The Trump & Elon Era: How to Explain Politics to Your Kids in 2025

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Let’s Break It Down for the Kids (and Maybe Ourselves, Too)

If you’ve got a curious kid at home, you know the questions never stop. And lately, if your child is anywhere near a TV, YouTube, or even just overhearing adults talk, they might be asking: What is going on with Trump and Elon Musk?

Honestly, I get it. Even as an adult, keeping up with politics feels like trying to follow the plot of a never-ending soap opera—except this one has real-life consequences. We’re trying to navigate this and keeping up with the news ourselves, so how do we even explain this to our kids in a way that makes sense, without sugarcoating or overwhelming them?

Let’s break it down in a way that even a 12-year-old can understand.

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Who Are These Two People and Why Are They in Charge?

Let’s start with the basics.

🔹 Donald Trump – He was the president from 2017 to 2021, then lost, and now—after a dramatic comeback—he’s back in the White House. Some people love him because they think he “tells it like it is” and puts America “first”. Others don’t like him because he bends the truth, makes decisions that benefit himself, and has a history of breaking rules and stirring up chaos.

🔹 Elon Musk – You probably know him as the guy behind Tesla, SpaceX, and the one who took over Twitter (now called X). He’s a billionaire who loves technology and has a massive influence on social media, business, and even politics. Now, he’s taken on an even bigger role, working closely with the Trump administration and shaping policies around tech, communication, and business.

Together, they’re running things in a way the country has never seen before.

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What’s Happening with the Trump/Elon Administration?

Imagine your school has two students who are both super powerful. One is the new student body president (Trump), and the other owns all the cool gadgets, fancy Cyber Truck, and the school’s biggest social media account (Musk). Now, instead of running things the usual way, they’re changing the rules, making their OWN rules, deciding which voices get heard the most, and making sure their ideas stay front and center.

That’s kind of what’s happening in the country right now.

• Trump is making big policy moves—some of which he says will help everyday families, but many of which seem to benefit only the super-rich and those already in power.
• Musk is controlling how information spreads. Since he owns a massive platform (X), he can boost messages that support their agenda while pushing down or censoring things they don’t like. Let’s not forget about DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) in which he is in charge.

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Why Does This Matter?

🔸 Misinformation and Influence – When one person controls the biggest social media platform, they decide which news gets seen the most. That means if they like Trump, they can make sure mostly positive things about him spread, while negative stories get buried.

🔸 Decisions That Affect Everyday Life – The Trump administration is making big choices on education, healthcare, and jobs. Some of these changes could help businesses, but they could also make life harder for families who are already struggling.

🔸 Technology and Power – Musk is shaping how we use artificial intelligence, space travel, and even public communication. If a few powerful people control all that, it can be dangerous for regular people who just want to make informed choices.

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How Do We Talk to Our Kids About This?

1. Keep It Simple – Kids don’t need every detail, but they do need the big picture: Some leaders work to make life better for everyone. Others focus on keeping power in the hands of a few.
2. Ask Their Opinions – Instead of just telling them what to think, ask, Does it seem fair if one person controls what information people see? Why or why not?
3. Teach Them to Question What They See Online – Just because something is trending doesn’t mean it’s true. Encourage them to check different sources and ask, Who benefits from this story being told this way?
4. Remind Them That Leadership Should Help Everyone – A good leader should care about all people, not just the ones who agree with them or have lots of money.

Helping kids develop a strong sense of morals and ethics is so important, especially in today’s world. Here are some thought-provoking questions you can ask to guide them in understanding right from wrong, fairness, kindness, and integrity.

General Morals & Ethics Questions

1. How do you know if something is right or wrong?
2. If you saw someone being treated unfairly, what would you do?
3. Is it ever okay to break a rule? Why or why not?
4. What does it mean to have integrity? Can you think of a time you showed it?
5. Why is it important to be honest, even when it’s hard?

Empathy & Kindness

6. How would you feel if someone treated you the way you treat others?
7. What would you do if you saw a friend being bullied?
8. Why is it important to help people, even if you don’t know them?
9. If someone is different from you, how can you make them feel included?
10. What does kindness mean to you, and how can you show it every day?

Fairness & Justice

11. What does “treating people fairly” mean? Is it the same as treating everyone the same?
12. If you were in charge of making rules, how would you make sure they were fair?
13. Have you ever felt like something was unfair? How did you handle it?
14. Why do some people have more advantages than others? Is that fair?
15. What should you do if you see someone being treated unfairly?

Lying, Cheating, and Taking Responsibility

16. Is it ever okay to tell a lie? Why or why not?
17. What would you do if a friend asked you to keep a secret that could hurt someone?
18. What should you do if you make a mistake that affects someone else?
19. If no one would ever find out, would it still be wrong to cheat? Why?
20. How do you feel when someone breaks a promise to you?

Courage & Standing Up for What’s Right

21. What does it mean to be brave? Can you think of a time you were brave?
22. Would you stand up for someone even if it meant you might get in trouble? Why or why not?
23. Have you ever been afraid to do the right thing? What did you do?
24. How can you encourage others to make good choices?
25. Who is someone you look up to because they do the right thing? Why?

These questions can open up deep, meaningful conversations with your kids and help them develop their own moral compass.

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Talking About Morals and Ethics in Today’s World

As parents, we want to raise kids who understand the difference between right and wrong—not just in their own lives, but also when looking at the world around them. The Trump/Elon administration is making decisions that directly affect millions of people, often in ways that don’t align with the values we try to instill in our children: fairness, kindness, honesty, and standing up for what’s right.

Right now, we’re seeing:

• Initiated Mass Deportation Efforts
• Medicaid and disability benefits being slashed, leaving vulnerable people without healthcare.
• USAID (which helps people in need around the world) being gutted.
• Federal workers being forced to resign for no apparent reason.
• Cutting funding for children’s public school lunches
• National parks being sold off to private companies for profit.
• Imposed tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China
• Ended NIH and NSF Research Funding
• Dismantled the CDC, a fundamental resource for Sexual, Reproductive, LGBTQ+ and Public Health
• Issued Executive Orders to Terminate DEI Programs
• Resumed Border Wall Construction
• Appointed Unqualified individuals to lead key federal agencies
• Withdrew the USA from WHO (World Health Organization)
• Renamed Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America”
• Proposed U.S. Takeover of the Gaza Strip
• Mass Layoffs of FAA Employees
• Attempted to End Birthright Citizenship
• Paused Military Aid to Ukraine
• Proposing the Annexation of Canada
• Renewed Interest in Acquiring Greenland
• Launched ‘Gold Card’ Residency Permits for $5 million each
• Paused Foreign Development Assistance
• Plans to get rid of the Department of Education completely
• …and the list goes on…

So how do we explain this to our kids? How do we help them think critically about what’s happening? One way is by asking questions that encourage them to apply their sense of right and wrong to these real-world situations.

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Questions to Help Kids Understand Morals, Ethics & the Current Political Climate

These questions help kids think through ethical dilemmas in a way that applies to their own lives while also making connections to what’s happening in our country.

Honesty & Integrity

• Why is it important to be honest, even when it’s hard?
  (Example: If a leader spreads lies to make themselves look good, how does that hurt people?)
• Is it ever okay to tell a lie? Why or why not?
  (Example: What happens when politicians lie about why they’re taking away funding for healthcare and national parks?)
• What would you do if you made a mistake that affected others?
  (Example: Should leaders admit when they make bad decisions, or pretend everything is fine?)

Empathy & Kindness

• How would you feel if someone treated you the way you treat others?
  (Example: Many federal workers are losing their jobs for not agreeing with Trump/Elon. Is that fair?)
• If someone is different from you, how can you make them feel included?
  (Example: Why is it wrong to take away rights from people just because they don’t share the same beliefs?)
• Why is it important to help people, even if you don’t know them?
  (Example: The government is cutting funding for people with disabilities—how do we show compassion and fight for them?)

Fairness & Justice

• What does “treating people fairly” mean? Is it the same as treating everyone the same?
  (Example: If one person has a lot of money and another person has none, is it fair to give them the same amount of help, or does the person in need deserve more support?)
• If you were in charge of making rules, how would you make sure they were fair?
  (Example: Right now, the government is cutting Medicaid, even though many people rely on it to survive. Is that fair?)
• What should you do if you see someone being treated unfairly?
  (Example: If a leader takes away people’s rights, should we speak up or stay quiet?)

Courage & Standing Up for What’s Right

• Would you stand up for someone even if it meant you might get in trouble? Why or why not?
  (Example: What does it mean to protest unfair laws or speak out against bad policies?)
• Have you ever been afraid to do the right thing? What did you do?
  (Example: What can we do when we see powerful people making choices that hurt others?)
• Who is someone you look up to because they do the right thing? Why?
  (Example: There are leaders and activists fighting back against these policies. Why is that important?)

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Teaching Kids to Think Critically

These questions aren’t just about politics—they’re about life. We want our kids to grow up thinking critically, asking tough questions, and standing up for others. The Trump/Elon administration is showing us exactly why those values matter. If we don’t teach our kids about fairness, honesty, and kindness, we risk raising a generation that thinks what’s happening right now is normal—and it absolutely isn’t.

So, when your child asks, “Why is this happening?” don’t be afraid to have the conversation. Ask them what they think. Help them see the bigger picture. And most importantly, remind them that even when people in power make bad choices, we can always choose to do what’s right.

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How Can Parents Fight for Our Rights and Our Children’s Futures?

It’s frustrating to see unfair policies stripping away rights, funding, and protections that our families rely on. But instead of feeling powerless, we can take action—because staying silent only allows these things to keep happening.

Here are some practical ways parents can fight back and teach their kids that doing what’s right matters, even when it’s hard.

1. Get Loud: Contact Your Representatives

One of the most powerful things we can do is flood our elected officials with calls and emails. They work for us, and if enough people speak up, they’ll have to listen.

✅ Find your representatives at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov
✅ Call their offices and tell them how these policies hurt families
✅ Send emails and letters demanding action using the prompts from 5calls.org
✅ Attend town halls and ask tough questions

Example answer for your child:
“Fairness means making sure everyone has a chance to live a good life. But if leaders are taking things away from people who need help, that’s not fair. That’s why we call them and tell them we won’t accept it.”

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2. Turn Up to Vote (and Teach Your Kids Why It Matters!)

Every election matters—local, state, and federal. Teach your kids that voting isn’t just a duty; it’s how we protect what’s important.

✅ Make sure you’re registered to vote (nass.org/can-I-vote)
✅ Vote in every election (not just for president!)
✅ Bring your kids with you to show them democracy in action

Example answer for your child:
“If we don’t vote, people who don’t care about fairness will make all the decisions. We vote because we believe in helping people, and we want leaders who believe that too.”

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3. Support Organizations Fighting Back

There are powerful organizations working every day to protect our rights, but they need support. Even small donations, signing petitions, or volunteering can make a difference.

✅ ACLU (www.aclu.org) – fights for civil rights and liberties
✅ Planned Parenthood (www.plannedparenthood.org) – defends healthcare access
✅ National Parks Foundation (www.nationalparks.org) – protects public lands
✅ Disability Rights Organizations like ADA

Example answer for your child:
“There are groups of people working every day to make sure bad things don’t happen. We can help them by giving money, signing petitions, or telling others about their work.”

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4. Teach Kids to Spot Misinformation

One of the reasons bad leaders stay in power is because they spread lies to confuse people. Help your kids learn to question what they hear.

✅ Fact-check news using trusted sources like AP, Reuters, or PBS
✅ Explain how propaganda works and why leaders use it
✅ Teach them to ask questions and look for truth, not just opinions

Example answer for your child:
“Sometimes people in power don’t tell the truth because they don’t want us to know what’s really happening. That’s why we always check the facts.”

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5. Show Up to Protests & Community Actions

Peaceful protests, marches, and community meetings show that we won’t just sit back and let bad things happen. Even if you can’t march, you can:

✅ Sign petitions on Change.org or MoveOn.org
✅ Donate to bail funds for peaceful protesters
✅ Write letters to local newspapers about why these issues matter

Example answer for your child:
“When we see something unfair, we don’t just stay quiet. We stand up, we march, we sign petitions, and we make sure our voices are heard.”

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6. Have Hard Conversations with Friends & Family

One of the hardest (but most important) things we can do is push back when people in our own circles support harmful policies.

✅ Call out misinformation when you hear it
✅ Ask thoughtful questions instead of arguing
✅ Encourage empathy by helping people see the real-life impact

Example answer for your child:
“Sometimes, people we love don’t see what’s wrong because it doesn’t affect them. We have to help them understand, even if it’s hard.”

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7. Remind Your Kids That Kindness & Justice Win in the End

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but we can teach our kids that history has shown us one thing: bad leaders don’t last forever, and people who fight for justice always make a difference.

✅ Read books about historical leaders who stood up for justice
✅ Encourage kids to dream big about the kind of world they want
✅ Remind them that change takes time, but it’s always worth it

STAY POSITIVE!

Example answer for your child:
“Bad leaders have always tried to take things away from people. But good people always fight back. And in the end, kindness and fairness will win.”

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Final Thoughts: We Can’t Stay Silent

The Trump/Elon administration is making it clear that they don’t care about fairness, kindness, or justice. But as parents, we have a responsibility to teach our kids that we do care—and that we will fight for a better future.

If we speak up, vote, protest, and teach our kids to think critically, we won’t just get through this—we’ll make sure they grow up knowing that standing up for what’s right is always worth it.

What are you doing to take action? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments! 👇

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Conclusion: Teaching Our Kids to Think for Themselves

At the end of the day, we want our kids to be informed, critical thinkers. Whether you’re worried about what’s happening or hopeful that things might turn around, the most important thing we can do is help our kids understand power, influence, and fairness.

It’s not about making them believe what we believe—it’s about giving them the tools to think for themselves, ask good questions, and recognize when something doesn’t add up. Because that is how we raise the next generation to do better than the ones before them.

Now, go forth and explain this over a snack—because trust me, kids listen better when snacks are involved. 🍪

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