How would you feel if your 16 year old DS wanted to become a 'young conservative'

[BigSandyBalls2015]

That is all!
Opinions please.

The first political ideologies that we are exposed to our usually of our parents, or other family members, so it's pretty understandable that we will mirror them to start with, it's life experience that may cause those viewpoints to change. My Dad was a hardcore socialist and I'm pretty much a leftie myself, however my sister voted Tory at the last election.

Anyway I agree that kids getting involved in politics is great but yes hopefully as this boy gets older he'll come to have his own opinions and beliefs, rather than parroting back what his parents have told him.

I really don't want to come across as someone who's just bashing the Conservatives. I genuinely was responding to the OP.

I wonder if the bullying thing is down to numbers? With Momentum (and I'm no Momentum fan), it's very large. If you join, you will encounter a vast group of people, of all ages, with a range of opinions. There will be people there who are interested in grass-roots stuff, like food banks and are, actually, pretty moderate; you'll also encounter the loud, types, who go on about Marx. It'll be an education in people, if nothing else. You'll meet lots of folk and probably gravitate towards the like-minded.

My suspicion is that the free-fall of numbers of people, especially young people, joining the Conservatives, means that there just aren't enough people to say: "No. Posting comments about euthanising chavs is not OK. It's not the level of political discussion we're about."

I'm not saying this to diss the Conservatives. It's rather to elucidate how something like that - and the bullying - can happen. And it's something you should discuss as a parent, because the discussion is clearly not happening from within the group(s).

I'd hope I'd talk to my child irrespective of whatever group they joined, to be honest.

Just to repeat: I am not seeking to run down joining the Young Conservatives (or whatever they are called at the moment). My fundamental opinion is that political engagement is a good thing generally (short of fundamentalism or extremism).

Actually, I can see I'm just digging a deeper hole for myself. I should probably stop.

Horrified.

Or suspect he was intending to subvert from within.

I'd assume they had taken leave of their senses. In my neck of the woods Tories and sectarianism go hand in hand. If you've seen Trainspotting 2 and the scene with the rangers pub, that's pretty much what the young conservative round my way are like, delightful.

Proud! Everyone has different political views. It's great to raise a child who is an active member of society and cares about what goes on in the country.

Think that they were undertaking the most cunningly rebellious teenage act anyone in our family could possibly think of and find it hilarious.

Good god, some of the responses here are terrifying in their militance.

Your child has successfully grown up to take an interest in the world around them according to beliefs they formed using their intelligence and brains and all some parents want to do is knock them down because they prefer to tick a different box than mummy?

You should be proud of them for being independent minded, inquisitive and participating members of society. It's what democracy thrives on, not mindlessly following whatever your parents believed in for no reason apart from apathy.

I'd be pleased he was interested and engaged in (mainstream) politics, but probably sit him down and talk him through some of the views he is likely to encounter and how he feels about those. I would also explain that those are not my/our politics and why not.

It would depend on why they had made that choice and which conservative positions they supported, there are some conservative positions I share (not very many!!), but mostly, frankly, I'd be gutted!

I'd be proud he was interested in politics as critical to the future of the country, and make sure our family discussions were big on social compassion, case studies of welfare benefits etc, enrol in a soup kitchen, support a food bank- make absolutely sure he realised the good social policies do.

Obviously very intelligent. So many young lefties who realise they made a mistake 10 years too late then vote for Conservatives to fix it.

Well BeBeatrix I've been accused myself on these boards of having no sense of humour so I guess I've just met my nemesis. However can I assure you that my tongue was poking out of my cheek. It kind of makes me think that, you know, maybe other posters are doing the same. Possibly.

I totally agree with your last paragraph. Have a good day.

What hideous, hateful replies from the so called caring left

I'd know I had not managed indoctrination and I'd be glad if it!

I was brought up socialist and within a Labour tradition. It was very narrowing.

Upset, embarrassed, disappointed.

I'm with Faithless and Heteronormative on this

My brother did actually vote for John Major in the 1997 election. I think it was his teenage rebellion.

For all those thinking they should have terminated the foetus, it is worth remembering that to find out who you are, you first need to find out who you are not. In other words, it is very common indeed for teens to display polar opposite views from their parents'.

I'd assume he'd been spending too much time with my dad.

all of the posters who are ashamed, confused, disappointed etc can comfort themselves that it could've been a lot worse...imagine if we wanted to join the Momentum bullies, that would be awful

Disappointed, but would be keen to understand the reason why. Everyone is entitled to their political opinions and what you believe at sixteen is not necessarily what you will believe as an adult.

I'd be pretty upset about it, but it would depend on his reasons. I know a couple of Tories who are really decent and lovely human beings, who can combine that with Tory politics because they believe that other people are as nice as they are and that of course people will, if left to their own devices, support those in need of help, and that the government is too heavy handed. If he was that kind of Conservative, I wouldn't mind at all.

If, on the other hand, he thought that the poorest and most vulnerable in society were to blame for their circumstances or that those circumstances were an unfortunate but necessary by-product of policies to improve life for those in less vulnerable situations, then I would be concerned. At 16, I would hope he'd grow up a bit, because everyone is entitled to make stupid political decisions when they are young, but if he felt the same way at 26, I'd be very disappointed and feel a bit of a failure as a parent.

It's his right to have an opinion, don't force him back just because you don't agree with him

What hideous, hateful replies from the so called caring left

Yup, given half a chance I'm sure the majority of them wouldn't mind if everyone who didn't think like them was either rounded up and taken to a re-education camp or just shot and pushed into a ditch.

The left are extremely dangerous. Far, far more so than the right.

BeBeatrix you might want want to consider why critical thinking might be an important skill when it comes to politics.

You should be proud of them for being independent minded, inquisitive and participating members of society. It's what democracy thrives on, not mindlessly following whatever your parents believed in for no reason apart from apathy.

But (sweeping generalisation garnered from reading this thread) left wingers expect blind obedience and brainwash their offspring from a young age.