Early childhood education expert and award-winning author, J.E. Laufer, hopes parents can help their children with election madness. Below she has drafted an adorable election-rhyme for kids and their parents to cope. You can find her books here.
In fact, her new book What’s YOUR Birthday Wish? is a great opportunity for parents to talk about the negative behaviors they may have observed during this difficult time and at least recognizing how these behaviors make us feel.
Election Madness, Election Sadness
By J.E. Laufer, author, educator
Where have all the sane people gone
We hope they will be back by dawn
Trump or Clinton the choice is very clear
When the election is over, sanity may reappear
What are the children seeing and feeling
How are they managing and how are they dealing.
We have shown them how to ridicule and hate
We have shown them this in every debate
It really doesn’t matter who wins since we all lose
What has happened to the unbiased media and the news?!
What a crazy election cycle we have had and our young children are watching!
Yes, even young children are observing how adults are treating each other and the angry words that they are using with each other.
If you don’t think young children are feeling the stress of election frenzy then you are mistaken.
It is widely known in child development studies that children feel their parents anxiety and many will feel it very deeply.
Young children may not really understand the issues or the words but they observe the anger and hostility of adults towards each other. Instead of having them feel confused and anxious let’s talk about how we can all do better.
All over America, the most talked about subject of late has been the elections. So let’s use this opportunity to point out what we could have done better.
Judy Egett (J.E.) Laufer was a kindergarten teacher for over a decade and has always been inspired by the boundless imaginations of children. Her first picture book, Where Did Papa Go?, helps children who are grieving to cope with the loss of a loved one, and she’s the recipient of the World Society of Poets’ Golden Poet Award. Laufer believes that most often happiness is a choice, so young and old, we should try always go to bed with a smile and maybe you will wake up laughing. A mother, wife and active member of her local community, she currently resides in the Southwest.
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