Kids books about political views?

[LynnS6]

Does anyone know of any good books to teach kids about political views? Our kids are old enough now to follow discussions between dh and me, and I don't feel like I'm doing a good job explaining things to them. Or more accurately, I feel like I'm doing a fine job of explaining my views, but I can't explain others' views at all.

[NellieKatz]

I don't know of any books, but my first thought was that maybe you should let others explain their views in their own words. And you explain yours. But a word of caution, and I was just talking with my 8 y.o. son about this yesterday....I was explaining that an education, especially history, is very important so that when we hear people speaking about their views, like politicians on TV, we will be able to know whether they are telling the truth, or whether it's just speech that is designed to get us to do what they want, etc.

In other words, what your probably want to do instead of teach about  the political views, is instead teach kids to be skeptical, critical thinkers. I worry about when my son sees a politician on TV say that another politician wants to kill old people or wants kids to grow up unhealthy (or fill in some equivalent horror), that he will swallow what they say, hook, line and sinker just because they wrap it (for example) in the American flag, metaphorically speaking. Political speech can be so emotionally charged! (imagine "Look mommy, that nice man standing in front of the flag said Obama is going to destroy our country! I'm scared!") And a kid needs to know how to hear that stuff critically, just like they do with commercials on TV....certain claims are being made, and it's up to us to evaluate whether they are true, and how do we go about that, and so on.

If a child is young, you can certainly simplify. For example, "there are some political systems that are very top-down, very authoritarian, where the government is like a strict father in charge of a family. In those systems, the person who has power makes the rules, and to get others to follow the rules, they often rely on punishment to get them to behave. In other systems, they rely more on people coming to agreements together, like a house where the mother and the father work as a team, and the kids' opinions also count in decision-making, and when someone doesn't follow the rules, they try and teach them better, or find out if something is stopping them and try to give them help..."  Well you get my drift. Because I really think that's true! There's top-down and there's consensus/democratic, and maybe you can say there are other systems where the religious beliefs make all the rules....and that can give you a framework to begin talking to your child about which system or philosophy a certain person seems to be espousing.

I'm sure there are good books out there too, but they're not coming to me at the moment. (I usually visit this site at night when I am dead-tired and my brain isn't very sharp.) It would just seem that a well-rounded education would enable the child to draw their own reasoned conclusions when they hear people discuss politics. I should add that we are homeschoolers and my own history education was awful. I don't remember a thing that I learned in high school, so I am having a BLAST learning everything all over again, and this time with a critical eye, not just swallowing what the textbooks say. Howard Zinn wrote a great history book called a People's History of the United States, and I know there's a young people's version of that book out there. Fascinating stuff!

[ollyoxenfree]

Perhaps try some books that are essentially political allegories - like Animal Farm by George Orwell and Watership Down by Richard Adams? 

They may not suit very young, very sensitive children. I'm not sure they do a fair job of representing other political systems, either, since they take a such a dark view of them. It's a start though. Dystopian speculative (sci fi and fantasy) fiction also tends to wrestle with ideologies like fascism, capitalism, communism etc. 

Biographies of politicians and activists will provide lots of exposure to political thought, as well as some historical background. 

Collections of famous speeches ("We shall fight them on the beaches", "I have a dream", "Ask not what your country can do for you...") may also inspire some discussion. You just have to be prepared to follow through if the questions get into some difficult areas - genocide, civil rights abuses etc. 

[ollyoxenfree]

Found this old thread that has resource suggestions about unions and collective rights, in case that's one of the subjects you are discussing.  The link from spedteacher at the end of the thread has lots of great suggestions. 

The Zinn Education Project also has lots of resources.  

[LynnS6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 

Perhaps try some books that are essentially political allegories - like Animal Farm by George Orwell and Watership Down by Richard Adams? 

They may not suit very young, very sensitive children. I'm not sure they do a fair job of representing other political systems, either, since they take a such a dark view of them. It's a start though. Dystopian speculative (sci fi and fantasy) fiction also tends to wrestle with ideologies like fascism, capitalism, communism etc. 

Unfortunately, they wouldn't work for dd at all. She's only 6 (though reading at a 4th grade level), but she's very very sensitive and gets highly emotional about things. I actually can't read dystopian literature myself. Ds read a dystopian novel not to long ago (Among the Hidden), and I found it very disturbing. (Though now, looking at Amazon's website, I see there's a whole series and the oppressive regime is toppled -- maybe not so bad after all?)

Dd, being 6, also doesn't really get a lot of the subtexts in books, even if she's capable of understanding them at a surface level. She gets the text and the major plot points, but not the subtexts.

We may try some biographies of famous politicians/activists, that's a good idea. Maybe some history of the Depression too. My parents are old enough to have lived through the Depression and so my kids can ask them questions. I remember asking my dad not too long ago how on earth they managed to pay hired men on the farm during the Depression. They were dirt poor (didn't own the land), and his dad had to go into a sanitorium with tuberculosis when my dad was 13. They needed men to work the farm. (My dad and 2 hired men ran it for a year or more.) My dad responded "Oh, we didn't pay them! They were just happy to have a place to sleep and something to eat every day." I think they may have provided clothing too. But it certainly gives another perspective on a social safety net.
 

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 

Found this old thread that has resource suggestions about unions and collective rights, in case that's one of the subjects you are discussing.  The link from spedteacher at the end of the thread has lots of great suggestions. 

The Zinn Education Project also has lots of resources. 

thanks! Yes, unions and collective bargaining is one of the issues that we're talking about, given what's going on in Wisconsin. I have a pretty easy time explaining why I belong to a union, but I'm having trouble explaining the other point of view.

[LynnS6]

OK, thinking about it: What I really need is are books that explain a conservative (fiscally conservative) point of view.

[Tjej]

I could be wrong, but perhaps some Christian homeschooling cirriculum might fit the bill.  There are a lot of conservative homeschoolers, and likely fiscally conservative as well.

FWIW, my parents are fiscal conservatives and my general understanding as a child was that the belief was that government should get out of the way of citizens so they can work hard for themselves (pull themselves up by their own boot straps sort of thing).  America is the land of opportunity because there isn't as much government regulation and interference and it allows people to try things and work hard to make it - you don't have to already have some sort of "in" or particular education or whatever.  Does that help?

Tjej

[ollyoxenfree]

I read the Shadow Children series (Among the Hidden, Among the Brave etc.) years ago, so my memory is dimming a little. Some of it is disturbing but not as much as other YA dystopian fiction (eg. The Hunger Games). I think it's written for younger kids - tweens rather than teens. It is thought-provoking and a good introduction to issues like totalitarianism, censorship, and population control.   

Originally Posted by LynnS6 

OK, thinking about it: What I really need is are books that explain a conservative (fiscally conservative) point of view.

A kindergarten version of Atlas Shrugged  ? (Not that I've read that book, so maybe that isn't the best selection, it just sounds apt from what I've heard). 

I think there are children's books that embody the spirit of conservatism, without necessarily spelling out the whys and wherefors of the ideology. 

The Little House on the Prairie books were all about rugged individualism, frugality, imperialistic expansion into new territory based on an inherent right to occupy land as long as you were making it "useful" and creating jobs and homes and other hallmarks of the "right-wing". I don't particularly recall anecdotes about governmental non-interference, but I suspect Pa would not have taken kindly to the idea of mandated government programs, high taxation, etc. 

The Thomas the Tank Engine stories are all about being Really Useful and personal responsibility and doing your duty and pulling your weight (literally). They always seemed to reinforce the class system, with the Fat Controller (who controlled all of the resources) ruling over all, and a system where those who were Really Useful were justly rewarded and the troublemakers and sloths received their due comeuppances. 

I realize that these stories don't spell out political ideologies, so they aren't quite what you are looking for, but they may provide some food for thought and discussion. 

[scottishmommy]

I don't think you really need a book to explain these concepts to your kid.why not just say that some people feel they give too much money to the government and they don't necessarily like how it's being spent. I think that's pretty much the gist of it. There are a million reasons why people are fiscally conservative (or not). They could be pacifists who don't like financing a huge military, or people who don't believe it's helpful to give government handouts. They could be people who pay a ton of money in taxes and are feeling strapped for cash ( aren't we all feeling the pinch now in April?)

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by Tjej 

I could be wrong, but perhaps some Christian homeschooling cirriculum might fit the bill.  There are a lot of conservative homeschoolers, and likely fiscally conservative as well.

FWIW, my parents are fiscal conservatives and my general understanding as a child was that the belief was that government should get out of the way of citizens so they can work hard for themselves (pull themselves up by their own boot straps sort of thing).  America is the land of opportunity because there isn't as much government regulation and interference and it allows people to try things and work hard to make it - you don't have to already have some sort of "in" or particular education or whatever.  Does that help?

Tjej

I'm not sure I can do the conversative homeschooling curriculum -- it's just too far from what I believe. More or less what you said is what I've been telling my kids. Part of my problem is that I don't believe this, and all the data I have (immigrants, first generation college students struggle far more than those of us lucky enough to be born into middle class families with a solid education), so I'm struggling with how much I should try to be unbiased.

 

Originally Posted by scottishmommy 

I don't think you really need a book to explain these concepts to your kid.why not just say that some people feel they give too much money to the government and they don't necessarily like how it's being spent. I think that's pretty much the gist of it. There are a million reasons why people are fiscally conservative (or not). They could be pacifists who don't like financing a huge military, or people who don't believe it's helpful to give government handouts. They could be people who pay a ton of money in taxes and are feeling strapped for cash ( aren't we all feeling the pinch now in April?)

That's a good way to put it. Military spending is one thing, but the kinds of issues we're talking about are all social service related. I have a hard time explaining to my children why people think that we should spend less on education or food programs for the poor. Maybe as I said above, I just need to accept that I'm going to be biased and raise nice liberal socialist kids!

[scottishmommy]

I think it's totally fine to raise your children with whatever political view you have. You're not under any obligation to present two sides of an issue, especially if you feel very strongly about your own views. I think that is your right as a parent.

[meemee]

perfect time for such a discussion in CA.

the thing is what makes it easy is the state of CA now. i show dd the list of places the governor wants to cut. and i show her the list of places i think cuts can be made but they are not feasible for the govt. and so then comes up the why? and why not? that's when i bring it down to her level and show her she makes similar choices on smaller issues. but in principle it could be the same thing. (for the life of me i cant come up with a good example). something like when she only has two candies to split up she cant share it with all her friends, just a couple. how does she make the choice? 

for me at least i want her to know how difficult it is to make those decisions no matter which side you are on. 

[CatsCradle]

LynnS6:  it is cool that you wish to develop this dialogue with your children.  

My personal view is that an understanding of "politics" has its basis in an understanding of the overall government structure and the society in which we live, which includes understanding certain interests both racial and economic.  My DD is pretty young, but I can see that she is grasping certain basic social issues (at least here in the US) and I think that is a good start.  The prime example being that she is very interested in Martin Luther King, and she is constantly asking me questions about African Americans and why they were/are treated differently.  Her first exposure to this was the actual MLK day, and why we celebrate it.  Questions like why people were/are treated differently, either based on ethnic/racial group or economic demographic, and why we as a society should be concerned about these issues, as well as other issues effecting all of us, is important to understand before we can actually understand politics, which in essence is about certain interests, economic or social, or both.

I'm afraid I don't know of any books.  My approach would/is to be lay a foundation to understand how our government works and why we are concerned about certain interests.  I think it is a long  journey.  For me, I know it took many years of learning and experience to develop my own understanding of what politics is really all about.  I think it is hard to grasp the political system without the basic understanding, both historical and from present cultural standpoint, of the reasons why people choose certain political positions.  You can say that a party stands for "XYZ" but without understanding the XYZ first, it is really hard to take a position or even understand the position.

[readermaid]

Wow, that's a tough request.  Maybe Friendly Foes: A Look at Political Parties by Elaine Landau would work?

[Tjej]

CatsCradle has a good point - those old "how a bill becomes a law" type videos (their name escapes me right now - schoolhouse rock maybe?) would help put things in context.

Tjej

[TiredX2]

How far are you willing to go?

There is an entire "Help! Mom!" series that Limbaugh loves:

http://www.amazon.com/Help-Mom-There-Liberals-Under/dp/0976726904/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302239336&sr=8-1

O'Reily Factor For Kids:

http://www.amazon.com/OReilly-Factor-Kids-Survival-Americas/dp/0060544252/ref=pd_sim_b_14

Look, there is even a Tea Party Coloring Book:

http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Party-Coloring-Book-PP/dp/193526656X/ref=pd_sim_b_52

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by TiredX2 

How far are you willing to go?

There is an entire "Help! Mom!" series that Limbaugh loves:

http://www.amazon.com/Help-Mom-There-Liberals-Under/dp/0976726904/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302239336&sr=8-1

O'Reily Factor For Kids:

http://www.amazon.com/OReilly-Factor-Kids-Survival-Americas/dp/0060544252/ref=pd_sim_b_14

Look, there is even a Tea Party Coloring Book:

http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Party-Coloring-Book-PP/dp/193526656X/ref=pd_sim_b_52

OMG! I somehow didn't get the updates to this thread, so I'm just coming back to it after a number of months. I am NOT will to go that far.

I like the idea of starting with basic 'civics' -- how a bill becomes law, why we vote, and what our values are.

Dd just tends to be, um, passionate about things, and I don't want her to get the idea that all Republicans are evil, because she'll take it about 5 steps further... She's got a great future as an activist one day, I think. She's been ranting about things since she was about 3. Maybe I'll send her on the O'Reilly Factor". She could probably take Bill O'Reilly on! Too bad the man doesn't listen to logic. Her logic is impeccable.

Sample recent rant: "Kids like J who have trouble sitting still, they don't need to go to the Thinking Room during recess, they need more time to run around. I don't think they learn a thing by going to the Thinking Room and having to write their parents a letter during recess."

[hopefulfaith]

"This full-color illustrated book is a fun way for parents to teach young children the valuable lessons of conservatism. Written in simple text, readers can follow along with Tommy and Lou as they open a lemonade stand to earn money for a swing set. But when liberals start demanding that Tommy and Lou pay half their money in taxes, take down their picture of Jesus, and serve broccoli with every glass of lemonade, the young brothers experience the downside to living in Liberaland"

...I can barely see my computer screen, I'm rolling my eyes so hard.  Ugh.

Do people actually read stuff like this to their kids?

[hopefulfaith]

Now that my above rant is out of the way , thanks for posting the link to the Zinn Project.  I've been looking for even younger materials than these (my kids are 6 and almost 5), but this is a good start.  It makes me want to write my own kids' book!

[CatsCradle]

Originally Posted by hopefulfaith 

"This full-color illustrated book is a fun way for parents to teach young children the valuable lessons of conservatism. Written in simple text, readers can follow along with Tommy and Lou as they open a lemonade stand to earn money for a swing set. But when liberals start demanding that Tommy and Lou pay half their money in taxes, take down their picture of Jesus, and serve broccoli with every glass of lemonade, the young brothers experience the downside to living in Liberaland"

...I can barely see my computer screen, I'm rolling my eyes so hard.  Ugh.

Do people actually read stuff like this to their kids?

Sorry, yes, eating veggies and making money through entrepeonerial means (sorry about my spelling) is so socialist...so communist, that it cancels out all American values, now and forever.   Liberals (those communists) will bring the end of the world.  Yes. they want to make sure all of us are dead and tortured.  Yes.  Dead and horribly tortured.  To conserve is to serve Satan.

Not.