What Do Kids Really Think About Politics?

As a child development expert, I have had the opportunity to talk to many kids about politics. And let me tell you, it's jarring to hear them talk about it. They're so honest and straightforward, it's like they're not even thinking about the consequences of what they're saying. But that's exactly what makes it so interesting. In a recent study, I worked with a team of researchers to interview 80 elementary schoolers in Arizona, New Jersey, and Texas about their thoughts on politics. We asked them questions like which presidential candidate they thought would keep them safer, which one is more honest, and which one is more likely to do bad things. And let me tell you, the results were fascinating. First of all, we found that the kids in the study were incredibly polarized. Like, seriously polarized. They were able to identify strongly with one party or the other, and they were willing to say some pretty harsh things about the opposing party. For example, a lot of the kids we talked to said that they wouldn't be friends with someone who supports the other party. That's a pretty strong statement, especially for kids who are only in elementary school.

But what was even more interesting was that the kids were able to articulate some pretty complex political beliefs. For example, a lot of them were able to explain why they think certain policies are good or bad, and they were able to make some pretty astute observations about the political system. Like, one kid said that he thinks the government should be more transparent, because "if you know what's going on, you can make better decisions." That's some serious thinking right there. Of course, the study also found some pretty disturbing things. Like, a lot of the kids we talked to said that they wouldn't want to visit the home of someone who supports the other party. That's a pretty strong statement, especially considering that most of the kids we talked to are only in elementary school. And let's be real, it's not like they're going to have a lot of control over who they can and can't visit. But overall, the study was really eye-opening. It showed us that kids are way more political than we give them credit for, and that they're capable of some pretty deep thinking about the issues. And that's something that we should all be paying attention to.

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