There are moments in parenting when you wish you could shield your kids from everything. From cruelty. From ugliness. From the kind of behavior that makes your stomach sink because you know—they’re going to see it eventually.
This was one of those moments.
When Donald Trump shared an image depicting Barack Obama and Michelle Obama with monkey bodies, it crossed a line so old and so obvious that it shouldn’t need explaining. And yet—here we are. Again.
This wasn’t edgy humor.
This wasn’t a “misunderstood meme.”
This wasn’t harmless.
It was racist. And it was demeaning. Full stop.
And what makes it worse—what makes it hit home—is that this came from someone who has held the highest office in the country. Someone people still listen to. Someone kids see on the news, hear adults talk about, and absorb whether we realize it or not.
This Is Not Just “Politics”
Parents are constantly told to keep politics out of parenting conversations. But this isn’t policy. This is behavior.
We teach our kids:
- Don’t make fun of how people look
- Don’t reduce people to animals
- Don’t dehumanize someone because they’re different
- Words and images matter
And then a public figure does the exact opposite—loudly, publicly, unapologetically.
Try explaining that at the dinner table.
Kids Learn What We Normalize
Our children don’t just listen to what we say. They watch what society tolerates.
They notice:
- Who gets mocked
- Who gets protected
- Who is allowed to be cruel without consequence
When leaders behave this way, it quietly tells kids:
“If you’re powerful enough, you don’t have to be kind.”
That message sticks. And it’s terrifying.
This Is About Modeling Humanity
Being a role model doesn’t mean being perfect. It means showing restraint. Decency. Accountability.
It means understanding that how you treat people—especially publicly—sets a tone.
And if we’re being honest? This is exhausting for parents.
We’re already explaining big feelings, hard truths, empathy, and fairness to tiny humans while surviving snack demands and school drop-offs. We shouldn’t also have to explain why grown adults with platforms choose cruelty over decency.
What We Can Do as Parents
We talk.
We name it.
We don’t brush it off as “just politics.”
We remind our kids that leadership should look like respect—even when people disagree. Especially then.
And we quietly model something better in our own homes.
Because while we can’t control what powerful people post, we can control what our kids learn from us.
And that still matters. A lot.
💛 A quiet hooray to raising kids who know better—even when the world doesn’t.
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