Six-Weeks’ Notice: Family Politics
Posted by Jacob Roecker on November 11, 2009 under Articles | 
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by Jacob Roecker and Nanette Kirsch
Principle 4 in the 9-12 principles and values says, “The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.”
Implicit in this is the understanding that no success can compensate for failure in the home. So how does one balance soccer practices and family dinners with the call to “save the Republic”?
Keeping Up with the Johnsons
Sil Johnson was among the core 9-12ers who mobilized support for the Doug Hoffman campaign in NY’s 23rd Congressional district. She opened and ran his Oswego campaign headquarters. Yet, she’s also a married mother of four with a full-time job. We asked Sil, her husband, Paul, daughter Leigha (17), and son, Geoff (21) to share their perspectives on the experience.
SIL: It was Paul who got my head out of the sand about five years ago. Until then, I had no interest in politics, and didn’t know or care what they were doing in Washington. I got involved in the Hoffman campaign because I saw our government spending money it did not have, and I knew my children and grandchildren would have to pay for it.
Paul helped me set up our local campaign office, and he was there to help me clean up at the end. He volunteered a couple other times as well. I know he didn’t like the late nights; I had nightly campaign calls at 9:30 p.m., and we are usually early-to-bed types.
Paul is my children’s stepfather, so mostly their care is my responsibility, but he stepped up and helped out with transportation, made dinner (which he does a lot, but he had it done earlier so I could eat with them), and things like that. I appreciated it.
PAUL: I felt like my wife was never home. If she wasn’t at work she was at the campaign office or at an event. I usually was asleep by the time she came to bed; I did not like that at all. It felt like we had no time together.
Sil: I explained to my kids why I was doing this, and how I felt good people like Hoffman could only get elected if everyday people like me helped.
Leigha: Things definitely were more hectic around the house. Since we only have one car and Mom was gone a lot, we had to find ways to get where we needed to go. (In my defense, I made sure both she and her sister got to work and got picked up afterward, Sil interjected.) The stress level went up with Mom always running around. We didn’t eat dinner as a family, and if we did it was rushed. I liked that I learned more about politics, and was home alone a lot.
Geoff: Mom was more stressed, and she wasn’t home a lot, which is unusual. Her husband was more stressed too. I was proud of her because she was doing something she believed in, and because she was doing it to make her kids’ futures better.
Paul: I am proud of Silvan because she knew something needed to be done and did it. Without any experience in politics she jumped right in and did what needed to be done. I admired her passion.
Sil: I am proud of myself. I had no clue what I was doing when I started. I always was more comfortable being a worker bee. This time I was the decision-maker for the office, and I discovered that I’m a pretty good at giving direction too.
Thankfully, it was a short campaign. I realized the effect it was having on my family toward the end. Despite what my husband says, I did make some time for him, but clearly not enough.
Paul: After the campaign, things just got back to normal. I’m happy to have my wife back.
Leigha: Life just kind of got back to normal once it was over.
Geoff: We’re having family meals again.
Plan Now for 2010
The 2010 primaries will begin near the end of the school year, a busy time on every family’s calendar. If you are considering becoming involved, begin now to evaluate what you can contribute, and how your family can manage your short-term, yet time-intensive commitment.
Prayer, faith, planning and good communication can help your family prepare for – and avoid –some of the stress. Here are a few tips for first-time volunteers to consider:
- Play to your strengths. Offer your known talents first so you can contribute less time with greater impact and efficiency. Don’t be shy about trying something new – one of the beauties of volunteerism – but keep it to a sample size.
- Make it a family affair. While not everyone in your family may share your call to action, your experience sand learnings will help your children see first-hand the power and difference an individual can make in our society.
- Set goals and limits. Set a goal for the projects you take on, and also set limits for the time and resources you can reasonably contribute (best to do this with your family’s input before the campaign begins).
- Build in breathers. Keep some family time sacred, even in the heat of the campaign, whether Sunday mornings or Thursday family dinners. Even brief family time can be rejuvenating.
Share your tips and experiences in the comments section of this article, or write to editor@912candidates.org. Our focus on the family will continue in future features.
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Jacob Roecker is the founder of 912Candidates.org, father of four, an Eagle Scout, and a 2-time veteran of the Iraq War, for which he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal. Jacob is a graduate of Utah State University where he earned a degree in Speech Communication. While a student, Jacob committed himself to benefiting his college community and for his efforts received the University’s Robins Award for “Man of the Year.” He has been published in the American Communication Journal.
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Nanette Kirsch edited this story. She is a married mother of four and marketing communication professional in Tyler, Texas, who identifies herself as conservative. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa. She currently serves as editor-in-chief for 912Candidates.org, creating and posting submissions from volunteers and guest authors about 9-12 candidates. She may be reached at editor@912candidates.org.
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