No matter what your political affiliation, you’d have to have been living under a rock to miss the Democratic National Convention this past week. Politics are on everybody’s mind, and our kids want to get in on the act. Finding ways for them to broaden their knowledge without exposing them to mudslinging is a great exercise for all of us—I know that since having to explain things to my children, it’s really changed how I view politics (and how).
Fortunately there’s no shortage of great stops on the web for kids to learn about what’s happening and feel like they’re a part of Decision 2008. Here’s a few of our favorites:
- Leave it to PBS to come up with something as brilliant as ZOOMout the Vote. I probably have a soft spot for this one because ZOOM was one of my favorite shows as a kid (and I’m tickled that my offspring enjoy it, too), but ZOOM has always had that crucial activist component to it, so this makes perfect sense. Let your kids find out what others are concerned about as we approach the election, and find ways they can make a difference.
- Scholastic News Online has broad coverage of Election 2008, complete with activities for the kids and tips for teachers and parents. Of course, if you need more than just a few tips, there’s an entire parents’ guide available, too.
- TIME for Kids offers the Election Connection, with articles and activities aplenty.
- Of course, once again Nickelodeon is running Kids Pick the President, which has the added bonus of kid reporters on the campaign trial—my kids really enjoy seeing that, and it makes things feel more relevant for them, I think. There are also message boards here for older kids who want to really get into political discussions with others.
- And if all this political talk is feeling a little heavy, to you, maybe you’d rather the kids just check out Peanuts Rocks the Vote, where the nominees are all characters from Charles Schulz. Maybe this isn’t quite as serious, but how can you resist voting for Snoopy for president??
Frankly, I’m feeling a little jealous that the election resources for adults aren’t nearly as much fun. Hmph.
It’s been a while since I pointed out some new sites online that my family is digging, so to start off the week I thought I’d share on a few that are definitely worth the visit. 
Hide the computer, stand in front of the television, take the phone off the hook and bar the doors if you want to keep your sons from being completely sucked into the latest Ben 10 phenomenon—Cartoon Network has finally launched the Ben 10: Alien Force 
Take a trip in the way-back machine with me: It’s a Saturday morning—early—and two young children are parked inches from the (black and white) television with bowls of cereal. Some music starts up on the screen, and before you know it, the little girl is singing along at the top of her voice. “TRA LA LA! LA LA LA LA! TRA LA LA LA LALA LA LA!” The music is certainly cheerful, but up until that point, the parents in the house were sleeping… and they don’t wake up all that cheerful, regardless of the soundtrack. Oops.
I don’t consider myself a Star Wars geek, not really. Like any child of the 70s, I went to the original movie and was wowed. The effects! The story! That hunky Harrison Ford! (Well, okay, maybe that last sentiment didn’t come along until much later. Give me a break; I was only six when it hit the theaters.)
I’m talking about gearing up to watch the Summer Olympics, of course, not about traveling to China with your children. My advice for far-away travel with children can best be summed up via two-pronged approach: 1) Just don’t do it, or 2) Benadryl. So, yeah, if you’re actually going to Beijing for the Olympics, have a wonderful time, but I have no suggestions on how to make that a smoother trip. Good luck!
If only there was some way to have the great kids’ shows you already love somehow spawn other great shows your kids would love, and then you’d be able to flip on the television and reason, “Well, we already enjoy X, certainly we’ll like Y, as well!”
Every now and then I come across another blog where I feel like I’ve met some kindred spirits. Usually it’s a place where someone confesses to letting their kids eat food they’ve dropped on the floor or something like that. (Uhhhh… not that I’ve ever done such a thing. Gross! But it makes me feel better about my own less-than-stellar parenting moments.)
I’ll tell you right up front, here, that neither of my children are teens. Nor will they ever be. I mean, I assume they will eventually become teens whether I agree with it or not, but as soon as my oldest hits the teenage years I fully intend to enter the Witness Protection Program, thereby missing most of whatever it is that teens do to their parents. (This is not a frivolous plan. It isn’t. Hey, who asked you, anyway?)