Nothing could prepare me for the shock of the aftermath of the 2016 election. Hate is rampant online and in the workplace. People in our lives are suddenly demonizing each other based on what they selected on a ballot. With the level of animosity in our country right now, outsiders would be shocked to learn that Americans do this every four years.
There have been questions about how to tell our children about the election and the results. How do we address their questions? How do we quell their fears? How do we show them how to move on when so many adults are struggling with that very thing, themselves?
The answer is simple: with kindness.
It's one of the first things kids learn when interacting with others. Be kind. It's a simple rule. Sometimes it's hard to be kind to one another, but if we do our best, our children are sure to learn from our example.
We can start by trying to understand each other. Honestly, do 59.8 million Americans think that the opposing 59.6 million are monsters, and vice versa? Certainly not. So why are we treating each other this way?
What sort of message does it send to our children when we (the people they look up to most) attack the people we so recently called our friends? Is that something we want to teach them? If they say something hateful to another child, is that a behavior we would want to promote? Hardly.
We must teach by example. We must be the better adult. And it's hard - so very hard - sometimes to be kind, but for our children's sake, we've got to.
When it comes to winning and losing, kindness still applies. Are we humble when we win, or do we take the chance to rub it in the faces of the people who didn't? Are we gracious in defeat, or are we sore losers? Our children are watching us and learning how to respond based on what they see.
No matter who you voted for this election, I hope and pray that you will teach your children the qualities that will help them through the years to come. Teach them to respect one another. Teach them that hate is wrong. Teach them to love one another. And above all, teach them to be kind.
