Steven Schlozman, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry, chief of child psychiatry at the UVM Children’s Hospital, and director of the Vermont Center for Children, Youth, and Families

(NOVEMBER 3, 2024) In a VT Digger article on helping kids navigate election stress, Steven Schlozman, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry, chief of child psychiatry at the UVM Children’s Hospital, and director of the Vermont Center for Children, Youth, and Families, shared advice for parents.

“Any time they start talking about someone with whom they don’t agree as being less than them, you want to step in, not in a scolding way but in a thoughtful way and say, ‘Wait, let’s try to put our feet in the other person’s shoes,’” said Schlozman. “You want to understand how they got there, and that creates empathy.”

He added, “Teenagers want to debate, they’re coming of age, they’re figuring out what they think about the world and the way to get there is by having a debate. If we can’t engage around these issues in a civil way, that’s a terrible lesson to show kids.”

He also recommended that parents keep emotions in check when discussing politics with their children, as children are more likely to absorb an emotional response rather than engage in a civil discussion.