Raising conservative kids in a woke city and by Katy Faust, Stacy Manning. Post Hill Press. 224 pages
In her co-written book with Stacy Manning Katy Faust , Katy Faust argues that raising conservative kids in a woke city, is not only feasible, but also necessary. Faust’s subtitle Teaching Economic, Historical, and Biological truth in a world of lies presents a strong perspective on parents’ responsibilities. Faust and Manning argue that conservative parents should equip their children with the tools to fight for truth, in a world addicted lies.
Faust & Manning remind readers that, as much as conservatives love their institutions, parents are still the most important line of defense for the modern age. Families shouldn’t rely on institutions like schools, clubs, sports teams or other organizations to teach their children the importance of truth. These institutions are prone to flattening truth claims today. A classroom discussion should at least allow for all perspectives without defining one as true or false. Children need adults to teach them the truth in such a society. Faust, and Manning, maintain that these adults are their parents.
As the world becomes darker and the sea rises, parents have a special responsibility to teach their children the truth. It is not a one-time conversation, but a lifetime of conversations. The importance of raising children according to reality has always been paramount, but the radical nature of today’s progressive ideology and specific ways the progressive agenda targets kids makes it more so than ever. Faust and Manning argue that parents are the real warriors of this battle.
[elementor-template id="1446"]In They Before Us their first book Faust & Manning present social sciences data that show that children have both a biological and emotional need for “mother-love”. Raising Conservative Kids, on the other hand, is a completely different work. Raising Conservative Kids may not be the best book for readers who are looking for summaries of scientific research. Faust & Manning already did this work in their prior book. This time, they are writing directly to conservative parents.
The book is centered on the nature of Faust’s and Manning’s conservatism. In the American context, conservatism can come in many different forms. There are social conservatives that care about policy positions. There are fiscal conservatives that want more financial restraint.
Faust and Manning, in order to address conservative parents within the American context of the book, define the conservatism that they wish to cultivate through a set of propositions. These propositions become truths that parents should teach their children. Their conservatism is largely American but can be extended to other national traditions. It has a strong foundation and a traditional interpretation of human right. Their conservatism is based on the following principles:
- We believe that national boundaries, national sovereignty, and national identity are good…Conservatives seek to preserve the founding principles of this country–limited government and separation of powers.
- “Not freedom fromreligion, but freedom ofreligion …. Conservatives want to preserve our right to practice and live our convictions in the public space.”
- We want to preserve the fact that women and men are both equally important and have a gloriously different contribution to make to society.
- “Marriage as defined before 2015 [the Obergefell U.S. Supreme Court Case] is not equal to gay marriage.” The union between a man and a woman is responsible for the next generation. A child has the right of being raised by both parents.
- Parents have the same right as children to their own children.
- “Every human being has the inherent right to life, from conception to natural death. We therefore seek to preserve the scientifically unassailable position that an embryo is a person with rights and deserves protection.”
- People of all races were created in God’s image, and the dignity and individuality of each person should take center stage politically, culturally and interpersonally. Conservatives believe merit should be the only consideration when assessing an individual’s potential.
- The inherent dignity of mankind cannot be fully realized without the freedom to choose that can only come from voluntary work and trade. The free market is the most moral means of commerce…conservatism requires constant vigilance against the ever-present threat of collectivism and the danger it poses to the American way of life.”
Faust and Manning, after establishing their conservatism catechism, make it clear that they don’t believe that conservative families should leave Blue States (which reject conservative policies in favor of progressive ones) and that they don’t think good conservative families ought to abandon public education. Faust, Manning and other conservatives are in favor of private schools, homeschooling and school choice, but they maintain that public education is the best option for most families. Both Faust and Manning have had multiple children go through the Seattle public schools system. Their book was born out of a desire to prepare their children as conservative advocates.
[elementor-template id="1446"]The central chapters are devoted to a particular training method. The authors write: “Your goal, as conservative parents in America’s leftist Hellholes, should not be to shield your child from the madness or insanity, but rather, to train them so that they can stand firm against the constant assault on their principles. You must teach to your children to resist the constant assault on their values, as they already know who they are, and how they feel about it. This is not an attempt to brainwash children but rather to acknowledge that truth is real and parents are responsible for teaching truth to children. Faust, Manning and others maintain that the left will spread false ideas among children. Parents must first tell their children the truth to ensure that they are not lied to. You will be the one to tell them about white privilege and porn. It’s important that you, as a conservative parent, establish yourself in the eyes of your children as an authority.
This process of becoming an authority figure must begin earlier than anticipated. “To have the maximum impact, you should make progress on every subject you are concerned about even before your child enters middle school.” This means that you will need to discuss these topics between the first and third grade. These grades correspond with ages 6-8. Faust & Manning urge parents to pass conservative values on to their children despite the fact that the world around them advocates for the opposite. It is important to start early and plan well. Parents who don’t want their children to be lost to progressive madness should “start with the end in view.”
Faust and Manning urge parents to research the topics to better educate their children. Parents are advised to adopt a policy of “no-flinching” where they never react negatively to what children say. They write that when your daughter in fifth grade tells you her girlfriend is interested in her and wants her to date, she is trying to deal with her own confusion and discomfort. If she has been taught that she must endure your emotional diatribe about the “sick culture” before she can get answers, clarity or connection, she may choose to talk to someone else, like her teacher, friends or even the internet.
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The authors provide a strategy to train children based on their age: in elementary school, explain the Leftists’ distortion of truth and introduce conservative ideas. Students in middle school should be encouraged to dig deep into data and philosophy as they face leftist ideologies. Parents can offer advice to high school students as consultants. The authors explain: “You will be instilling truth in your children during elementary school and introducing them challenging concepts in middle-school. You will also stay connected with high schoolers.”
Children should be able, by the time they complete high school and graduate from college, to hold their beliefs strongly and live them out in a world that is enlightened. Children must have the information and arguments to counteract the lies in public. Faust uses two examples to illustrate her point. She describes how children in high school argued for the personhood and importance of both a mother and a father at home. Faust’s children supported their arguments with current social science research in both cases.
Raising conservative kids in a Woke city reminds parents that they can stop the left-wing lunacy. God gave parents to their children and it is part of the responsibility they have to prepare them to inherit an insane world. Faust & Manning have outlined a roadmap for the future. We are not on a retreating path, but rather preparing for battle. We prepare the next generations to inherit their legacy by teaching them the truth, showing them how to love good and helping them to stand up for what they believe in a world which denies reality.
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