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The 2022 election is closer than we think and the next president will define the direction our country will take in the next six years. More importantly, that direction will affect your life and your children’s future.
On October 12, 2021, mom Mona Magno-Veluz a.k.a. Mighty Magulang on TikTok asked her more than 360k followers ‘who they were voting for’. To answer her own question, she says she will be voting for her children.
“I want them to have a future where leaders are not demigods but human public servants whose positives must outweigh the negatives,” she reasons.
As of this writing, the video has gotten over 81,000 views, 10,000 likes, and 648 comments.
In an email interview with SmartParenting.com.ph, we asked this mom why it is important for parents to teach their children about voting wisely. She drives the point that when leaders with the right values are in charge, it makes it easier for parents to carry out their fundamental responsibilities.
“As parents, we have the fundamental responsibility of keeping our family healthy — physically, mentally, spiritually, and financially,” she says. “We need the right leaders to help us out.”
We can learn from our kids
Mona, a mom of three, has been a genealogist for the past 20 years and holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Business Economics. She is also the national president of the Autism Society Philippines.
At their home, talking about elections or politics happens at the dinner table, shares Mona, whose three children are all of voting-age — 28, 21 and 18 years old. Politics takes about 15 percent of their mealtime conversations.
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW“We discuss the news of the day at mealtimes and have healthy conversations about what is going on in the world, even history,” shares the certified history geek whose TikTok content are mostly about history and genealogy.
She adds that their conversations can be about political parties, candidates and their accomplishments, and the character their decisions reflect. “With technology, it is easy for them to research and study on their own. They are even more updated than I am sometimes. I learn so much from my kids,” she says.
Just like in the 2016 national elections, social media will redefine the way the 2022 elections and campaigns play out. As parents, we may not have control of the platform, but we can take advantage of the content that are out there as teachable moments for our children in the context of the elections.
Mona gives these tips on how we can help our children sift through the social media noise and start positive conversations with not only them but our spouses and friends who are parents about choosing the right leaders:
Fact check
“Fact checking is an important skill kids of this generation should have.” Mona says that parents should supplement what the schools teach and instruct them how to research, how to find primary data, how to validate information via multiple sources, and how to select credible sources.
“At the very least, teach them to filter out known fake news purveyors from their social media timelines,” she says.
Stop “us” vs. “them” narratives
CONTINUE READING BELOWRecommended VideosPolitics is such a divisive conversation between friends and relatives. Start thinking “why are we voting for them,” she points out.
Focus on values not personality.
It is important that conversations focus on criteria and not the personality, says Mona, because it helps keep the conversation grounded.
“We have to look at politicians as job applicants and evaluate them based on the requirements and responsibilities in the job description,” she says. “And as with any future employee, their character and value system will define if they will do the job well.”
Maybe it’s time to make that next family meal count.
Parents have a huge role in the upcoming elections. Read hereda.
TikTok Mom Reminds Parents To Have ‘Healthy Conversations’ With Kids About Elections
Source: Progress Pinas
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