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How to talk to kids about the 2024 presidential election

A young boy holding a U.S. flag stands next to his father at a voting booth in Manchester High School as his father casts his ballot for the 2022 midterm election.
Mark Mirko / Connecticut Public
/
Connecticut Public
“When he grows up, he can also help to keep this country free,” said David Niemitz after voting with his son, William, 7, at Manchester High School Nov. 8, 2022.

In a presidential year – as adults navigate the constant turmoil of American politics, the children around them are taking notice.

Kids ask difficult questions no matter the time of year, but those that they ask during election season – with stakes so high – may seem especially tricky to navigate.

This hour, how to talk to kids about the upcoming election and politics.

GUESTS:

  • Deborah Rivas-Drake: Ph.D., Professor of Education and Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan
  • Christia Spears Brown: Ph.D., Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Professor of Developmental, Social, and Health Psychology, University of Kentucky
  • Rikesha L. Fry Brown: Ph.D., co-founder and Executive Director of the African American Honors Collective and Adjunct Professor, Clark Atlanta University
  • Melissa Santos: Ph.D., Division Head, Pediatric Psychology, Connecticut Children’s

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

This show originally aired on April 10, 2024.

Frankie Graziano is the host of 'The Wheelhouse,' focusing on how local and national politics impact the people of Connecticut.
Chloe Wynne is a producer for The Wheelhouse and Where We Live. She previously worked as a producer and reporter for the investigative podcast series, Admissible: Shreds of Evidence, which was co-produced by VPM and Story Mechanics and distributed by iHeartRadio. She began her journalism career at inewsource, an investigative newsroom in San Diego, Calif., where she covered housing, education and crime. She earned her master’s degree from Columbia Journalism School in 2021, where she focused on audio storytelling.
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