As my friend Melinda would say: “Well, this was a week.”

It was a week indeed. Our country has taken a “throw all the passengers around in the truck bed” turn, and I pray with all my heart no one falls out.

If you know me, you probably already know our new leader isn’t the one of my choice. But Democracy goes on. Now, instead of my candidate against yours, we’re back to our non-election cycle routine of my idea against yours. That’s how this works, after all. One would hope we can keep civility to it. The past decade or so has been hard on that. But it is still the give and take and back and forth that makes this country great.

Of the many memes and links flying around the Internet this week, one theme kept appearing that intrigued me. “What do we tell our children?” Now, I am not by any means a child development specialist, and my own daughter is well past any noticeable response to my direction. (Although I will say I am quite proud of her reasoning and articulation this past week, not to mention backbone.)

Anyway – to those looking for parenting advice in these interesting times, here is my amateur input:

You tell them life isn’t fair. Sometimes the wrong people win. Someone else winning a popularity contest is not a judge of your worth. It just means the other kids don’t have the same priorities. Best you learn that before you hit the junior high lunchroom. In a democracy like America the best you can do is try to navigate the damage and try to keep it from happening again. The majority rules and 90 percent of the time, that’s all there is to it, a rather boring story. Some points in history are exceptional. This is one of those times. Pay attention, kids, there are lessons to be learned here.

You tell them there are bad people in this world and they don’t all drive a white van and want you to go looking for puppies in the woods. Sometimes they’re on TV and seem to have unlimited access to a microphone. Sometimes, they even wield power. In this world of defamed sports heroes, prime time villains and 24-hour news, your kids probably aren’t nearly as shocked by what they see and hear as you are. Still, they have to learn, again, the people who win don’t win because of their good behavior. YOU treat people decent, not because there might be a reward at the end, but because you just DO.

You tell them military service is to be honored with gratitude and admiration, and if they choose that – God’s Blessings. But it’s not the only way to serve your country. Review your history. Many battles for progress and inclusion and equality of all races, genders, and people of other distinctions in this country have, and will, be conducted sans uniform in community centers and senate chambers, in churches, board rooms, factory floors and homes, and the ballot box – and, yes, from time to time, protest in the streets. For God’s sake, PEACEFUL protest please! They are fought by people who exercise their voice and make change from the bottom of the system up. One. Step. At. A. Time. The human and civil rights in this country are envied by the rest of the world because we continue to fight for them every single day all across this land. That effort may seem to have taken a setback, but it did not end.

You tell them democracy is an ongoing race with no finish line – and they are about to be handed the baton. We are a work in progress and Tag – You’re it. Our generation will continue to fight for the causes that will keep moving America forward as long as we can, but sooner or later you will have to take over. So back to Point #1, kids. Pay attention the next few years, there are lessons to be learned.

P.S: And stock up on all the music you can – it’s going to be classic someday.