A Parent’s Guide to Impeachment

Impeachment. It may conjure images of distrust and scandal, it’s a topic you’d rather just avoid, and it is almost always confusing. If those are thoughts coming from adults, then what are kids supposed to think about it? Whether or not you choose to bring it up for discussion, they’ll likely have heard something about it already, from social media, the news, or even at school. So what’s a parent to do? Here’s some tips for discussing it with your children.

FIRST THINGS FIRST: WHY IS PRESIDENT TRUMP BEING IMPEACHED?

You actually have to understand what’s happening in order to explain it to anyone, let alone your children. So, here’s what’s happening in a nutshell:

What is impeachment?

Impeachment means charging someone (usually a government leader) with a serious crime (usually against the country). If convicted of the crime, they could be removed from their job.

Why is President Trump being impeached?

The House of Representatives has accused President Trump of abusing the powers of the presidency in a couple different ways. First, by allegedly withholding military aid to Ukraine in order to pressure Ukrainian officials into investigating Vice President Joe Biden and his son (who has ties to a Ukrainian company) to boost his chances of re-election in 2020. Second, President Trump is being accused of obstructing Congress. That basically means he refused to cooperate with Congress when Congressional officials pressed him about Ukraine.

The House of Representantives votes on the impeachment charges first. If the impeachment charges pass, it will then be taken up in the Senate, where Senators will hold a trial to decide whether President Trump will stay in office or not. For more details on the impeachment accusations against President Trump, the BBC has an excellent summary.

Now, on with the tips… 

Tip #1: KNOW HOW IMPEACHMENT WORKS

Read up on it yourself so you can be prepared to accurately explain it. For an easy explanation on exactly how impeachment works, read up on the process here. FYI, impeachment does NOT always mean a president is removed from office. Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were both impeached but not removed from office.

Tip #2: STAY LEVEL-HEADED

According to the experts, the example parents set for their children in the way they talk about the president and the political process will have a huge impact on how children think about politics, possibly for the rest of their lives. That’s kind of a big deal. So, set the right example in the way you speak about impeachment and the U.S. President and other leaders (no matter who you agree with) in front of your children.

One study explains that whatever your political views, there are certain lines that shouldn’t be crossed when talking about our president because it sets the tone for our kids when we discuss important issues like politics. So, hold off on the name calling, since those aren’t the values you should be displaying to your children in the first place.

Remember that what you say to your children–both positive and negative–will probably be repeated on the playground at school. Be the example of the proper and kind way to speak of others even if you don’t agree with them politically. Staying level-headed isn’t always easy, but it’s important to show our kids the proper way to engage in political discourse.

Tip #3: LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN

Listen more than you speak. Tell your kids what they need to know–you can simplify it if they’re young and add more details if they’re older. But be prepared that the whole concept of impeachment may be totally foreign to them so they’ll probably have a lot of questions.

Kids are curious. They should ask questions. Ask your kids questions too to find out what they know. Ask open-ended questions about what they know, how they’re feeling, where they heard about the news, whether those sources are trustworthy, etc. We don’t need to lecture our kids about what we think about impeachment, just listen and answer what we know in simple terms and in a way that makes sense to them.

When we’ve taken the time to understand how impeachment works, what’s really happening, staying level-headed when we discuss impeachment (and politics in general) with our kids, and take the time to listen, it can illustrate for our kids a tremendous thing: the importance of civil discourse.

It’s important to be the kind of example we want our kids to be– people who can discuss political topics with respect and understanding with those who hold different viewpoints from our own. We can teach our kids what good political discussion looks like and hope it sticks with them for the rest of their lives.