How To Discuss Trump's Win With Your Kids
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- After Donald Trump's sweeping win against Hillary Clinton for the U.S. presidency Tuesday, parents like CNN Political Analyst Van Jones immediately worried about the next step.
"You tell your kids 'don't be a bully,' you tell your kids 'don't be a bigot' and then you have this outcome. You have people putting children to bed tonight and they are afraid of breakfast. They're afraid of 'how do I explain this to my children,'" said Jones.
It was a topic the Clinton campaign zeroed in on early in the election cycle. They ran ads of Trump openly mocking and insulting women, disabled people, immigrants and others that make up America as boys and girls listened and watched closely.
By Wednesday morning, parents had turned to social media, venting their frustrations and fears.
CBS4's Donna Rapado spoke to local parents who had to have conversations with their children, especially after such nasty and contentious election cycle.
Diamond Williams and his wife have a 6, 7 and 13-year-old. Williams said the kids don't really watch much TV but they still know about the biggest competition in the land and that can sometimes get ugly.
"Our daughter, she takes it quite hard. She's seven and the 13-year-old is starting to form his own opinions," said Williams.
Indeed, child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Dan Bober pointed out that talking to small children and teenagers each require a different approach.
"Things have to be in a developmentally appropriate context. The older kids, the adolescents tend to be more in a period of their development where their self-esteem is more fragile, where they are in different peer groups. And so, I think, the language Mr. Trump used and the divisiveness will have more of an effect on them," said Bober.
Dr. Bober also says often children model their parents' behaviors or take on their anxieties about the election.
"There's been a lot of divisive talk and a lot of polarization in the country. It's been a very ugly, nasty election," said Bober. "It's important for people to mobilize their supports and come together and talk it out and speak about their feelings rather than holding them inside."
For Diamond, the number one rule is a positive one.
"In our house the number one rule is, you know, love," said Diamond.
Click here to read more about Campaign 2016.
