{"id":932,"date":"2012-09-04T11:35:55","date_gmt":"2012-09-04T15:35:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lifeasaconsciousmom\/?p=932"},"modified":"2015-11-30T17:08:19","modified_gmt":"2015-11-30T22:08:19","slug":"is-president-obama-or-mitt-romney-the-bad-guy-talking-with-kids-about-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lifeasaconsciousmom\/2012\/09\/04\/is-president-obama-or-mitt-romney-the-bad-guy-talking-with-kids-about-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"Is President Obama or Mitt Romney \u2018The Bad Guy\u2019? : Talking With Kids About Politics"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
(C) 2012 Associated Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Sunday, Chuck and I tend to watch Face The Nation and The McLaughlin Group. Caidin is usually sitting nearby playing with his toys or reading. From time to time he will ask us a question about something someone has said, but in general he doesn\u2019t appear to be paying attention.<\/p>\n

The other night Caidin said something to me before he went to bed. I don\u2019t remember exactly what it was, but he was upset that people were saying that President Obama was a \u2018bad guy\u2019 and he was angry with Mitt Romney. I explained to Caidin that winning in politics often comes down to pitting one side against the other, about creating a sense of loyalty and allegiance to both a message and to a \u00a0party and that in order to do that, both sides makes the other out to be a \u2018bad guy\u2019.<\/p>\n

I went on to further explain to Caidin, that the need to have a \u2018bad guy\u2019 to fight against isn\u2019t anything new. It\u2019s present in mythology, in literature and throughout history. It\u2019s even present in how we unconsciously learn our life lessons. We need something to push against, we need someone or something to be the \u2018Big Bad\u2019.<\/p>\n

Our opportunity as conscious beings, not just as conscious parents, is to remove ourselves from this push\/pull energy and refuse to engage it. To rather look at what we are trying to learn and understand it, learn it, heal it and evolve.<\/p>\n

I explained to Caidin that when it comes to politics, you need to learn to filter out all the noise and exaggeration. You need to be able to identify tactics used to get you angry or to get you focused on something other than what really matters. You need to look at the facts, not the spin and the manufactured fiction. You need to do your own research into the candidates, rather than take someone else\u2019s word.<\/p>\n

But how many of us really want to take that much time to figure out what is going on, who these people are and how their philosophies will affect us individually and as a whole?<\/p>\n

Having the right to vote is actually a huge responsibility.<\/p>\n

I saw this sign the other day that read \u2018Hey 1%, we\u2019re the 99% and we just woke up.\u2019 And it\u2019s true, so many of us have been sleeping our way through life, accepting what we are told by the government, by political parties, by corporations and by the media.<\/p>\n

As we head into this heated political season in the United States, use this as an opportunity to point out biases on both sides. Use it as an opportunity to disconnect from the push\/pull dynamic. Spend some time researching the candidates with your children. In doing so, you may just learn something about the candidates that you didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

And for me, I already learned that Caidin is always paying attention.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 2012 Christine Agro<\/p>\n

Come join me for free at\u00a0The Conscious Mom\u2019s Guide<\/a>. I uploaded two new videos \u2013 one a pre-pregnancy reading I did with a lovely miracle ending and the other is a Conscious Parenting Tip \u2013 Stop, Listen and Interact.<\/p>\n

Have questions about your child or need support? Christine offers\u00a0private readings<\/a>\u00a0as well as on-line support at\u00a0The Consicous Mom\u2019s Guide<\/a><\/p>\n

Christine Agro is a clairvoyant, naturopath, Master Herbalist, conscious mom and author of 50 Ways to Live Life Consciously as well as of The Conscious Living Wisdom Cards (Special Moms\u2019 Edition). Christine is founder of The Conscious Mom\u2019s Guide , a membership site where she helps support you on your own journey of living life consciously and on your journey of being a Conscious parent. You can also join Christine on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>. To contact Christine, invite her to speak or to schedule an appointment with her please\u00a0email<\/a>\u00a0her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Sunday, Chuck and I tend to watch Face The Nation and The McLaughlin Group. Caidin is usually sitting nearby playing with his toys or reading. From time to time he will ask us a question about something someone has said, but in general he doesn\u2019t appear to be paying attention. 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