Raising Good Americans — by Sister Sara

Politics is the Steve and Sara Urquhart family sport. We talk politics, we debate politics, we question politics, we campaign, and we serve. My husband is a Republican and is currently the Rules Chair of the Utah House of Representatives.

Regardless of our party affiliation, my husband and I work hard to give our children all sides of an issue. Issues are complicated. The ones that are easy have already been dealt with easily. I want my children to be able to decide for themselves where they are politically and why.

I would love to see every family dive hard into at least one political campaign — preferably for someone they know well. As a Mayor’s wife once told me in the local grocery store, “Every family should have somebody run for office at some time. It gives each person respect for the process and the positions and keeps them from taking so much for granted."

At the end of the day, it's teaching your children about the process — not about the party — that's important. Once we were at a Republican breakfast rally and a kind, blue-haired lady in a stars-and-stripes sweater looked at my brood of children and cooed, “You are raising good Republicans.” I quickly answered back, “No, I’m raising good Americans.”

Note from Design Mom:
I think I've mentioned before, that in my family growing up, Dad was a Democrat and Mom was a Republican. Political discussions were lively and as children, we weren't pressured into being conservative or liberal, we could decide for ourselves. Among the now adult 8 siblings, we fall across the political spectrum and into both political parties — and we tend to cross the aisle as needed.

If you've wished you were more involved or knowledgeable politically, you may want to visit the newly launched (and party neutral) blog Politics for Moms, which aims to educate Mothers about the political process.