As an NHS paediatrician, I get asked for parenting advice a lot. “What’s the best thing I can do for my children?” I’ve never met a parent who wants anything less than the best for their kids. I hear this ethic articulated by parents over and over again, rich or poor, regardless of their background or race.
This week, I can’t help but feel that the best parenting advice I can give goes beyond nutrition and play and emotional support. It has to do with politics.
Public policy has an extraordinary impact on the lives of the children and young people who I see in my clinic. I never talk about politics in the clinic, but the truth is that our political choices will shape the world our children will live in, and determine the kinds of lives they will be able to live.
