With the heat in the political climate, especially around election time last year, I was asked this question many times. As marches and protests sprung up throughout the country, we saw images of adults and some kids standing side by side. Now that it’s summer, a lot of teens are reengaging politically, and this question is on peoples’ minds again.
Many parents may fear that protests are dangerous or something that their child shouldn’t be a part of. It’s true that some protests could get out of hand, and those are the ones you see on TV. The truth is that there are many peaceful protests that occur every day where people can gather with others and share their goals to further their cause.
It’s OK to let your kids protest. In fact, you should be excited that they are wanting to get involved. Most protests
- Give teens an outlet to express themselves.
- Teach them social responsibility and why they should care about the world around them.
- Connect their passion about something to action!
There are a lot of “what-if’s” parents ask me when it comes to letting their kids protest. What if I don’t agree with the cause myself? What if I’m concerned the people they will be around? I answer these “what-ifs” and give you some conversation starters in the below video:
So, you decided to let your kids go through with the protest. Here are some things you may want to address before they go.
- Discuss signs with your kids that the protest is turning from peaceful to violent.
- Teach your kids how to interact with authorities that may be there overseeing the protest.
- Have a plan in case they get separated from their group or you.
- For older kids, have an escape plan in place in case they don’t feel comfortable with how the situation is turning out.
What do you think? Have your kids protested before? Share with us on Facebook or Twitter!
