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Politics and your adult children

(83 Posts)
LucyAnna2 Fri 11-Oct-24 18:19:16

Our older son has been here today and we have (good naturedly) discussed our (very different) political views. Younger son thinks more along the lines of our views, as does daughter, who is a very active party member.

How is the political climate in your house?

fancythat Sun 13-Oct-24 07:58:18

We are a definite mixed bunch.

Calendargirl Sun 13-Oct-24 08:01:46

I don’t know who my adult son votes for, we never discuss it.

I know that my adult daughter in Australia dislikes the Labour party there and refuses to ever vote for them. I think she’s Liberal, but unsure what parties they have over there.

Romola Sun 13-Oct-24 08:46:45

Brexit may seem like an old issue, but it has had an effect on relationships within our family.
I'm one of 4 sisters. I'm a member of the European Movement, another sister is a convinced European. But the other two both voted Leave, swayed I suppose by the lies that were told. They are both Conservative voters, whereas I'm an active Lib Dem.
We do all love each other, but have to keep off discussing politics.

Romola Sun 13-Oct-24 08:52:33

Adult children hold similar opinions to me and their late father.

Grammaretto Sun 13-Oct-24 09:03:38

No wonder your AC agree with your views Paddyann they wouldn't dare to think otherwise. You sound so ANGRY 😠.

My DC all have strong but differing
views, and arguments can and do happen between them.
I try not to take sides.

theworriedwell Sun 13-Oct-24 10:17:10

My 2 children from my first marriage are more in line with what his views were, the younger 2 are very much like myself and my husband.

The interesting thing, well interesting to me, is my first husband went from left to right, 2nd husband went from right to left. Not sure what I do to men's political views.

ginny Sun 13-Oct-24 11:50:20

We rarely discuss politics with family .
If we do we agree or agree to disagree.

Norah Sun 13-Oct-24 12:03:58

Political climate in my home - good.

I don't talk of politics, money, or religion within our family. I know their Church because mine is the same, I know where they live and could work out their money situation, and don't care how they vote.

eazybee Sun 13-Oct-24 12:41:16

Of my adult children and their partners, I think one voted Conservative, one Lib Dem, one Labour and one Independent.
All thought about it, some have voted differently in the past, and we can all agree to differ. And they all vote, which is the main thing!

TerriBull Sun 13-Oct-24 13:04:14

I think one of my sons grudgingly still thinks Jeremy Corbyn is about an honest a politician as there in a "what you see is what you get", he did vote for him in his student days. His dislike of politicians per se is immense I'm often listening to his diatribes against certain individuals which are varied but would include all of these, Netanyahu, Johnson, Starmer, Reeves, Biden, Trump, Kamala Harris, Trudeau to name but a few. My other son doesn't really have any strong opinions and would vote for who he'd see as beneficial to his circumstances. My husband was relating how two of his older grandchildren when first eligible to vote, one suggested to the other "lets go and vote together" to which the other replied, "lets not bother, I know who you're voting for so my vote will just cancel yours out"

Cossy Sun 13-Oct-24 13:09:16

We are very political in our house and all are on similar pages, Elder son quite left, younger two daughters are left biased but voted Green and LibDems in last GE, younger son did turn up at the voting booth, but “spoiled” his ballot paper as no one “appealed” to him!!

Visgir1 Sun 13-Oct-24 14:01:10

My son read Politics & International Relations at University.
He is his own man and came to his own conclusions.

If we want to know anything political we ask him. It's quite unbelievable who he knows, what he gets to know, that doesn't get reported in the papers and the contacts he has.

He's still in his mid 30's and chairman of his local political party. He's served on first the Town Council at age 23, then until last year on the the Local council, where by only 70 votes he lost his seat. He firmly believes all MP's should have served on a Council not career politicians and held a "proper" job.
Needless to say his Party want him to stand in 5 years time, and I will be surprised if he doesn't, his age group is what every party needs.

Cumbrianmale56 Sun 13-Oct-24 15:02:02

My nephew set up his own business when he was 17 and is a Conservative activist, although he isn't on the party's hard Right and disliked a local MP whom he said looked like an EDL thug. My niece was hard left, but has grown up and now supports the Lib Dems, and my other niece isn't that bothered. Don't have any children so use my sister's kids as an example.

JaneJudge Sun 13-Oct-24 15:11:48

me and my Mother seem to agree mainly about politics. Only one of my own children discusses politics with me. They seem quite focussed on us being controlled by the elite, the banks, the media, honestly it is a bloody minefield with them and they are so bloody stubborn confused grin heaven knows who he gets it off...

Tenko Sun 13-Oct-24 20:10:48

We discuss politics at home . Both our AC are left , I’m left biased and my dh is conservative. We have quite interesting conversations.

Trueloveways Mon 14-Oct-24 09:07:13

We’re all left of centre, including extended family. Most of us work in health, education or local government so perhaps that’s why we’re more aware of what’s going on and how it’s affecting people.

Ilovecheese Mon 14-Oct-24 11:11:10

Cumbrianmale56 said: "My niece was hard left, but has grown up "
I find remarks like these rather insulting, there was something similar upthread.
Wanting a more equal society does not mean that one is not grown up, it is just a different opinion to your own.
I supported the policies of Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell and am perfectly grown up thank you.
My children are perhaps not as left leaning as myself but broadly on the same page.

NotSpaghetti Mon 14-Oct-24 11:21:22

Ilovecheese - I noticed that too and decided I'd just ignore it.
I can't ignore it a second time!
I agree!

nanna8 Mon 14-Oct-24 11:59:22

We have 2 right leaning children and 2 left leaning ones. Of those one of the left leaners is very left and the other doesn’t care, not interested. Of the others one of them works for the government which is very left just now. She says they are incompetent idiots and much worse than their conservative predecessors. She keeps quiet but has the evidence to prove it.
The other one is very traditional so tends right not left.
Probably because we are neither. Just now more ‘right’ because the ‘left’ seem to be pretty malfunctioning here.

GrammarGrandma Mon 14-Oct-24 12:10:52

Our two older daughters are the same as us politically. The youngest takes little interest in British politics and current affairs and lives abroad most of the time. If any of them had voted for Brexit, it would have been very difficult to cope with. Youngest daughter's in-laws did and are of a different political persuasion from us, so we don't discuss politics with them. They are very nice people and we have three grandchildren in common son we just all have a tacit agreement to steer clear.

Norah Mon 14-Oct-24 12:20:23

Ilovecheese

Cumbrianmale56 said: "My niece was hard left, but has grown up "
I find remarks like these rather insulting, there was something similar upthread.
Wanting a more equal society does not mean that one is not grown up, it is just a different opinion to your own.
I supported the policies of Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell and am perfectly grown up thank you.
My children are perhaps not as left leaning as myself but broadly on the same page.

It is insulting.

People are allowed different opinions.

Cossy Mon 14-Oct-24 12:25:51

NotSpaghetti

Ilovecheese - I noticed that too and decided I'd just ignore it.
I can't ignore it a second time!
I agree!

I too agree

David49 Mon 14-Oct-24 12:35:56

Three subjects we don’t discuss in the family or any other polite company, Sex, Politics and Religion.
I’m happy to have a good argument anonymously on GN where personal relationships aren’t affected.

sazz1 Mon 14-Oct-24 12:37:25

My family and I all discussed who we were voting for before the election. We're a very mixed bunch, 3 Reform, 1 Labour, 1 Green, 1 Conservative. We don't argue about it and all respect each other's views. How it should be.

Ladyleftfieldlover Mon 14-Oct-24 12:38:56

I have become more left wing as I’ve got older. What’s happening in mainland Europe is scary. trump is even more scary! OH is left wing as are my three children. My daughter works for the NHS, elder son was in the Cabinet Office but is now in the private sector and younger son is a Senior Policy Advisor in Westminster. We have interesting political conversations.