How to teach your kid how local government works (and watch a real meeting)

Who decides where the new park goes? Why did the school start time change? Why is that road still full of potholes? Kids 10 to 12 notice these things, and they're ready to learn the answer: real people make these decisions, in meetings you can go to, and you can have a say.

Local government is the most hands-on civics there is. It's close to home, the decisions affect your family directly, and the meetings are usually open to anyone.

Why it matters

Research from CIRCLE, Tufts University's center on youth civic engagement, found that young people who recalled high-quality civic education in high school, including teachers who encouraged discussion of current events and community projects, were more likely to vote in the 2012 election. Those who remembered learning about voting voted at higher rates (about 60%) than those who recalled no civics course (43%). CIRCLE notes these are correlations, not proof of cause. But they suggest that talking about real issues and seeing how decisions get made are worth starting early, and home is a great place to start.

Skill 1: Learn how a local decision gets made

1. Pick a decision, like a new park, a new rule or a school schedule change.
2. Find out who makes it, with a grown-up.
3. Learn how people get a say.
4. Explain it in your own words.

Who decides what, roughly:

It varies by place, and finding out who decides is part of the quest. USAGov's local governments page links to official directories for each state, and its elected officials page links to contact information for mayors, county executives and other local officials.

How people get a say: public comment at meetings, emails and letters to officials, petitions, and voting in local elections. (More on writing to officials in letters and emails.)

Skill 2: Follow one local news story for two weeks

1. Pick one local story with a grown-up.
2. Check for updates twice a week.
3. Write what changed each time.
4. Tell your family how it turned out.

Good stories to follow: a new building going up, a debate about a park or a road, a school board decision, a local sports team's season, a community event being planned.

Read news together. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests asking what kids have already heard, giving simple, factual explanations, and, for older kids watching coverage, previewing it and pausing to talk when needed. Local news is usually calmer than national headlines, which makes it a good place to start. If a story is upsetting, talk about it.

The challenge: attend or watch a real meeting

The mastery goal is to attend or watch a town or school board meeting and explain it to the family.

1. Find a meeting with your grown-up.
2. Go together, or watch it online.
3. Note one decision and why it was made.
4. Explain it to your family.

Finding meetings: most city councils and school boards post schedules and agendas on their websites, and many stream or record their meetings. Look at the agenda first and pick one item to follow closely.

What to notice:

• Who's in charge of running the meeting?
• How do they vote?
• Does the public get to speak? What did people say?
• Did anyone disagree? How did they handle it?

Keep expectations realistic. Meetings can be long and slow. Watching a recording lets you skip to the item you care about. Even 20 minutes of a real meeting teaches more than a chapter about government.

Coaching tips

• Stay curious, not partisan. The goal is understanding how decisions get made, not telling kids what to think.
• Ask "What would you decide?" and "What would the other side say?"
• Connect it to action. If your child cares about an issue, help them write to an official or speak during public comment.

Make it a quest

In Family Quests, this is the Civic Voice skill. Practice quests are learn how a local decision gets made and follow one local news story for two weeks, and the mastery quest is attend or watch a town or school board meeting and explain it to the family. Every Civic Voice quest lists a grown-up as part of the job. Start free.

Next: teach your kid to volunteer, or read about writing letters and emails.