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Original poster

How are your older teen/young adult children reacting to the election?

333 replies

BertrandRussell · 13/12/2019 13:42

My 18 year old is incredibly upset- it was his first opportunity to vote and he feel very let down by Corbyn.

OP posts:
Sittinonthefloor · 13/12/2019 16:42

What msbonz said!!

LittleSweet · 13/12/2019 17:15

How peaceful will it be when there are food shortages?

clary · 13/12/2019 17:20

My 18yo dd is very upset - she says education and healthcare will be hit so much and what if we get ill?

Ds2 (16) who is a party member and has been out canvassing is really angry I think.

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18 years old
Barnseyboyo · 13/12/2019 17:22

R/wokekids

Sittinonthefloor · 13/12/2019 17:29

And what greywind said!
‘The sun will still rise’.

I’ve always thought it sensible to get info from different sources to appreciate that other people have different ideas. Read the Guardian & the Telegraph, follow a few people you disagree with. Realise that ideas on how to run the economy are just different approaches, not ‘wrong’ or ‘right’. No one side has an automatic claim to moral superiority. Try this approach; encourage your children to be open minded. Let them know that no party is perfect - and in the uk we are lucky to be able to choose between two relatively sane options. Try not to be tribal. Question and re-question your opinions. You might feel calmer. There’ll be another election, this isn’t permanent. If labour choose wisely normal service will resume.

pearldiver19 · 13/12/2019 17:39

MurrayTheMonk - perhaps you should explain to your daughter that we live in a democracy and that part of being an adult is learning to accept defeat gracefully when things don’t go our way.

A majority of people exercised their democratic right to vote for the Conservative Party. There is nothing your daughter ‘can do’ about this other than accept it. Unfortunately, we don’t always get our own way in life. At 14, this is a good life lesson for your daughter to learn.

BackforGood · 13/12/2019 17:57

Mine - as adults - are keeping it in perspective.
They are very annoyed that we don't have proportional representation so that everyone actually gets a say in who leads the Government of the country.
Philosophical but not overly surprised at the result in our constituency - which voted 'leave', so there has been a predictable vote against our (previously Labour) MP, who wished to remain. I suspect a huge amount of people voted purely on the "Let's Get it Done" slogan's re Brexit. Sad
Aware that there will be another general election long and another chance to vote in that, next time.

My eldest worked at a polling station for the first time this year, and that was a bit of an eye opener for him - he now has decided there ought to be some kind of intelligence, or at least knowledge test before you are allowed to vote Grin

AngelsWithSilverWings · 13/12/2019 18:10

My 14 year old sent me a text today to tell me the result of the schools mock election. It read :

Labour won in the school election. Just shows we know better than the rest of the country 🤣

He can't wait to vote in the next general election. We watch the Parliament channel together when there are votes happening and he finds it fascinating. The only thing that tempts him away from playing fortnite.

abitoflight · 13/12/2019 18:25

DD1 is just glad it's over
She couldn't stand the loud mouthed socialists swearing at the communal TV in halls, calling anyone on TV who was Tory cunts etc so that no one else can listen and no debate was hearable. She came off Twitter due to the left wing vitriol at any who disagreed with them.

mbosnz · 13/12/2019 18:33

How peaceful will it be when there are food shortages?

That is the kind of scaremongering rhetoric that we should be refraining from, if our kids are upset and anxious.

I mean, at the very least, how about 'if', not 'when'?

If and when the things we fear come to pass, that's when we figure out what we have to do to deal with them.

FlyingPenguine · 13/12/2019 18:50

My neighbours who are 22 and 24 are delighted, both are starting well paid careers and would have been taxed to death under Corbyn. They say they would have gone to work abroad if BoJo hadn't won. drama queens I think they have a point tbh.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 13/12/2019 18:53

“ My neighbours who are 22 and 24 are delighted, both are starting well paid careers and would have been taxed to death under Corbyn.”

Well done them starting jobs at £80000 at that age! My dd thinks she’s doing well at half that.

OP posts:
mrscampbellblackagain · 13/12/2019 18:58

DC who is 15 is very engaged in politics. As in many schools they did mock elections. Interestingly the only member of staff who commented on their political views was labour and tore down conservative posters. Interesting attitude in trying to close down debate. Of course not helped that this was a private school.

I think it is good for teens/young adults to see democracy in action and particularly what happens when there are no leaders who really inspire - so many people voted I think for the their version of the best of a bad bunch.

Do think perspective is necessary and doubt very much that all these people will actually leave the country. It isn't that great in other countries to be fair.

Beeziekn33ze · 13/12/2019 18:59

Basically appalled! They well understand that BJ is untrustworthy.

pearldiver19 · 13/12/2019 19:01

See, I don’t find it remotely funny that your eldest thinks that some people are not worthy of having a vote, BackforGood.

Evidently you do, as you added a grinning icon to your post, letting everyone know how proud you are of his wit and superior intelligence. To me, he just sounds judgmental, arrogant and badly brought up.

We live in a democracy and that means we all get a say in how society is run. Your son is no more entitled to his say than anyone else - which apparently is a life lesson that he doesn’t like.

I assume your son is still quite young, so I’d be inclined to cut him some slack. Humility is something that most of us acquire with age. Evidently not everyone, however, and it’s the total lack of humility from people who think that their vote counts for more that has got us here today.

It’s frightening, and you would do better to encourage your son to be a little more humble.

Trewser · 13/12/2019 19:02

Mine are finding it interesting but not in the slightest bit upset. Dd17 is relieved that she can stay at her private school with no prohibitive fee increase.

Trewser · 13/12/2019 19:04

Dd19 voted Lib dem but is sanguine. Dd13 thinks Boris is a 'legend'. Sorry to burst the MN bubble.

Trewser · 13/12/2019 19:08

My eldest worked at a polling station for the first time this year, and that was a bit of an eye opener for him - he now has decided there ought to be some kind of intelligence, or at least knowledge test before you are allowed to vote grin

He sounds charming.

Barnseyboyo · 13/12/2019 19:13

Most of these kids sound awful

VirginiaCreeper · 13/12/2019 19:36

Are all these Londoners? Because I live in one of those constituencies that have just elected a conservative for the first time in 40 years and this isn't the reaction of my DC.

Sittinonthefloor I’ve always thought it sensible to get info from different sources to appreciate that other people have different ideas. Read the Guardian & the Telegraph, follow a few people you disagree with. Realise that ideas on how to run the economy are just different approaches, not ‘wrong’ or ‘right’. No one side has an automatic claim to moral superiority. Try this approach; encourage your children to be open minded. Let them know that no party is perfect - and in the uk we are lucky to be able to choose between two relatively sane options. Try not to be tribal. Question and re-question your opinions

The voice of reason! I agree with every word. It's also how I have always approached politics with the DC, doing my best to explain both sides. And yes, I read both the Telegraph and Guardian.

mbosnz · 13/12/2019 19:40

No, we're South East, not London.

We tend to argue Devil's advocate in this house a lot, and also work hard at seeing where the other side is coming from and why.

However, we all tend to be quite strong minded, with firm opinions, and our young un's are a bit like we were at their age, passionate, a little militant, and full of idealism.

girlofthenorth · 13/12/2019 19:40

DD15 worried and upset,she's autistic and now truly believes that it's the end of the world . She reads about LD budgets being cut and it worries her. Shes bright but not academic . DD19 enraged, physically disabled and has seen inside of cuts and assessments already , so worried too. Very proud that her and all her friends are really politically engaged.

Thestinkycheeseman · 13/12/2019 19:41

Both mine voted conservative so are relived

Trewser · 13/12/2019 19:41

DD15 worried and upset,she's autistic and now truly believes that it's the end of the world

Jesus. Poor kid.

ginandnappies · 13/12/2019 19:42

Well I'm early twenties and I am absolutely devastated. The only saving grace is I hope we get independence soon and get away from it all.