First of all, I'm not usually one who gets into politics with others very often. It almost always results in an argument, a dispute, and possibly grudges by the time everything is said and done. However, I managed to make a huge mistake when I proudly shared my "I voted!" selfie on my social media pages.
Typically, a parent is kind, loving, and supportive of their children. They may not agree with all of their decisions, but that's just normal human nature! In my case, while my mother is kind and loving most of the time, she's often times not very supportive. Childish even, when it comes to her beliefs and opinions. Here is the selfie in question:
oh boy...
I wish that was all...
And that was that.
In secret, I was cheering my friend on. My mother is one of those parents who aren't approachable when my opinions differ from her own. I usually just drop the subject instantly if there is a difference of opinion, because if I press it at all, I know I'm in for a knock down, drag out fight, and I won't be spoken to for weeks. Sometimes it's really nice to have friends who will fight your battles for you, especially since they won't suffer the repercussions.
My mother, while I love her, is one of those Trump supporters that doesn't actually educate themselves on the actual issues. She always votes republican because she comes from a republican family, even though she is a poor, lower class citizen. She doesn't realize that Trump won't do anything to help her social class, and with her approaching the years where social security is a thing for her, she'll be effected even more by Trump's possible term in office. Basically, my mother is a republican sheep, and it's increasingly frustrating to deal with.
However, my main beef is with the fact that a parent shouldn't condemn their child's political choices, they should be happy that their kid has an opinion of their own and can think intelligently for themselves, even if they have a difference of opinion. Instigating a confrontation on social media with your kid and her friends really shows a lack of maturity, and it's disrespectful. I'm hurt because it feels like my mother isn't proud of me for exercising my right to vote, a right that a large portion of my generation and the united states takes for granted every day. I feel like her priorities are incredibly out of order.
Not to mention, the fact that her sister, my aunt, has medical problems right now, which could possibly turn out to be cancer. This should be a low on the totem pole issue, and should be disregarded in lieu of more urgent matters. However, my mother continues to further be petty and immature by texting me things like, "She's a bitch. I've never liked her, she's always been a disrespectful little snot." or, "why are you still friends with her?" implying that I should always side with my mother over my friends because she birthed me, and she doesn't approve of the company that I keep.
Back to the matter at hand, regardless of political affiliation and opinion, I firmly believe that a parent should be proud to have a child who cares enough about making their voice heard to actually get out and vote. There are too many U.S. citizens who abuse that privilege. A good parent, would say something like my (ex) step-father said to me, after I posted in anguish over the situation:
While I would love to believe the statement, I know my mother too well. However, this man is a true parent, and said the words that a loving father would say to their child:
This is exactly what I needed to hear. This is how a mature parent behaves.
