Politics and your adult children

Why does it matter?

mabon1

Why does it matter?

Why would you say that?

David49

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.

Agreed.

We add not discussing finances.

My DW hates it when self and DD discuss the political scene. We are not the same but both of us are willing to listen and open to having our minds changed. DS1 shares his mothers indifference DS2 is further right than either self or DD but can discuss only DD won’t listen to him and badgers him.

As a result now just one person at a time in our living room. Christ alone knows what Christmas will be like - maybe I will just go out for the day !!

My 2 older children have very similar political views as we do. However, the youngest who is 16 years younger than child 2 has very left wing views. We don’t have political discussions with her and neither do her siblings. DH is a lot further to the right than I am. I have to kick him under the table if he tries to initiate a political conversation considering how polarised their views are.

Norah

David49

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.

Agreed.

We add not discussing finances.

We are happy to discuss sex, religion and politics! We’d never discuss finance with the children. We did when they were students because we were subbing them. Not now though.

I don't think it's insulting because it is widely known that younger people vote more to the left but over time their votes tend to shift to the right. Hence not many pensioners vote Labour yet the same people say they did vote Labour more when they were younger.

My DH and I vote for same party and have largely similar views on politics. 1 DC and foster child also vote in same way as us. 1 DC votes for a different party and 1 DC has never voted. I don't care who people vote for I just wish everyone would vote especially now people can have a postal vote.

One son voted Lib Dem the other voted Labour. I voted Green partly only because this is a safe Lib Dem seat.
I'd hate to have a son or daughter who voted for Brexit. Not that I did, but IF I did I'd wonder we had not brought her up right or that she had come under a bad influence.

People's political affiliations do in fact reflect their characters.

PS I think David is right not to discuss sex, politics, and religion in the family circle but only if he knows that there would be quarrels and people would feel insulted and unhappy.

Our family and our deceased parents and deceased siblings all had the same political stance.

I think Tory and Brexit voters actually do move in different social circles from the rest of us.

Sazzl:

"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."

That is not how it should be, because it's right to respect persons but wrong and dangerous to respect any old view because one loves the person

DillytheGardener

My husband is now far right now thanks to GB News, Farage and the Daily Mail. We were both small c conservative before then (I still am).

Younger son is a bit lazy and I don’t think votes unless whoever is his current girlfriend prods him into it, but think he votes labour.

The other is very left wing.

We used to argue a lot with the older son a lot about politics until he moved to NZ

How do you cope with your husband. I simply cannot cope with the GB News simple solution crew.

My son and grandson hit the roof when I remarked I'd watched GBNews. I am so naive that I had not idea it was so evil.

newnanny

I don't think it's insulting because it is widely known that younger people vote more to the left but over time their votes tend to shift to the right. Hence not many pensioners vote Labour yet the same people say they did vote Labour more when they were younger.

We have moved leftwards as we aged. We ran our own business and employed people so we have seen both sides.

newnanny

I don't think it's insulting because it is widely known that younger people vote more to the left but over time their votes tend to shift to the right. Hence not many pensioners vote Labour yet the same people say they did vote Labour more when they were younger.

Not necessarily, I used to be a conservative voter but have become more left wing as I’ve got older . When I was younger I followed my parents views but now I research and question more and working in the nhs has given me a different view point .
Where I live has been staunchly conservative for decades , however the Lib Dem’s gained power in the last election, so it’s not just me. And we do have a large older population.

Caleo

Sazzl:

"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."

That is not how it should be, because it's right to respect persons but wrong and dangerous to respect any old view because one loves the person

Gosh Caleo! Do you think similarly on religion?

My family (close and wider) all have hugely differing views politically and have never fallen out. We’re pretty broad minded and accepting of each others opinions - no echo chambers here!

Caleo

Sazzl:

"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."

That is not how it should be, because it's right to respect persons but wrong and dangerous to respect any old view because one loves the person

It's better than saying I'd hate to have a son or daughter who voted for Brexit. Not that I did, but IF I did I'd wonder we had not brought her up right or that she had come under a bad influence.

That is a shocking thing to say.

I voted for Remain as did all our family who all have different political views but I know several people who voted to leave, all perfectly thoughtful, intelligent and decent people.

I wonder if some adult children tell their parents what they want them to hear, rather than where they actually put their cross in the ballot box?

It might mean a more peaceful visit.

My three AC are all, like me, Labour supporters. But will vote green if there is a sensible candidate. We don’t fall out.

My husband is more to the right, myself and my daughter – centre, my daughter’s partner to the left and he also loves Keir Starmer.

My daughter voted for Labour this time but she did say if she had to vote based solely on the party leader, she will choose Rishi Sunak because he is a good egg.

Five years ago, my husband voted for UKIP during the election and he put a UKIP leaflet on the glass window. I called for a taxi and as soon as I step into the taxi, the Indian or Pakistani taxi driver had a go at me because I am Asian.

He said ‘I cannot believe what I am seeing. Don’t you realised that UKIP is against immigrants.'

My reply to him was “Not guilty your honour! Its my husband not me but as far as I am concerned, he is entitled to vote whichever party he wishes to.
However, if he starts showing interest in an extreme party like the British National Party, then I will have a quiet word with him.

He just murmured ‘You must love your husband very much if you let him vote for UKIP.’

That GB news is evil then is it? It is the only British news you can get really because the BBC has that ridiculous subscription and tells you you have to live in the UK. That puts you off for a start. I listen to that blonde woman sometimes, Isabel something. I actually like her though I can see she is a bit extreme . She has a ‘personality’ which is more than you can say for most.

My daughter in law told me that she voted Brexit because her father told her "you would be stupid not to". He is a rather pushy person who is always right. She said she went to vote with no certainly as to what was right because she didn't really engage with the arguments. It was her father's voice in the voting booth that swayed her in the end.

My son, her husband, was very vocally a remainer but says he hadn't really thought his wife was seriously considering it or he would have talked about it more at home.

Sometimes talking politics at home leads to greater understanding.
We don't all have to belittle - even if we are vocal and passionate.

We do not all agree about everything.
We get to know why people vote the way they do.

Caleo, I cannot believe some of the things you have said!

"Wrong and dangerous to respect any old view because one loves the person"?????

"I think Tory & Brexit voters actually do move in different social circles from the rest of us"?????

Fortunately my friends/family and I are far more tolerant than you would appear to be. DH and I vote Tory and are proud Brexiteers, as are several of our friends; my BFF is a Remainer and votes for the SNP; other friends/family are Labour-voters and Remainers, but we all have one thing in common - we believe in democracy and the right of everyone to hold whatever views they wish, without it affecting how we feel about them.

You prove my point Gulligranny. I'd be unlikely ever to have moved in your social circles. Moreover I vote so as to oust all who think as you do from positions of power.