Pity, poor Tristram Hunt. On the campaign trail the other day he made the classic mistake of asking a young child how he was going to vote.
Child: “UKIP”
Hunt: “Oh why is that then?
Child: “Because they’ll get all the foreigners out of the country”
To adapt the old adage: Never do politics with children and animals!
For a candidate kids are a minefield but as a parent I’ve been struck by how interested my kids (one pre- teen and one mid primary) have been in this their “first” General Election. They even staged their own election debate with toys which of course I enjoyed as much as they did!
There isn’t much help for parents attempting to introduce their kids to politics and political history.
Even really young American children have reading books about the Founding Fathers, Lincoln and the Roosevelts. Imagine the laughing stock a British parent would be if she went into a bookshop and asked for: “Gladstone and Disraeli for toddlers” or “Learn to read with the Tolpuddle Martyrs”
When I was a child I can remember adult TV bandying around inexplicable terms like: “Watergate”, “the closed shop” and “the troubles”. This time I have made (no doubt hamfisted) attempts to explain: “austerity”, “zero hours contracts”, “free schools” and why the Scottish Parliament has “posh” individual desks whilst the Commons only has manky shared benches!
And have I taught the little darlings to be Liberal Democrats? Well they very much liked the itv profile of Nick (and Miriam) but I have to admit my son also has a soft spot for Natalie and my daughter thinks Leanne is “awesome”. Oh well…they love music too so at least they are word perfect on the tuition fees song, the lyrics every parent and Liberal Democrat should know: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry. There’s no easy way to say I’m sorry…”
* Ruth Bright has been a councillor in Southwark and Parliamentary Candidate for Hampshire East
Follow @LibDemVoice on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to our feed
Sign-up for our daily email digest
Watch interviews with former inhabitants of St Kilda from 1972
Councillor joins Lib Dems in Western Isles
Today we gave our thanks to the 999 services and other public servants
The Genome Rides on a Citric Acid Bicycle
Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend
Tory Leadership dirty tricks?
Suzanne Fletcher
Mary Fulton
Mick Taylor
Simon R
Steve Trêvethan
12 Comments
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0955243726/?tag=libdemvoice-21
Can recommend this 🙂
I love the debate, Ruth. What sort of questions were asked?
About 18 months ago, we featured a post from Ellie Levenson who was seeking funding to publish a book on Democracy for Toddlers that she had written. https://www.libdemvoice.org/the-independent-view-democracy-for-toddlers-37098.html
The finished result is now available and winging its way to me. If I get time before the election, I’ll do a quick review when it comes.
Disraeli would not have the chance if he were still a Jew who attended a Shul.
How things have changed, we could be getting our first Jewish Prime Minister. It took the first Jewish MP eight years before he broke through the prejudices of those times.
Charlie and Lola Explore Irish Home Rule And Its Role In British Party Politics Since 1868…
I wonder if my kids would let me try a few ideas out on them at bedtime?
matt (Bristol) I hate you that is much better than my ideas!
Caron – I have to confess that the Sylvanian families passively watched as their human mentors performed in the real thing!
I would normally recommend this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/184234546X/?tag=libdemvoice-21
“People who help us: Member of Parliament” starring our own Ed Davey. But it seems to be out of print and they are asking £42 for a rare copy!!
Would you want a Sylvanian as your next door neighbour?
David Allen you are very naughty!
Actually Sylvanians are a bit UKIP. They wear 50s clothes and are a bit retro – but not in a good way.
I used to do this as a child. A carved wooden monkey my uncle brought me from Denmark canvassed my mother with: “A stalemate situation in which the Liberals held the balance of power will not be enough to save a country weakened by galloping inflation and trade unions running amok…” – which was an actual quote from a Tory leaflet from the previous election.
Ruth, I bottled it. I couldn’t work out how to explain Parnell’s relationship with Mrs O’Shea for 2-year olds.
Matt I think Jonathan Calder has trumped both of us by running on his blog a piece about an episode of the Clangers called “Vote for Froglet” aired during one of the 1974 General Elections and I don’t think he’s made it up!
Thank you all so much for your comments and book suggestions.
Mary – the children’s book on the work of an MP looks great but as you say I suppose £42 would be better spent on a donation to Kingston Lib Dems rather than on a book about Ed Davey!!
Helen – I suppose after last night’s Question Time we might not get our first (or second?) Jewish PM – but I digress.
Ruth, perhaps I ought to get my copy signed and then auction it with a reserve price of £200