Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The 2024 presidential election has seen significant changes in one party's ticket, an assassination attempt, and lots of back-and-forth between the two parties.
One big question is, how do you talk to your kids about the race?
Amanda Nickerson from the University at Buffalo says it starts with finding out what they know, what they've seen and, depending on the age of your kids, shielding them from some of the media that you can control.
"Some of the images and things like that, while still trying to talk to them about politics and civic responsibilities and different issues. I think we want to focus on what we can do to make change," said Nickerson in an interview with WBEN.
She also says it's good to talk about why politics can be such a very controversial matter.
Nickerson advises parents and other mentors to focus on the values we are trying to instill within our homes, schools and community.
"I think reminding them that a lot of what we see and hear are from very different perspectives, and that people are that there is a lot of anger," Nickerson said.
She notes there are a lot of different opinions, but they can be expressed in ways that don't have to be that way.
"Giving examples of how else could they have said or done these things? Why do these things happen? Why is there so much hatred and anger, and what do you see day-to-day versus what are we hearing about?" Nickerson suggested.
Sometimes, it's OK to tell a child you don't know, says Nickerson, especially when it comes to last month's attempted assassination of Republican candidate Donald Trump.
"We can say this is what we know about the person and their background. But there are many reasons why people may engage in violence. That may be they don't know another way, that they're so angry about things, that bad things have happened to them, that they don't care what happens to them," Nickerson said.
She says respect what they bring forward, but correct any misinformation or rumors without basis that your kids may present.
Most of all, make them feel safe as this race goes on.