young kids finding states as they were projected. If the state went one color, they got to pick a candy. If it went the other way, they got a hug. Her kids were clearly rooting for the candy guy. I know that kids are strongly influenced by their parents' political leanings. I've got no problem telling my kids my opinions and why I think that way. For whatever reason, the above just rubs me wrong. I suppose it doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. How old are the children? Was the "candy guy" her choice for candidate or were the hugs and candy divided randomly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrichor Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 (edited) If the candy guy was mom's choice candidate, it makes me feel icky. If she avoided discussing politics around the kids, then educated them on the candidates/let them watch the "debates" and let the kids choose which guy was the candy guy and who was the hug guy on their own, then I have no issue with it. Well, actually, since I don't know them, and since it's not my family I wouldn't have any issue with it anyways! ;) ETA: It would make me feel icky if it was a teacher rooting for her candidate with any combination of unequally desired prizes. But when it's mom, I figure that maybe the candy aspect(or even the hugs) are what kept the kid(s) interested in following the election results. Edited November 7, 2012 by UmmAbdullah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I think it is unwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriwether Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Shrug. My kids don't need candy to tow the party line. I think it is ridiculous to think that a young kid who has politically minded parents isn't going to be heavily influenced by what the parents believe. We discuss politics a lot in our house. My kids know how Dh and I feel about the issues. Our kids root for the Cardinals and K-State football, too. As they get older, their world will expand. They may live in another state or go to different schools. They may even vote differently than we do. In the meantime, I have no problem with using our values and beliefs to mold their young minds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakarimom5 Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I think its odd too. I took my youngest two with me to vote. DS#4 wanted to know why I wasn't voting for the "guy with the glasses"?:confused: Apparently he liked his tv ads! When I explained what a write in vote was he kept saying not to vote for whomever but to write in Darth Vadar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 Her chosen guyvwasvthe candy guy. She hasn't mentioned discussing politics with her kids beyond this. Her oldest is 7 with four under that. I think it rubs me wrong because no issues were discussed or anything. Also, because I would be furious if anyone did something like that to my kids, even my own husbands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Her chosen guyvwasvthe candy guy. She hasn't mentioned discussing politics with her kids beyond this. Her oldest is 7 with four under that. I think it rubs me wrong because no issues were discussed or anything. Also, because I would be furious if anyone did something like that to my kids, even my own husbands. I think it's a little odd, but mainly because I wouldn't want expressions of my love to be equated with the losing candidate. It's not something I would do here, but people do weirder things, I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 My kids would have preferred the hugs as they both still have most of their Halloween candy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Her chosen guyvwasvthe candy guy. She hasn't mentioned discussing politics with her kids beyond this. Her oldest is 7 with four under that. I think it rubs me wrong because no issues were discussed or anything. Also, because I would be furious if anyone did something like that to my kids, even my own husbands. What issues do you discuss with kids 7 and under? The exercise seems designed to teach that there are (generally) two candidates that states choose from. They got to participate at an age appropriate level by coloring in the map and they got the concept of choosing and rooting for someone. No, they didn't have issues as the basis for their choice at this age - all they had was hugs vs. candy, but they are 7 and under. ETA - I looked back at the OP - perhaps they didn't color in a map. But it does say that they found the state mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I could look at it as bribing the dc to like a certain candidate, and I can look at it as either way, you get something good. I teach my dc to think for themselves, and tell them they don't have to think the same way I do. Dh and I don't always vote the same way. I do tell them that they need to research each individual, and vote for the individual, not the party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Well, as brainwashing goes, it's on the more subtle and harmless end. I've actually always gone out of my way to encourage my kids to think for themselves and disagree with me when they have a different opinion. My daughter has told me she sometimes finds it frustrating exactly how well I represent "the other side" when I'm explaining things to them. I also read and listen to news sources that are generally coming from a viewpoint different from my own, partly to try and understand those folks better and also to help me hone my own opinions by debating in my head. I find it makes me better informed and stronger to have to struggle to explain things to myself. This year, both kids sat with me while I researched candidates and issues and marked my sample ballot. My son, in particular, disagreed with my decisions on a couple of issues, and I truly enjoyed discussing those things with him. I've never been a person who wants to raise ideological clones of myself. I don't think, in the end, that kind of mindless "belief" holds up to any kind of thought later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 What issues do you discuss with kids 7 and under? We always discussed lots of things, as soon as my kids showed any interest. I listen to a lot of news on the car radio, and my kids have grown up hearing people discuss issues and asking questions. I don't remember when they weren't interested. And something like a presidential election really catches kids' attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 We always discussed lots of things, as soon as my kids showed any interest. I listen to a lot of news on the car radio, and my kids have grown up hearing people discuss issues and asking questions. I don't remember when they weren't interested. And something like a presidential election really catches kids' attention. We do too but it's organic, not a sit down and discuss the issues sort of a thing -esp. if the kids are 7 and under. How are they going to be able to really understand the candidates stand on foreign policy or the economy? And honestly, I doubt the OP knows if the family she's talking about discusses these things around the dining room table or not. She's basing everything on one silly little game for Littles. (DS15 reads his own articles on the issues and we discuss them just as part of life.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 It doesn't bother me--it sounds like a fun thing to do together :) Parents influence their children's political values in all kinds of ways--this is just one way of doing that:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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