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Between the AV referendumÌýand the Scottish Parliamentary elections earlier this month, there has been more than one or two opinions aired in my house over the past wee while.Ìý

Although I wouldn't say our discussions were ever over-heated, it did occur to me to wonder what effect they might be having on the children. Were our exchanges healthy, or somehow harmful?

In the spirit of embracing other people's points of view, I conducted a straw poll amongst friends on the question of 'healthy or harmful?'

The response, almost unanimously, was that even quite energetic debate in front of, or including your children was seen as healthy - so long as everybody's right to their own opinion was respected. In fact, far from believing it to be harmful, discussion and debate at home were largely regarded as an important learning curve.Ìý

One friend said remarked "It's how children learn to discuss important matters, find out about current affairs and get an understanding of the family ethos/worldview. Usually if we start to discuss something political it's in the car, and the girls will chip in with questions from the back seat."

It seems there are other benefits to be gained from involving your children in discussions at home. It gives them a chance to develop their own opinions and debating style and, particularly importantly, a chance be listened to. They can see how compromises are reached, or simply that it's ok to agree to disagree.Ìý

Constructive arguments demonstrate that people can hold different views on a subject whilst remaining friends and that it's OK not to agree with everyone else, to make up your own mind, and to have the confidence to communicate your own opinion.

What was regarded as being unhealthy were arguments that got out of control, that became personal, or that covered topics which might make younger children anxious, such as family illness or money worries. One or two friends remembered whispered arguments from their own childhoods, overheard when they were thought to be tucked up safe and sound. These were regarded as far more harmful than open, even heated, debate.

Encouraging pupils to think for themselves, and have an awareness of the world around them is built into the . During their school years my children and their fellow pupils will be encouraged not only to reach their own conclusions on issues, but also to understand that other people might come to different conclusions than their own, and to respect those with differing points of view.Ìý

Before the elections, the P7's at my sons' school had a visit from representatives of each of the major political parties standing in the constituency. The visitors explained what kinds of decisions they had to make in their jobs, and how they came to their own, various viewpoints on particular issues.

Having been present at such events in the past I have to say it's amazing the civilising effect an audience of children seem to have on (most) politicians. Maybe we can look forward to the generation of politicians, currently honing their debating skills in school, extending that civility, at least to some degree, to each other too.

Flora Napier works forÌý³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Learning Scotland.

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