Although the election is over, there is no doubt that it has been, and will be for a long time, a topic of discussion among many. One of the things that has stood out to me the most is when teachers, college students, babysitters, etc. are hearing younger children talk about the election and what is apparently going to happen now that Donald Trump is the President. They hear children taunting others, telling them to pack their bags because they are going to be kicked out. They see children teasing other African American, Latino, Muslim children because apparently that is okay now that Trump is President. They are in class, repeating inappropriate phrases that they heard from their parents, talking bad about the President or the specific minority groups that have been topics of discussion throughout the entire campaign.

I am so disheartened when I hear that children so young are being so heavily, negatively influenced, leading them to say and do these things. These are children who soak up every little thing that they encounter. They are just like sponges, and there are too many parents out there allowing them to soak up dirty water.

The new President is Donald Trump, end of story. Has he said nasty things about groups of people? Yes. Has he made comments about women that are offensive? Yes. My question is: Why are we as citizens of the United States of America all of a sudden forgetting how to act like decent human beings? The President does not tell you how to raise your children. The President does not tell you what to say in front of your children. The President does not dictate the words you say, the actions you take, or the impact you have on others. YOU have the control. YOU have the freedom. YOU have the power. Not him.

If you are a parent and you are openly disrespecting our newly elected President right in front of your young children, how are they ever going to learn to respect anyone? If they are being shown that you don’t have to respect “the most powerful man in the world”, then whom are they ever going to respect?

I am only twenty-two years old, so I am far from knowing how to raise children. I was, however, raised by two AMAZING parents who taught me to always love, respect, and care for others. I was always taught to respect my teachers, my aunts and uncles, neighbors, my friend’s parents, and all of my other elders. I was always taught to be nice to the other kids at school, even if those around me were not.

It is your job as parents to teach your kids how to act like a good and decent human being, ESPECIALLY now. They are constantly being negatively influenced by the media, whether you know they are watching it or not, and they do not need you as a negative influence as well.

So our new President is a man who has made disrespectful comments and is going to lead our country to destruction? That is your opinion, and your opinion can be expressed without the hateful words, the disrespect, and the negative attitude that is being further implemented onto your children.

Teach children to be kind. Teach children to not always believe everything they hear on T.V. Teach children that even though that famous and powerful man on the news said mean things, there are better ways to express your feelings. Teach children to be the one on the playground that stops the bullying from happening. Teach children to be good again.

Teach children to be great again.