Broaching Politics with Youth and Teens
By Edgar Quiroz Sanchez (LMHCA)
Why It Matters:
Current political events undoubtedly have impactful effects on our nervous system as we simultaneously attempt to carry out daily demands. In fact, nearly 40% of U.S. adults cite politics as a significant source of stress and 77% reported the nation's future as a significant stressor (El Khoury-Malhame et al., 2024). With such prevalent concerns among adults, it would be unfair to ignore the potential impact politics have on youth and teens. While still undergoing many developmental stages of growth, teens already possess the capacity to detect power dynamics and understand core values like fairness, safety, freedom, belonging, opportunity, and dignity. For this reason, talking about politics with teens isn’t a risk to be avoided—it’s an opportunity to nurture their emerging sense of identity, ethics, and agency.
Recommendations:
Curiosity
Lead with curiosity. Ask open-ended questions about what they’re hearing and how issues affect their lives. Let them steer the conversation, stepping in only when needed.
Ask about what they know already or what they may have heard or seen. You could say something like, “Hey, there’s so much going on in our world right now. I’m wondering what you have heard?”
Values Focused
Focus on values, not parties or candidates. Guide discussion toward underlying values: fairness, safety, freedom, belonging, opportunity, dignity. Help teens articulate why an issue matters to them. This encourages them to reflect and make room for differing political expressions.
Acknowledge emotion before information. Identify, validate, and normalize feelings. Teens often arrive with emotions first, facts second. De-escalating emotions prevents ideological rigidity and defensiveness
Teach Skills
Teach skills, not positions. Focus on how to think: evaluate sources, spot emotional manipulation, understand algorithms, separate facts from interpretation, and ask what’s missing or who benefits.These skills empower teens to navigate a politicized world independently and discourage ideological influence.
Only share your views when it contributes to their explorations and reflections. Keep the conversation emotionally safe & developmentally appropriate. Recognize when a conversation is too hot, personal, or charged to continue safely. Pause. Check in with your parts, speak for your parts, if need be.
Resources
Talking to Kids about I.C.E - Minnesota Children’s Hospital
How to Talk with Children About Immigration Unrest - Save the Children
Talking to Kids About Politics: A Guide to Democracy and Conflict Resolution - Children’s Hospital Colorado
