Often times, when high school students find themselves in the midst of a political debate, they are asked where they got their information and why they believe what they do. Sometimes they have many valid reasons, such as religion or personal moral values, but more often than not, they will find themselves thinking, “Well, because that’s what my dad says.”

Many parents often end up pushing their political views on their children whether they realize it or not. This is often not their fault. They usually only mean to tell their children what they believe, why they believe it, and why they believe the other side is wrong, but it can often come off to their children as if they are being told what to believe.

I have found myself in this situation, as well. I often agree with my parents, but on some key issues such as same sex marriage and abortion, I have come up with my own views.
Back in elementary and middle school, times in my life when I was much less educated about the world and what’s going on in it, lots of times I would find myself agreeing with the views of my parents simply because they were my parents.

This was not my parents fault, however. My parents only wished to tell me how they felt about politics, and, being the small, uneducated child that I was, I knew no better. They were my parents, after all. How could they possibly be wrong?

However, unlike my parents, there are some parents out there who intentionally force their views on their children. These parents are the real problem and this approach can backfire in the long run. It is fine to tell your children how you feel, and it is also OK to tell your children why you feel the other people are wrong. However, it is not OK to tell your children that your view is the only one they can take, and that all other views and opinions are wrong simply because you said so.

When discussing politics with children, parents need to remember that just because they feel a certain way, that does not necessarily mean that their view is the only right view.

As a highly conservative Catholic, I know what I believe, and I know what I will want my children to believe. I will make sure to tell them that many of my political views aren’t the only views and that it is OK to believe differently on different things.