How are your kids handling this?

Last night, my 14 year old daughter canvassed with a friend's parents and went to the party at Inslee's HQ. She got dressed in black this morning and took off her jewelry. I said OK, all black but put on your earrings- it's too soon to go into mourning- and we laughed. I got this from her during a research session at school:

MOM, kerry CONCEDED!?!?!?! is he fricken KIDDING !?!?! we were SO GODAMNED CLOSE, what is he THINKING!?!? wasn't edwards just saying last night they were going to fight until the end? OMG, look at bbc, and tell me this wasn't a bad decision...

Oh, baby, *now* I can cry. Searching internally for concepts and words to share with her when she comes home is helping:

We'll keep trying to do what's right because that's who we are.

We just aren't there yet...blah blah

What I'll stress, though, is the old standard: We aren't in control of what anyone else does. We only have control of what we do and our reactions to what they do.

So, grown-ups, what are YOU telling the children?

just finished crying together. He was so involved in this race and knew so much about what was going on. When I would be driving him and his friends I would hear him talking to them about Bush and why he supported Kerry. I was so proud of his interest and his ability to see Bush for what he was. Breaks my heart.

He took it way harder than I thought he would. Probably because he is incredibly politically informed for a kid his age (and not because he parrots me. He thinks for himself. We don't agree on everything, but he can always make a strong and logical case for his point of view).

Anyway, we cried together.

her principal excused her at noon because there was a lot of harassment going on:

So, they won.

This is getting ridiculous. I went to a concert last night. I saw the legendary Misfits and had a rioting good time. I come home and hear that the Bushies have won the presidency. This morning, listening to talk radio spout facts of spoiler votes, the ones that don’t get counted, and Ohio and New Mexico. I go to school this morning and the first thing I hear is "Hey, you lost, ha ha ha. How do you feel about that?" Most insults I have ever gotten, not just attacking my political beliefs, but my appearance, my sub-culture and my friends. So much for gracious winners, eh? I won’t just sit idly by and take this harassment; it’s just not in my nature. While it is in my nature, I won’t go and do some beatin’. I’m better than that and I won’t bring myself down to that level, their level. So I talk to the Principal, get excused for the day, come home, and start typing. It really is ridiculous.

At least it’s not all as bad as it seems. Colorado is now a democratically controlled state. Battle won. A blue dinghy in a sea of red. This is what immediately affects all of us. It affects schools; it affects taxes; it affects me.

So now what? What’s next? Pull one like Yugoslavia. We need a dynamic leader with the balls to over throw and I don’t know who that could be. Everyone’s either too moderate or just too cute to be angry. I can’t imagine anger from the leaders we’ve got. What will I do? O Canada, True patriot love in all thy sons command, Glorious and free, we stand on guard for thee!

Glen Danzig with the Misfits last night?

Is he still around?

Heyo

she had a wonderful time for a few hours, anyway. She worked so hard on this election, it was just heartbreaking for her.

...were/are very bummed.

It started for my daughter yesterday when her teacher taunted her for backing Kerry (He apologized to her today) and she was dreading going to school today.

Both found out in school that Kerry conceded, 20 min AFTER my son gave a speech about how Kerry would never back down....

However...school is a 45 minute drive from our house...plenty of time to talk. I told them they would be voting in the next election...we could either roll over and play dead or we can start now. We can start at the local level, we can keep on the media to report the truth, we can keep protesting, we can keep up our support for women's issues, gay rights, and other civil & social issues.

I am very happy and proud to say that my teens want to fight. Both are members of Amnesty International at school and both are proud to stand up and say that they are LIBERALS.

It's only 2 teens...but it's a start.

Cheers,
Kim :toast:

and I'm sitting here sobbing. I feel helpless. I go to a school full of freeps (teachers and students) who gloated all day, then proceeded to insiste that we watch Kerry concede and Bush declare victory.

As soon as I set foot inside my house, I started sobbing. Whatever youthful resolve and happiness I had is gone. I'm pissed off now.

2006 midterms will be my first election. 2008, my first presidential. I'll be there, but never entirely sure my vote counted.

I was sobbing last night, too, my parents just held me, and told me that we've been through worse times than this, and kept assuring me that I wasn't going to get shipped off to some desert hellhole courtesy of a draft. They said they'd buy me and my brother a plane ticket to Canada ot Europe first. I'm not so sure I believe them.

We need you and your friends to help prepare for 2006 NOW.

I'm a lot older than you and I have seen worse. We will make it through this time, too. I was seventeen when there was a draft. I barely missed going to war. Several of my friends weren't so lucky.

My son is seventeen, too. He got some shit from Bush supporters today. I hope his gung-ho classmates are ready to sign up. He won't forget when he votes in 2006.

Be there; if you don't vote, there's a 100% probability that your vote won't be counted.

We'll get rid of these guys. You'll see. But we need everyone's help.

Hang in there. :)

They also know I support gay rights, a woman's right to choose and public education among other issues. At the same time, I really do try to encourage my kids to think for themselves. My biggest gripe about this election (as with most others) is that people I know actually voted for bush because of Laura, gay Mary Cheney talk, Theresa, botox and other stupid-ass reasons. This is madness, and I've begged my kids to PLEASE learn what the issues are before making a choice (then choose democrat!)

that this country is filled with idiots.

And I go to a school full of retards (that's republicans) many of which are more of your rich type, not redneck type. I had to put up with BS in my stupid speech class (I had given two Anti-Bush/Pro-Kerry speeches in that class, and everyone in that class knows I'm very political) still the discrimination does not stop. I feel like being an asshole. On the school bus today, me and all the poor/lower middle class kids, who usually sit at the back of the bus were conspiring to send pretzels and red meat to the white house. We all promised though, that we would get out and vote in the midterm elections in 2006!!!

She's looking forward to voting next time and she's convinced that her age group will help get sane, intelligent people elected.

I hope she's right.

Hang in there.

though 500 miles apart...

But I keep explaining how I felt when Reagan won. How we have to keep fighting and we may have lost this one but win the next one.

My teens did not believe it at first. They were so sure we would win. I take pride knowing that I taught them about protests, GOTV, democracy. They will not be inactive citizens.

My co-workers' 4 year old daugher asked her: "Mommy, did that man steal the election again?"

The greedy hicks and racists have this country by the balls, and they obviously love to twist. This country will make no progress in my lifetime. Congrats, hillbillies, you've taken the country from the generous and the intellectual. I hope the South and plains states burn.

So... not well. I'll vote Democratic, but I'll never trust the populous to make a decision for itself again.

Republicans: Cheaters, liars, the greedy, the racists, the idiots
Democrats: The hopeless benevolence fighting against a monster on steroids.
The youths: Disappointment. No sense of civic duty.
Bush: The scum that broke the country.
Kerry: The savior that never was.
Me: Giving up hope.

Don't let them have that!

And please don't wish the south into the fires of Hell because there are a lot of us transplants living here. We tried. Damn, we really tried.

I reminded my son that 51% of America got fooled or is just plain mean.

I said take heart in the fact that 49% are not so stupid.

:grr: I got a fighter on my hands :-)

He thinks he's going to be drafted and sent to Iraq, or wherever the next Imperial adventure is scheduled.

Thank God I'm still a Canadian citizen. Let the Draft Board come find him in the B.C. interior.

me and most of my friends are dressing in all black. (We live in SC if that'll give anyone any positive feelings)

...are my dogs, among others. One of them stood at the top of my basement stairs last night while I was at the computer, and howled. No reason. I checked. As upset as I was, it must have transmitted itself to her.

I'm glad you posted this. I posted in here overnight about the same sort of thing.

Right after the news forecast for Bush, I went pale. I told another DUer HOW AM I GOING TO LOOK MY TEENAGE G.SON IN THE EYES. He TRUSTED my judgment; he trusted the "process", he got all turned on in the last month with this election. We were stoked. He talked about it with his teachers and classmates.

Having us all hyped up about this campaign gave my "at-risk" g.son a change of heart. He started to do better in school and seemed perky and more self assured.

This morning, he came tender footed into my room as I sat bleary eyed in front of the tv...I could tell he was sad, he was soft spoken and looked to me for a response. It breaks my heart to tell him we live in a country whose government CHEATS, whose leaders are blood thirsty and theres next to NOTHING I can do about it....but I don't tell him that.

I tell him our state is still blue and NOT to take any shit from classmates today. That Kerry was a good man but more religious weirdos took over the ballot box than our side. I had to explain I'm not against God but some people in this country are very very "different". I also told him we live to FIGHT again...we will never give up.

It was very VERY difficult to find words to make his day normal...especially since he could see the look of sadness and disgust on MY face--no hiding that. My grandson did say: he would go to jail first before he ever willingly went off to service with a draft UNDER BUSH. How deplorable, that means he is screwed either way. Out goes his future.

I'm sooooooo glad you brought this up. I'm very interested in what our kids are going through...they were soooooo special during this whole campaign. :cry: :grr:

Kerry lost, he stamped his foot in annoyance. *sad laugh*

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FIGHT! Take this country back one town and state at a time!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/electionreform.htm

My oldest said her class cried... Even the 2 kids that were from Bush supporter families. Her teacher cried...she was a Kerry voter.
My 8 yr old son is worried he will get sent to war and his Daddy will lose his job at the automotive factory.

We are all just so upset, all of us even down to the 3 yr old who wore her Kerry shirt proud, is sad.

I have to show them how to move on. But I can barely keep my own spirits up.

and your reaction has to depend on the age of your kids...

You swallow your dissapointment, take a deep breath and let them know that "Yes.. this is tough to deal with, and Yes... things are going to get toughter for this country for a while

BUT... There is still work to do, and the sun will continue to rise and, uphill though the way may be..., it is not the end of the world."

If you've invested emotionally in this race (and I know many of us have) we have to remember that the kids don't have the experience in defeat that most adults have learned how to manage. Four years of work is a long time to an adult.. but for 16 year old kids, it is a QUARTER of their lives. ( how long is a quarter of YOUR life?)

You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so, become yourself
Because the past is just a good-bye.

Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's, the one you'll know by.

Don't you ever ask them why,
If they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh
and know they love you.

And you, of tender years,
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth,
They seek the truth before they can die.

Teach your parents well,
Their children's hell will slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's, the one you'll know by.


Don't you ever ask them why,
If they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.

Thanks.

My daughter got home a little while ago. After hugs and talk (one teacher let a group of them go outside and scream after the concession) we took our yard sign out back to burn. We felt silly after a minute and started to giggle but it was cathartic.

It's really helped to read through this thread. Thanks to all for the touching stories. There are good people here.

My daughter keeps asking me why I'm crying and I just say "someday you will understand". And in the back of my mind, I can't help but think....will there be a next day. But they are the reason I will get up tomorrow and the next day to keep the fight alive. They are the my hope and my soul.

And now I need to snap out of it and get involved locally, even if it's fruitless in my current location.

the drop out generation until this election. He work so hard and cared to much. He is in total despair. And then Kerry just gives up.

I told him that I survived Nixon, and he countered, yes but will the world survive Bush.

I don't know what to say.

my "kids" mostly grown & out needed to DO something. so we bought a UN flag and hung it with a sign saying "another small group of WORLD citizens disappointed by, angry with, and afraid of the American people. End this imperial occupation". So, we seceeded our apartment from US and embraced the UN as our "country". Oh, well...we felt better for a bit & the neighbors seem to like it.

I'm telling my 17 year-old son that the fight goes on. We never ever give up, no matter how profound our defeats may be. I belive in the potential of our nation and will always stand against the likes of bush. The Republicans bounced back after 8 years of Clinton and we have to be ready to fight back and win again after 8 years of bush's lies and deceit.

My 14 year old got in the car and begged me to tell her it wasn't true. She found out in school. Then I picked up my 13 year old son who was extra quiet and upset. As we walked in the house, my son said, "Ya know. I figured it out. Republicans just don't pay attention to what's happening." Then my daughter said she felt like life had just ended.

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and I can't wait until 2006. I'm optimistic about the future.

were arguing at school, and that many were mad at Kerry for giving up so easily. I think he owed it to the country and to our children to fight like hell for their future and make sure every vote was properly counted no matter how long it took and no matter how many lawsuits were needed to uncover diebold fraud.