I've been thinking a lot lately about how to teach my children without influencing their opinion of things.  I mean, there are obvious subjects that I definitely want my children to feel the same as I do.  But there are a lot of other issues that they could easily have a different opinion than mine and that would be fine.  The challenge, for me, is to teach them to think on their own without only seeing things "Mom's way".

I see it happen all the time.  They grab onto every opinion I have about anything - except for, maybe, the fact that they should clean their rooms.  I used to enjoy hearing them repeat something I had stated earlier about some subject, like a political opinion.  But lately, I'm not comfortable with that.  I want them to have their own thoughts and feelings about issues.  My views may not always be right or fair (though I really try!) 

All this came about when I realized how many opinions I still held from my own mother's views.  Mostly about actors/actresses or movies (those things were important to her).  But then, I started realizing that, you know, I LIKE Danny Kaye (do you know who he is?)!  Even if my mom didn't, I do.  He's funny (to me, anyway!)  Things like that.  I started giving her opinions of people the benefit of the doubt.  Making up my own mind.  Her political views, however, are still pretty much mine. 

I'm not talking moral issues.  Those should be taught as the Lord would have me teach them.  But political views?  As my kids grow and learn, they should and will make up their own minds.  I guess I'm worrying over nothing (I'm the first mom to do that, right?!)  I just want to make sure they know it's o.k. to think differently than I do about a lot of things that are trivial.  I just hope they continue to want to vote Republican!